Kinno had guided Kurama out of the party's bounds very carefully, always smiling, though Kurama didn't bother to face him even for the shortest moment. The Silver Youko just looked down, ostentatiously avoiding meeting Kinno's loving stare.

They followed the way up the slope, following Hiei back to the den. Kinno supported his taller father very kindly, but firmly, really having to put some effort into dragging the dazed youko along. However it seemed that taking some steps in the fresh night air was enough to make Kurama feel a little better. His sight became more focused, and the nausea and cramps which affected his stomach had started to fade, little by little.

The sun had already started to shine right above the line of the horizon, and the woods would soon be bathed in light. The breaking of the morning made Kurama yearn for a quiet, dark hole which he could crawl into and sleep. But Hiei naturally wanted to leave Youko Territory as soon as he could. Therefore all that was left for Kurama was to do his best to put up with the monster hangover and nausea he suffered, hush any complaints and just keep going after his youkai, very quiet and passive, till they had gotten home.

For the proud, and self-confident Youko Kurama, the worst of it all was to be forced into silence and submission by the extreme loss of face he had suffered before Hiei. Besides, his head had just started to ache so badly all he wanted was silence; he had no energy to engage himself  in any type of protest.

Then Kurama heard Hiei's voice, directed not to him, but to that despicable golden youko. The harlot helped him to sit on a large rock on the edge of the way.

There, Kurama kept his eyes down. He could not face Hiei's dissatisfied expression.  It was even worse to stare at that kid's idiotic smiling.

If he just could find a hole to hide till he could recover both his health and honor...

The Silver youko nervously twisted the hem of his tunic around his tight fingers, breathing very deeply to try to make the sickness leave him quicker. His eyes were sad and downcast, as all he wished was to be able to avoid meeting Hiei's accusative red almond-shaped eyes for as long as he could.

"Kinno. Go get your stuff. I need to talk to your father alone."

The giggling idiot obeyed Hiei readily, leaving the couple on their own for a while. Kurama followed the golden youko as he left them, observing from the corner of his eye. Then he swallowed hard, trying to fight the remnants of the nausea which had taken him.

"I'm sorry, Hiei. That will never happen again." Kurama murmured painfully.

He felt Hiei moving next to him and sitting on the rock, right by his side. Neither of them faced one another. Hiei looked at the clearing sky, and Kurama gazed at his own twisting, twitching fingers, letting his silver hair fall heavily around his face, concealing his pale, vexed countenance.

The youko was prepared to confront any kind of reaction from Hiei; but the harsher one to cope with was exactly the one he offered his partner -  Just a plain, appalled silence. Nothing but the rustling of leaves on the breeze and the distant sound of some Makai birds singing was heard for a very long, impressive moment.

Silence was the worst reaction. It meant the youkai was actually resented...

"Koibito, please, try to understand." Kurama whined, so softly he could barely be heard.

Only then he heard Hiei's imposing, deep, voice.

"If you prefer to stay here with your own race there's still time to go back to the party."

Kurama felt a long shiver reach his body - shame and repentance. Both were so intense that they made him react physically. He reached out for Hiei, his right hand moving surreptitiously along his side, drawing to Hiei, to touch his warm, smaller hand. A hand which was firmly clenched into an angry fist resting on the side of his thigh.

"Never. You are my life."

"You used to live like that. There's still time to go back to what you were, Youko."

"Hiei, I'm broken enough. You don't need to humiliate me further still." The youko sighed then, making his thigh brush Hiei's. "Please... I was mad with doubt and jealousy when you went after that slut"

"Hn... All these years to know you don't trust me."

"I trust you, love! But I just don't trust that tramp."

"You should. He may be your son. He's got a name; it's Kinno. Try to remember it next time, instead of calling him names."

"Next time?"

"It's not a joke, Kurama. I'm taking the kid to live with us for real."

Kurama was so startled he forgot his shame and stared directly at Hiei, grabbing his hand firmly with his larger fingers.

"Hiei... "

The Fire youkai pulled his hand back, shifting his small body not to allow the youko's touch.

"Kinno said his mother's name was Taki. Does it ring a bell?"

Kurama's eyes widened. Yeah, it rang several bells... Now there was even a clue to the reason that kid was so stupid; being Taki's son, what else to expect?

"I lived with a female named Taki for a while. But I left her a little before the Spiritual Hunter chased me; she was one of my latest affairs in the Makai. I could not stand her; she was so dense and clumsy!"

"But I bet she was very beautiful; beautiful enough to call your attention."

"She was a dream; the most beautiful red vixen I had ever..."

Kurama faced Hiei then. The youkai was showing him the most cynical smile. Kurama blushed; he didn't enjoy revealing to Hiei much of his past. Being a youko thief, his past was far from being honorable. Better to hide it than to mention it to one he loved so dearly.

"Is she alive?"

Hiei just shook his head, solemnly.

"Kinno told me his mother was hunt down and killed when he was a cub." He added then.

"Hiei; he might be Taki's offspring, but not mine..."

Hiei turned his austere red eyes directly towards Kurama, staring at him with a very determined expression, showing him well how sure he was of what he was doing.

"Kurama, I'm not leaving this kid behind because you think he might not be your son. What if he is? I look at your face, then I look at his and I have no doubts at all. Have you ever thought what happened to all the kids you must have fathered? They might be dead by now, because you didn't care enough to raise them."

"Hiei, he's a stranger..."

"I was a stranger too, Kurama, and you welcomed me, you treated my wounds just when we first met. What would happen if you had turned your back on me, leaving me bleeding to death, just because I was a stranger? We would never be so happy as we are now."

"I don't think I can..."

The youkai stood up. Kinno had just shown up again, bringing his bundle of clothes, waving to them happily as he appeared at the den's entrance, singing aloud something about everybody grooving and getting together in a love shack.

Hiei could not hide a half-smile - The kid was not only gorgeous like his father Kurama; he seemed to be equally nuts...

"Do you really think he is my son, Hiei?"

"Yes."

"But..."

"At least try to be polite to the kid, Youko. It's all you need to do." Hiei stood up then, to join Kinno. It was time to hit the road. But he gazed deeply at Kurama, his beautiful red eyes showing the youko the compassion and sensitiveness he hid so well in his apparently adamant youkai heart. "No one is forcing you to dump the kid but yourself. Don't turn your back on him, Kurama; there are forbidden children enough around..."

They started their journey back to Gandara, and all the while Kurama kept an annoyed face. He could not understand why Hiei had fallen for that golden youko's trick. Hn... He was sure that kid was just a despicable digger, and soon he'd show his real interests. Kurama had tried to make a list of everything that might be coveted by that idiotic hooker, so that he would not be surprised when what actually appealed him came to light.

There was Hiei, of course; probably the harlot was just waiting for his youkai to develop a real affection before trying to seduce him...  A personal revenge must always be considered as they lived in the Makai; he could be someone sent by a common enemy to wait a more appropriate moment to wipe both him and Hiei out... But naturally the most logical assumption was that the whore was interested in the material aspects. The whole Makai had created a kind of  legend about the valuable secret treasure hidden by Youko Kurama, collected since his first days as a thief. Moreover, the slut would not stop talking about the castle he was moving into, and about treasures, jewels, slaves, servants. Yes, it was probably that; a matter of riches...

Kurama could never imagine Hiei to be such a fool in falling for that story - But his youkai's weak spot had been touched.  The drab just needed to tell a sad story about being an orphan and living a miserable life and Hiei's heart was impressed.

But Kurama was sure they were buying a pig in a poke. He would start investigating all of that story as soon as they arrived home.

Besides, Kurama had made up his mind about turning the kid's life into a very difficult one.. He could not move Hiei from bringing him home, but he could make Kinno give up living with them anytime; it was enough to make the easy, wealthy life he might be expecting a hard laboring one...

Hn... That dirty prostitute would soon see who Youko Kurama really was.

Meanwhile, Kurama was facing one of the most disaggreeable journeys of his long demonic life. That stupid golden fox would not shut up. He talked too much, endlessly about all and everything, turning what could have been a pleasant travel into a real nightmare.

Kurama's head hurt; effects of the letdown. He was so bad he needed to stop once in a while to catch his breath, and let his revolted stomach go back to normal. Unfortunately, Hiei didn't make him company. The Fire youkai just kept his march, letting Kinno be the only one by Kurama's side. The young youko tried all he could to help his father, supporting him, offering him comforting smiles, full of the best intentions, always talking, talking, talking, in a happy, giggling loud voice, giving Kurama the impression his head was going to explode in a huge burst of pain.

Kurama called Hiei, begging his lover to stay with him and free him from Kinno's cares for a while. It was the only manner he could rest his ears and his throbbing head from that high, adolescent's changing voice... But Hiei didn't give him any attention.

"You must spend time with your son, so you can get to know each other, Kurama!" It was all Hiei had told him, as he moved further down the road.

Kisama! Hiei could be as wicked as the evilest youko when he wanted to...

Then, after a while, when they were reaching a footpath's crossing marking the frontiers of  the Youko Territory, Kurama almost raised his hands up to Heavens to thank the Gods for the silence he was offered.

Kinno excused himself, leaving his father's side for a moment, hurrying towards a strange grey youko who waited by the edge of the path, sitting below a tree, keeping a heavily stuffed canvas sack by his side. He was distractedly playing with a small peeble, which  he fidgeted around his fingers and stopped, smiling at Kinno when their eyes met. It was obvious the two younger youko knew one another very well  by the friendly way they hugged and started to talk.

Kurama reached Hiei who waited on the way, far from the two youko to allow them privacy. The youkai leaned on a tree, his arms crossed on his chest as he lazily observed the blue sky and the green trees' crowns shaken lightly by the soft wind. Kurama offered his youkai a smile when he reached him, proud to show he was better enough to walk on his own now. But Hiei just gave him an indifferent gaze in return.

It was then that Kurama, on a side glance, noticed the black stripe which marked the other youko's fur, running along his long hair and his tail. He had heard about him; that youko had turned into a joke among his race. Kurama had never seen him personally, but in his times he had laughed a lot on the expenses of all the jokes told about the Skunk...

"Hey, it's the Skunk!"

Hiei looked back at Kurama, a bit confused. He was a youko, how could he be a skunk?

The Silver Youko shifted to the side, so he could be closer to Hiei. Then, leaning on the tree as well, he observed the striped grey youko with both disdain and curiosity.

He could never imagine the so-called "Skunk" was such a charming youko. He was beautiful and young, and every small gesture he made was filled with grace. He had funny tufts of black fur on the tip of his ears, and his long striped hair, straight and silky, reached down to his knees. The black mark was very visible, running in a wide stripe down the middle line of his hair and his tail.

Kurama thought he must be a kind of half-breed youko...

His golden eyes watched the skunk in detail. He talked in a very low voice, showing the tramp a worried expression. They were both two Youko outcast. The fact they were so friendly was even logical - Birds of a feather flock together; so did youko...

"He's more than 200 years old, but very few youko had ever met him face to face because he hides. We call him skunk because of his markings."

Hiei turned curious eyes to the grey youko. A skunk had white markings on a black fur, he had black markings on grey fur. He saw no similarity, but of course he had to take into account the black and twisted sense of humour of most youko.

"That's a youko called Hikaru; He's Kinno's friend."

Kurama eyed Hiei with a wide, surprised expression. Then Hiei had met the Skunk before? What a surprise...

"Hiei, you seem to have become acquainted with too many youko these days. I don't think I appreciate that..."

Hiei turned an annoyed scowl to Kurama, his red eyes showed a very expressive and direct admonition towards his youko lover.

"At least I don't sit on their lap."

Kurama blushed immediately. Oh, Gods... Hiei would never allow him to forget that....
 
 

"I closed the Foxe's Inn right after you left. I can't stay there; it's too dangerous now."

"Where are you going now, Hikaru?"

The blue-eyed youko smiled very softly, patting Kinno's shoulder with affection. Now that the kid had his family he was safe. He should move away and live on his own as he had always done.

"I need to get away. I just closed the Inn's doors and left. I can't risk being caught. I have the strong foreboding You-Know-Who is coming after me. You're safe and don't need me anymore. I knew you would be coming this way; I was just waiting to say farewell and wish you luck."

Kinno hugged his friend again, tighter still than before.  He had been the first one ever to help him for nothing; Hikaru had never tried to lie with him, so different from many others.

How would they meet and talk if Hikaru moved too far away into the Makai?

"You need to move just because I talked too much! I ruined your life and your business! Damn! I'm really stupid!" Kinno exclaimed, extremely annoyed.

Hikaru took a quick glimpse at the tall silver youko who stood by the side of the Fire Youkai he already knew. So then that was the legendary Youko Kurama... Kinno really looked too much like his taller, silver father. It was really impressive; no one could refute their kinship after seeing them together and comparing one to the other.

"How are you getting along with your father?"

Kinno smiled back at his friend; it was a soft, sorrowful smile. He had tried everything - He had helped his father, he had tried to talk to him, he had been nice to him and offered him all his kindness, but yet Kurama would neither look at him eye to eye nor talk to him. All Kinno had asked him had remained without any answer, all the smiles he had offered without retribution. His tender loving hands, his kisses, his caresses were all brutally repelled...

"I don't think he likes me, Hikaru... "

"Give him time. He'll end up accepting you as his son. You're a very good and kind youko, Kinno. He'll soon realize that."

The striped youko smiled, picking up the sack he had left on the ground by his feet, carrying it hanging across one shoulder.

"See ya around, kid."
 
Hikaru tried to leave, but Kinno held him tightly again. The grey youko was his only friend... What if they were so far away they would never ever meet? Makai was such a large place...

"If I need your advice, Hikaru, where do I find you?"

"You won't need me. You got your father now. I don't know where I'm heading to myself; I'm just going where my feet will take me."

"Daddy won't help me; he doesn't even talk to me. What to do if I need a friend? You're my only friend, we can't be apart."

"Kinno, I can't stay around here. Too many people know I helped you out of You-Know-Who's domains..."

Kinno offered his friend a beautiful, enthusiastic expression. What if...

"Come with us to Gandara, Hikaru!"

"What?"

"There are no other youko in Gandara, no one is gonna mock you there, and you can run a new Inn somewhere on the frontier. I'm gonna help you in everything you need!"

"Kinno, I don't know..."

"Please... Hiei Ji-chan told me Gandara is a very nice place and that of all of the Makai Kingdoms it is the one which is more like the Ningenkai. I always heard King Yomi is very powerful! If You-Know-Who comes after us, we can go to King Yomi and ask for help! There's Ji-chan and Tou-chan to protect us, and also the Kingdom's army. No Youkai would dare to defy King Yomi's Domains! Gandara is not an anarchy like this Youko Territory - There they have law and order!"

Hikaru looked down at his own feet, trying to avoid Kinno's stare. He knew the youko kid was not saying any nonsense. Gandara was indeed a safe kingdom to be. It was a place of order and strong laws. It was said King Yomi and his son Shura had built a very strict but peaceful place there.

"Well..."

"We can safely run our own business there! What about a strip bar? We're gonna be rich! You wait on the bar and I perform the Nude shows! What do you think?"

Hikaru laughed. Yeah, it was not a bad idea...

"I suppose we could try that... What would your father and his partner think about that? Would they allow me to travel with you?"

Kinno pulled his youko friend along with him. Hikaru was a bit taller but slender, and he was easily dragged by Kinno all the way till they reached Kurama and Hiei, so they could talk.

When the grey youko stood before Kurama, he bowed slightly before the more powerful youko, while he kept his tail hanging low in between his thighs as sign of submission. He raised his clear blue eyes for a short instant, just enough to face Kurama then.

"This is my friend Hikaru, daddy.  He's moving to Gandara. Can he travel with us? It's dangerous to go alone on such a long journey."
 
Kurama was going to say a very dry, peremptory "No!" But Hiei took a step forward, interrupting Kurama's hostile attempt.

"Sure, kid! Your friend is welcome. Let's move on, I wanna arrive home as soon as possible."

Hiei said that and just started walking down the path again, distractedly following his way home. The two youko friends just chuckled, talking something one to the other in a very low, amused voice, and went soon after Hiei.

Kurama stood behind, alone, baffled. He could not grasp it... What was happening? A nightmare?
 
 

Hiei kept his silence during all the way. However once in a while the golden youko would turn to Hiei asking idiot questions about Gandara which Hiei would answer in his usual cool manner - Yes, No or Hn. The two youko must be planning something...

But now, what mattered to Kurama was that his youkai's annoyance seemed to be fading away, sooner than he could have imagined.

Kurama tried to touch his youkai. As they walked, he let his hand brush Hiei's shoulder, in a very light, but warm passing caress.

He had expected an angry reaction from Hiei, but the small youkai didn't seem bothered; he didn't complain, and most important of all, he didn't pull himself away from his touch.

Then, the Silver youko dared to place his arm very softly around Hiei's shoulders, bringing him closer to his side.

Their pace slowed down, and Hiei returned Kurama's gesture by placing his arm around the youko's hips, embracing him warmly.

Kurama caressed Hiei's shoulder, wishing they could be alone at that very instant, so they would be able to resolve their discussion with more tender, intimate means...

"I was a fool, Hiei..."

"Hn..."

"I feel coming to this Convention was the worst thing that could have happened in our life" Kurama continued, stretching up to look at the two youko that walked animatedly ahead of them.

"Why are you complaining? I got the worse part of it all"

"Why, Koibito?"

"I came with one youko, now I go back home with three. If all youko are stupid and crazy like you, I'm gonna have a very hard life from now on..."

This was just the beginning...