- It was dark and tight, and he was hot and out of air.
- The golden fox huddled, wrapped in his long, bushy tail.
Wearing that animal form Kinno could not cry. However his small, round eyes were glistening and teary. His pointed nose was very cold and moist, and he sniffed, his whiskers twitching as he breathed convulsively with fear. Kinno was just like a small, quivering golden ball of lustrous fur.
He didn't want the darkness, he didn't want the beatings, the punishments and the chain and shackles he'd be locked up with.
He could almost faint in sickness when he recalled the odor of his customers, their hands on his body, their bad breath, and their drool dripping on his skin as they ogled him, bending over to take him...
- In the gloomy space, Kinno could barely breathe. The only smell coming
to his senses was his own scent affected by a dense, sticky coat of fear,
mixed with his Master's gruesome odor.
He was locked in a small box, bearing neither space enough for him to move, nor enough air to breathe. Weak, almost suffocating, it was difficult for him to even keep his eyes open. The swaying and swinging as the box was carried along carelessly by his owner, made the fox sick and disoriented.
- Once in a while he could notice a stop, a change of course, but it
was all he could perceive. Then Kinno would yelp louder, bark, howl and
scratch the wooden box from inside, desperate, eager to be taken out of
the dark, uttering the most heart-rendering fox-cry. Even then his
Master would only open the lid a little, less than an inch, enough only
to renew the air inside so Kinno would not be asphyxiated.
- After such a brief pause, the march would start again.
The Fox yelped, in a low and pained agony. Kinno's head hurt, his legs were cramped by staying so long in the same position, and his small heart throbbed madly. His whole gracious and nimble body was seized by the nervous pulse of fear, doubt and total hopelessness.
Kinno had no food, no water, no light, no air. Locked inside that box, all he could notice was that rocking up and down, back and forth, as he was carried away...
He didn't want to be carried away.... He felt exactly as if he were dragged out of the his Dreamland into the most obnoxious prison, back to the torture and agony he didn't deserve.
He had always been a good youko; obedient, kind, agreeable, and yet he suffered so much... He didn't deserve all that torture... Why? Just because he was pretty and orphaned? All his dreams were ruined now. His daddy, his three-eyed grumpy and yet adorable Uncle, his new-found sweetheart, his friend Hikaru... He had lost all in a single twist of Fate.
It hurt inside him as the twist of a knife, piercing his little fox-heart...
- Now he was back to the basics - He had nothing, he was nothing
but a youko who could be solicited for a price... He would have to accede
to whatever his customers wanted to do with him. He would be forced
to spend nights awake, too bruised and hurt to sleep well, with aching
knees and a sore behind, alone, locked up, chained, in the dark, with no
one to offer him any help, any affection...
- He wanted to go back to his daddy, he wanted his friends back. Shut
in the box, Kinno whimpered, growled, scratched and yelped more.
- When his Master finally released him, he was not sure how much time
had passed. Kinno felt so relieved with the release that he even started
to waggle his tail, content, when he noticed his owner's broad hands reaching
inside the box to grab him and bring him up and out.
The leash was once more attached to the collar around his neck.
Placed on the ground, Kinno laid down, his head resting on his front paws, a thankful light making his eyes twinkle in the darkness. And his tail was waved, in sheer happiness.
At least he could have a little rest, and a bit of fresh air...
Kinno sniffed the air. He could sense he was closer to his Master's
territory. The fox looked around. It was after hours. He could not see
much of the sky; they were surrounded by vast, high rocky cliffs. It was
the bottom of a canyon, and Kinno could not avoid imagining how easily
Hikaru, with his powers over earth and rocks, could rescue him then without
a hitch.
His afflicted golden eyes turned towards his master. He was seated
by a small fire, sheltered against the rocky cliffwall, devouring one small
roasted critter - any low class youkai he could have laid his hands on.
- Kinno rubbed his own snout against the soil, unwilling to sense that
disturbing barbecue's smell. He was hungry, but just the odor of the roasted
carcass made him feel sicker yet. His vicious owner smiled at him then,
pulling him closer by the leash. The dim and the flickering light and shadows
produced by the small fire made You Know Who seem more horrid yet.
- Kinno shut his eyes and turned his head to the other side, nauseated
by the sounds and the sight as his master ate. He was a monster, a true
rotten, smelly, barbaric creature, with harsh hands, bad breath, and a
big cock that always made him sore...
He had had kinder Masters... But sometimes he imagined he'd better die than to submit to You Know Who... Only the dream of finding his daddy gave him strength to keep up, and now...
What now?
He yelped with very teary eyes, when he thought of how much he wanted to be with his daddy then... Even if he was mistreated... He knew his daddy would end up loving him if he tried to be a good youko, and then...
What would he do now?
- Kinno noticed something being thrown in his direction.
It was a small piece of meat.
Kinno refused, shaking his head very slowly. Then he just stared at that monster he had to call Master, and even yet, there was no anger in his fox-eyes. Just a deep sadness.
But the youkai was not touched by the golden animal's helplessness.
"Turn Youko!"
The golden youngster didn't need to be ordered twice.
He trembled, but he obeyed, and stood before his master, his body shifting in a faint haze of you-ki as his form grew taller and bigger, moulded into Kinno's youko aspect.
- The blond youko didn't raise his eyes. He didn't move. He looked down,
following the leash's trail which led from his neck to his master's grasp.
The youkai pulled it, making Kinno step nearer.
"Come here, Kinno..." The youkai proposed, wickedly, pulling the youko closer. "Come show me something good..."
Kinno recognized the evil smile his master offered him. He tried to retreat from his touch and escape, but the youkai brought him closer, till Kinno stood right between his parted knees, tense, unwilling to be touched, feeling sick...
The youkai slipped one big, harsh hand around Kinno's waist, bringing his fingers down the curve of his sides till he touched his warm, round buttock. He squeezed the firm mound of muscle tightly, eliciting a moaning sound from Kinno.
"You're a very beautiful youko; you're lucky. I would have killed any other pet that had fled from me the way you did. But you - You are so pretty I want to have you back."
- Kinno sobbed. His master shoved his short tunic up, and wormed his
fingers into his tight underpants. His hand was dirty and greasy, and his
touch was crude and coarse, and Kinno noticed him forcing his way along
his crevice.
"Master... Let me go back to my daddy. Please... I'm not an orphan anymore, I have a family, and I wanna go back to daddy."
The youkai just gave a broad, vicious grin. His answer was to touch Kinno's entrance and force his finger into it with one long, steady push.
- Kinno winced and gave out one low sound of pain. However he remained
there, tense, rigid, his face grimaced by the discomfort.
- The hard finger his master inserted in him was pulled and pushed back
and forth, and yet Kinno just shut his eyes and chewed his lips, unresponsive.
- "I wanna go home... I want my Tou-chan, I want my Ji-chan..."
He whined, as tears sprang from his beautiful eyes...
"There are many customers eager to play daddy with you..."
He shook his head vehemently.
"No! I want my real daddy!"
The youkai roared. He glared at Kinno, and the youko sniffled his whiny cry.
"Go down!" Kinno's master commanded him. The finger inside him reached deeper, hurting him as his master grabbed his whole behind and forced him down, while his other hand started to unfasten his belt and fly.
- Kinno was forced to kneel between his Master's legs. He looked in an
agony to the huge, disgusting limp member the youkai offered him. His stomach
was revolted at the sight of that. His senses were invaded by the repugnant
smell coming from it...
"No Master.. Please... I don't want it..."
The reply came quick and harsh.
"I don't give a damn to what you want! Do your job, and do it well, or I'll punish you hard!"
Kinno sobbed, but his plaintive cry didn't move his Master.
"I can't take it, Master. I'm sick... I'm gonna throw up..."
He huffed, when the invading finger was pulled abruptly out of his rear. He tried to stand up, but then he was hit by a heavy slap on his head.
"Piece of crap! Do it, and don't you dare to throw up on me, or I kill you!"
Kinno breathed deeply. He acquiesced to the other then, doing all he could to suffocate his nausea as he went down on his Master.
He couldn't lose his hope... No... In the meanwhile, he needed to accept the orders not to suffer even more. Hope was all he had left...
He parted his lips, and allowed the abuse. But all the while, as he did, it, diligently, the way he had always been told, the way his clients enjoyed it the most, he cried, and instead of bearing the rosy flush of excitement, his cheeks were covered with tears.
- Kurama's eyes accompanied Hiei as the youkai walked from one side to
the other. He dared not say a word.
Hiei walked closer to the edge, contemplating with concern their vast scenery. They had climbed to the highest part of their territory. From there they could have a hill top view extending as far as Gandara's towers, the horizons, the distant, turbulent rivers, and the forests which extended beyond.
Hiei scanned the area then. His red yes were shut, and only the Jagan on his brow scrutinized the landscape.
Kurama could not avoid feeling a bit guilty, even though he was no baby sitter. He and Hiei had so much better things to do than to keep track of Kinno's daily routine...
Soon, and with relief, Hiei and Kurama got used to Kinno not being present most of the time.
Two days before they had been too busy to notice Kinno hadn't come home. In fact they were so busy they had woken up very late the following morning. Then Kurama naturally assumed the youko had already left to Gandara, for his chores.
Therefore, neither Kurama nor Hiei had any concern about Kinno's whereabouts.
The kid hadn't show up in the evening but Kurama considered he could be spending the night with his friend Skunk somewhere. After all, Gandara was a very safe city, and the golden youko had never mentioned he had any enemies...
With a smile, and kisses, and very insinuating caresses, the youko made Hiei forget any concerns he might have then...
- But a new morning came and went, and Hiei started to be very worried.
Now, the sun was almost set, and Kinno had not returned. It had been three days now since they last saw him.
K'so!
Kurama just knew Hiei would blame him for that, but till then he had done nothing, said nothing, keeping his usual dour, silent mood....
Yeah, but the youko could see it coming... Hiei had been standing atop that hill for hours now, focusing his Jagan to the broadest scope he could reach.
And yet, the pretty Fire Demon showed no sign of exhaustion.
The youkai crossed his hands behind his back, the bandanna hanging loose from his fidgeting fingers. He opened his eyes then, and folded his Jagan.
"You should have told me Kinno was missing."
Kurama's eyes narrowed as he frowned his brow, annoyed at that coment.
"I am not a youko au-pair!"
Hiei gazed at Kurama with an irritated expression as well. He fumbled the bandanna into one of his cloak's pockets, and eyed his lover, very seriously.
"What did you tell the kid?"
- "Nothing!"
"You must have said something very bad to make him leave this way!"
"I said nothing, and I did nothing to that tramp!" Kurama breathed deeper then, and glared at Hiei. "Reproach me, or accuse me again, and I will be the one to leave!"
Hiei smirked.
"Hn. And where would you go to? Back to momma's house?"
Kurama's eyes glinted in the dusk, showing a true evil intent.
"At least I have my momma's house to go back to!"
They gave their backs one to the other then.
A heavy, tense silence fell around them. For long, difficult moments they could only listen to the night breeze, slow and soft all over.
Hiei snorted.
Kurama gave out a long, apparently annoyed sigh.
Hiei fidgeted in place, and kicked a shrub of dandelions growing right next to him.
Kurama cleared his throat loudly.
Hiei inspected his right arm, checking to see if his dragon was properly wrapped.
Kurama tossed at his hair, his fingers flipping the long silver bangs off his eyes.
- Hiei reached for his bandanna, examining it for a while before fumbling
it back into his pockets.
- Hiei looked over his shoulder, arching one eyebrow in an inquisitive
expression, as he glanced at his lover, making a true effort to try
to seem casual.
"Stupid Youko. Your mother would never accept you back in this aspect."
- Kurama winked one eye to his lover.
"I don't wanna go back anyway. Only if you send me away, baby..."
"I will never send you away, youko..."
- "Let's not fight then, cutie..."
"Yeah... It's better..."
Kurama smiled then, but there was a tint of bitterness in his face.
"So, don't blame me for it, allright?"
- Hiei acquiesced, slowly, calmly. He walked to the very edge of
the rocky cliff and sat on the ground, his hanging legs swinging
slowly back and forth over the precipice.
He patted the space by his side, and took one sweet glimpse to his youko, calling Kurama to join.
"Come here, Kurama....'
- Kurama didn't delay. He stepped forward, and joined Hiei, who wrapped
the youko's waist with one arm as soon as they sat side by side.
"Hn... I can't live without you, my insatiable silver fox."
Kurama brought one hand to his lips, his fingers tenderly hiding his smile, in one gesture which he would not abandon, not even if his old days of his existence as Minamino Shuuichi had ended.
"Oh... Me neither, my Fire Stud."
Kurama rested his chin atop Hiei's head when the youkai nestled his
face against his chest. He stroked his youkai's shoulder and arm with one
long, calm touch, trying to ease him. He could feel this pretty was really
concerned about the kid's whereabouts.
"Do you think he might have been kidnapped?"
Kurama shook his head very slowly.
"I don't think so..."
Hiei heaved a deep sigh.
"I can't find him anywhere around."
"Your Jagan has a limited range, baby; don't worry much"
"He must be too far away then for me not to detect him."
"Do you think he might have someone? A lover, a owner, a master who could seize him back?"
Hiei blinked. He rubbed himself on his youko then, enjoying the warmth of his so much bigger lover; Kurama was like his super-dose of tranquilizer.
"Kinno has never mentioned anyone to me."
"And that friend of his? Maybe the Skunk knows something."
Hiei shook his head in one long, upset negative.
"I can't find him either. Something odd must be happening."
"Yomi's city is safe. I wouldn't send the youko there if it weren't."
- Hiei stared sweetly at his lover, touched by the way he tried to justify
himself. He could see now Kurama actually cared about the golden youngster,
very deeply, even if that stubborn youko denied to admit it. It was
a pity Kinno himself wasn't there to see it for himself, to sense his father's
preoccupation in his eyes and in his tense expression.
"I don't want anything really bad happenning to the that stupid kid..." Kurama breathed deeply, then, and he cupped Hiei's nape very tenderly. "I don't know whether he's my son or not, but as soon as he came to live with us, I assumed I had responsibilities..."
"We have responsibilities..." Hiei added, emphasizing very sweetly, that he wanted to be included.
"Hiei, I don't like that rent-youko, but I would never shove him away without your consent..."
"I know that."
"I'd like to know the truth, but meanwhile, I can only do my best to live as well as I can with him."
Hiei pulled himself back, and faced the youko, with a direct, serious, and yet loving expression.
"That's why I brought him along, Kurama; on account of the doubt. I'd feel too guilty if I hadn't at least tried something "
Kurama sighed deeply. He could understand Hiei's motives very clearly then.
"Yes, baby. It's better to face doubt than guilt."
Hiei stood up, with one nimble, quick move. Decisively, he stared at Kurama and offered him one small yet tender smile.
"I'm gonna find Kinno."
Hiei walked along the precipice's edge, and focusing south, he stopped, shutting his eyes and opening his Jagan wide. Kurama knew Hiei would not give himself any rest till he had scanned the whole Makai, maybe beyond, after Kinno.
He smiled slightly.
Well, He could be of help too.
The youko called forth his you-ki, which grew like a rotating spiral around him, and the outline of his body started to lose definition, growing smaller and yet brighter, as his silver aura concentrated, wholly, in his six-tailed fox aspect.
- The fox stood very erect, proud of his own beauty and power,
till the cloudy burst of you-ki was absorbed into his shape.
Then with a toss of his small head, the fox stepped towards Hiei.
His six tails were waved in a beautiful succession, to one side and then the other, as he rubbed his torso along Hiei's leg, demanding attention.
The youkai interrupted his search for a while, just enough to pat his partner's head, and play a little with his twitching pointed ears. He cupped Kurama's pointed face with one hand, and bend over to place a soft kiss on the fox's snout.
"You are looking for the kid too? Thanks Fox..."
Kurama faced Hiei with his round, fox eyes, full of loving, and then licked the palm of his hand, in a foxy kiss.
"Take care, Kurama!"
Kurama left Hiei there, and merged into the darkness and the vegetation,
silently, in all his vulpine stealth and grace.