Two weeks had passed since the concert,and Yumiko had been in a terrible mood all day! It was her birthday, but there wouldn't be a party. Suni had gotten into a prestigious cosmetology school overseas, and had taken off, with a friend of Botan's acting as her guide. Yusuke had returned to training, and Maru and Mako had received a call from Lord Koenma two nights before. Despite her pleading, and reminders that he was retired, he had left at once to assist Maru with a couple of pulse children that had been located in a nearby town.
It had all gone so wrong, and Maru had been witness to just how horrible the career he had chosen could be. Mako was being treated in Spirit world, half of his body having to be reformed from the damage a two year old, human girl he had tried to save had caused. He had made it all the way to the temple steps before the little girl had detonated, but she had been a human. The pulse energy had been more powerful than what the fragile human form could withstand, and she had been destroyed on a cellular level even as Mako had held fast to her.
His upper body received the full impact of the pulse, and had he been anyone else, he likely would have died from that blast. As it was, his body was a wasteland, and his siren's amulet had cracked. His core had been exposed, and had it not been for the power of that amulet absorbing most of the blow, he would have been killed, along with nearly everyone at the temple.
They had to regrow many of his bones, and layers upon layers of muscle and tissue, and there would be no repairing the broken amulet. The tomcat would be gone for several weeks, according to the reports.
Yumiko had called Shizuru, who had agreed to let her come stay in the Kuwabara household until he was able to return. So here she was, packing a bag of clothes and books, to go stay with her brother's drinking buddy on her birthday. At least Kurama hadn't cancelled their trip, so she could still look forward to that!
A knock on the door broke her thoughts, and she let out a small sound of joy as she ran to open it. She did her best to tuck back her annoyance at the situation, and just enjoy his presence as she opened the door to his gentle smile, and soft emerald eyes.
"Good morning Yumiko, are you ready to go?" He asked, glancing over her apparel. He had made it clear to the girl that this would be no simple camping trip, and was pleased to find her in mostly acceptable training attire. Though, he did raise an eyebrow at the skintight shorts that barely passed the tops of her thighs. She blushed slightly, and led him inside.
"I've got pants to put on over them for the hike, but I don't like a lot of fabric on when I fight. It just gets in the way." She mused. This was to be a camping weekend, true... but it would also be their first time actually training together.
She wore a skin tight blue-green top, with a decent sports wrap underneath.
It was sleeveless so as not to restrict her motions, and the dark grey shorts were indeed, well... short, but would not hamper her at all should she need to get away quickly. More importantly, every thing she had chosen to wear could easily be slipped out of should she need to change forms. The only thing she still couldn't figure out was that damned wrap!
He sighed in acceptance, and moved to grab her suitcase. "We'll drop this off at Kuwabara's first, then head to the temple. I've set some supplies to the side there for us to retrieve. From there, it's a two hour hike to the camping site. Are you ready?"
She grinned as she bent down to pick up her camping pack. Mako had luckily bought one last week when he had first broached the subject. With a final check of her own supplies, she gave him a nod. "Let's go!"
_______
They spent the train ride to the temple in relative silence at first, each pulling out a book. He had planned on reading an account on one of the human wars, when he recognized the book she was finally starting, and he beamed.
"It's a good choice! I think you'll like the main character, though it can be quite sad at times."
She grinned as he gushed about the book. She had noticed his fondness for this series, and thought their camping trip would be the perfect time to begin it. It was much larger than the other books she had read, but that didn't perturb her. She asked him several questions as the ride went on, and he did his best to explain what certain terms or names meant without giving anything away.
Twice he told her, "You'll just have to wait and see!" Which rubbed on her nerves, as she wanted to know now. She was particularly interested to know just exactly what on earth a "Lopen" was! The third time he said it, after she asked about a rather odd passage, she made that little whine of hers, and closed the book in irritation, deciding to read it later.
He smirked at that sound, and gave her a warning glance. "If I recall, I've mentioned that little whine might bring trouble for you one day, Yumi. Do you really believe our first day of training to be the proper time to test that warning?"
His voice was gentle, playful even, but she cringed in her seat all the same. Ever since Maru had given them the choker and wristlet as a gift, his eyes had taken on a predatory nature at times, and he looked at her with that gleam in his eyes now. She gulped, feeling very much more a rabbit, than a fox under that gaze.
Upon arriving at the temple, Botan greeted them by the supplies, a little brown-eyed toddler clutching her skirts as he watched them. He was the other child, twin to the girl who didn't make it. It had been pure bad luck that Mako had chosen to carry the girl, and not him. Yumiko could feel the anger bubbling up inside of her, seconds before Kurama gripped her shoulder, hard.
She flinched, and looked up to find him staring at her with an icy expression. Even without words she could read that look. "Don't you dare blame that child..." She released a sigh, and remained still as he attached some of the supplies to her pack, taking the rest of the burden on himself. With a quick word to the shinigami, who had stepped in to help care for the toddler while Yusuke and Genkai continued their training, they set out.
The hike was grueling!! The packs weighed them down considerably, and nearly the entire journey had been uphill in the early morning sun. Kurama did not stop for so much as a water break until they were halfway to the destination, and even then allowed her only a few moments rest before setting out again.
'Great...' Yumiko thought dryly. 'Spending my sweet sixteen as a pack mule... what fun...' She tried to be appreciative, she really did! But she had been looking forward to her sweet sixteen since she was thirteen!! She was supposed to have a big party like in all of the books and human shows! Kaoru was going to the beach for her sweet sixteen next month, but Yumi? Yumi got to train!!
She let out a deep sigh, and focused on the long-haired male walking ahead of her. At least she got to spend her birthday with him. They would be alone for two whole days and nights! No one to interrupt, and no humans to hide from!! She had already thought about exactly how she would get what she wanted out of this trip, and grinned deviously as she followed him.
Kurama was glad he had walked ahead so the fox on his heels couldn't see how red his face had become. The little imp was so thrilled with her plan, he had no doubt she had broadcast it to him by mistake. He chuckled silently, and resisted the urge to shake his head. By the end of their first training session, she would surely be too exhausted to read, much less go through with those plans.
After another hour of climbing the mountain path, they finally came to the small clearing, a perfect campsite for the weekend. Kurama slid his packs to the ground, and set to work immediately.
"Yumi, could you find some dry wood for our fire tonight? We should set up now, in case we are too tired later on." She nodded, quietly slipping off her own pack, and setting out.
She shifted to her full form as she ran in order to allow her ears, tail, and claws freedom to stretch in the isolated campsite. By the time she returned, arms full of branches and twigs, Kurama had already erected the tent, and built a small pit for their fire; a metal grate placed above it for cooking. The tent was quite expensive, large enough to fit them both comfortably, and he could even stand bent over within it. He had brought two sleeping bags and rollout mats for them, and had just finished packing all of their belongings into the tent when she approached.
"Ah, excellent timing! Are you hungry Yumi? We can eat first if you'd like. It might be good to rest a bit before we start." He was ever still the gentle protector, and she wondered how she would take their training seriously.
Once they had eaten, and packed everything away, he led her through the forest to a separate, somewhat larger clearing. She walked silently beside him, well aware of the shift in the boy's personality. The aura that seemed to radiate from him as they approached had turned to ice. As they entered the clearing, he finally spoke.
"Wait here." He said with a level voice. She obeyed, and watched as he took several more steps into the clearing before turning to face her, a hand in his pocket. There was ice in those emerald orbs, and the stone at his wrist looked as though it had frosted over as he spoke to her again.
"Before we begin, I want to make myself clear. If you wish to back out, this will be your only chance to do so. In most things, you will have but to say the word, and I will stop. No matter what my mood, no matter what we are doing, or have done, I will stop. But when we come here, when we train... you give yourself fully to me without question. I will not stop, until I am satisfied with the session. Do you understand this, Yumiko?"
She bit her lip as he spoke, suddenly seeing that powerful, terrifying demon who had bested her on the rooftop months ago. She nodded, and he bared his teeth.
"That will not do. For this, you will give a verbal answer. Either you agree to the terms, in which case we will begin at once, or you turn and leave this clearing. Should you choose that route, I will take you back to the campsite, and we will spend the weekend doing nothing more than camping as humans. When we return to the city, I will keep you close, and I will protect you from whatever may come. I will cherish you either way Yumi, but if you wish to ever fight by my side again, you will accept the terms."
He laid it all out bare for her. Two paths, both that led into his arms. One, where she would be a cherished treasure. He would undoubtedly treat her like any fairy tale princess if she so wished, but if she wanted to truly stand by his side, be more than just an accessory... She bit her lip harder, drawing blood as she hardened her gaze, adjusting her stance as she did so. She would not tuck her tail and hide.
"I accept the terms! WOAH!!!" She had hardly got the words out, when a vine whip appeared from his hand and lashed towards her. She barely managed to dodge, it snapping right where her left foot had just been.
Kurama hardened his heart as she took on that stance. She had accepted. No matter how badly he wished she might have allowed him to keep her as a precious, delicate flower, the fox had shown her teeth. Now, he would reward her for it. His hand drew the seed in his pocket, and willed it to grow even as she spoke the words. He snapped the rose whip immediately, intending to miss, but aiming for a soft blow just in case.
"Good. For today, you will not fight back. You will not draw a weapon either. I want to see you move. Evade my attacks, dodge my advances. In this game Yumiko, if I strike you five times, you lose!" He yelled, snapping the whip again, and again as she moved.
Yumiko barely had time to think!!! He was fast! Faster than Mako to be sure, and she narrowly avoided taking a lash to the face as she pulled up short, then had to somersault backwards to avoid a lash aimed for her abdomen. She did her best to avoid each blow, but let out a shriek as her foot caught in an upraised root, stumbling to her knees just as the whip came down hard across her thighs. She yelped at the pain even as a welt raised from the blow, and reached back to rub at the sore skin. Suddenly his concern for the shorts she had chosen made sense.
He chuckled, and let the whip rest for a moment as the little kitsune rubbed at her thighs. He had tried to warn her against the shorts. He held back quite a bit on that blow, but as she rose to her feet, glaring at him the entire time, he realized there was little need. 'She's stronger than you think, Shuichi... Push her.' Yoko purred in his mind, fully endulging in the look of loathing she gave him. He had received that look many times from the thieves he had trained, and knew it as the mark of a fighter who would not go quietly when their time came.
"That's one, Yumiko! Four more, and you lose."
"And what do I have to do to win this little game?" She seethed.
He had wondered how long it would take her to ask. He pointed into the trees. "There's a mountain stream two miles in that direction. Reach it before the fifth strike, and you win."
"And if I win?" She asked, curiosity cutting through that glare a bit.
"If you win, there will be a reward for you back at camp. Likewise should you lose, little fox... NOW!" He snapped the whip again, not allowing her any more time to consider his words. It struck the dirt where she had just been, and she took off for the trees, that crimson-to-cream tail streaming behind her. He smirked, and gave her a head start before giving chase.
Yumiko tore into the trees like a bat out of hell! She scanned the branches above her, looking for a way up, and grinned when she saw one. Bunching her muscles she leapt for the low hanging branch, and had nearly hauled herself up when a loud SNAP cut through the air. She yelped, and flinched as the whip struck just shy of her right hand, and growled as she realized he was toying with her. A snarl rippled back, and she decided maybe antagonizing the man with the whip was a poor idea. She had just managed to scramble up, and was leaping for the next branch when the whip cracked across her back.
"That's two. The next one, I won't hold back!" The voice cut from the trees as she landed and rolled into another run. Okay, fuck climbing...
She had thought to evade him by running through the trees, but that was out. She heard the whip cutting air again and turned on her heels in time to see it smash into the tree she had been running towards. She gulped, still running as bark exploded from the tree. Oh yeah, that one would have hurt. She weaved through the trees, ducking, rolling, and jumping out of the way as snap after snap rang clear. He had caught her once more, the whip wrapping around her wrist as it yanked her backwards.
"THREE!" He had snarled from the trees directly above her. How had he caught up that fast??? She watched in a moment of terror as he cracked the whip again, and barely managed to roll out of the way before it struck where she had fallen. He gave her no quarter, snapping it thrice more before she managed to take off into the trees again.
Kurama was impressed! She was over halfway there now, and he'd only managed three blows. Sure, he was holding back a bit, but she didn't need to know that. This wasn't about punishment, it was about seeing how quickly she could move, and assessing her abilities to avoid an onslaught. She was proving fully capable, and he was tempted to let her make it to the river, until a rageful thought coursed through their bond. That same damned threat he had warned her about no less than four times since the outing two weeks ago. He snarled, and took off after the girl.
She had been imagining herself sinking razor sharp teeth into the hand that held that whip when she felt it. 'Oh shit' she thought as the whip snapped near her head. 'Oh shit!!' She hadn't meant to send that thought to him! He was pissed! She had been pushing the boundaries of his patience for weeks now, curious to see just how far she could push before the older fox bared his teeth. She had only meant to nudge that line, but now it seemed she had flat out jumped it!
She heard the snarl behind her as she ran. Her ears flicked and she threw herself to the right just as the whip cracked, taking the bark clean off where it hit a pine tree in front of them. She drew a seed from her hair, and had only just started pushing energy into the golden flower growing in her hand when she screeched, the whip's tip snapping against her wrist in a pointed shot.
She had forgotten the rules, no fighting back, only fleeing. She gripped her wrist and kept running as he sent the thought through the bond in a low growl. 'Four...'
The trees were starting to thin, she could just make out the sound of ruushing water as she bolted for the stream. All she had to do was reach the edge and....
CRACK!!!
Kurama put a considerable amount of force into the blow as he cracked the whip one last time. He had felt her glee at seeing the water in the distance, and shook his head at the lapse of focus. She thought she was safe before ever reaching her goal, and it had slowed her reaction time. It was a mistake he would punish her for thoroughly with this last attack. He had to, for if he had been one of Raiken's dogs, they would not have let her get away with such a mistake, and he was unwilling to allow her to die to such an error in the future.
The whip lashed across Yumiko's back with such force it cut straight through the cloth of her shirt, and she fell to the ground with a shriek, her fingers just inches from the edge of the stream. She had been so close!! He dropped down from the trees behind her, and she froze, still sprawled on the ground as waves of emotion coursed over her. She had definitely pushed too far...
Kurama kept up those pulses of agitation until he was standing over her, even as he noted the broken skin across her back. He would deal with that last strike later. First, there was a bit of disobedience he needed to see to before it festered any further. He bent down, speaking low and soft into her ear.
"What were the rules of the game, fox?"
She flinched at his voice, and stammered out, "N-No weapons."
He made a small "hmmm" sound as his hand shot forward. He gripped her by the shoulder, spinning and lifting her to her feet with ease before forcing her to walk backwards. Her fear-scent filled the air, and that tail, which had been so stubbornly high since they began, tucked tightly in between them. He kept that cold glare on his face as he forced her backwards until she collided with the wide oak he had chosen. She gasped as her injured back hit that bark, and he seized his moment.
While she was distracted by the pain in that lash mark, he shot forward. Before she could even brace herself, his teeth had found their mark, and Yumiko screamed!
She pushed against his chest at first, but her arms went limp as the searing fire in her neck changed, and turned to a feeling completely foreign to her as he bit down harder. She could feel the heat in her collar bone as he pulled away, feel the liquid pooling as the bite mark bled, and she trembled as she looked up into his eyes. She had expected to see more fury, or perhaps disappointment. What she had not expected, was the warmth in those emerald orbs as he grinned down at her.
She blinked, then blinked again, a hand raising to her neck even as the grip on her shoulder slackened. He leaned in again to whisper, his breath tingling across that mark. "I gave you several warnings on how I would punish you, if you kept making that threat, little fox..."
He pulled back again, the face of pure mischief as he allowed her time to process what had just happened, and she flushed.
"You... you bit me..." she said in a small voice, as he tilted his head, grinning.
"That I did." He said smoothly, then leaned in to kiss the still bleeding wound. "We'll have to treat the wound once we get back to camp, as well as that last lash. I do apologize for that. I'm afraid your constant prodding recently got the better of me." His voice had softened as he spoke. With a gentle tug he pulled her away from the tree, pleased to see that she gave no resistance, only stared at him with that shocked expression. Yoko chuckled inside his mind. 'I think you broke her, Shuichi...' It was an effort not to chuckle as well as he turned her towards the stream. *It seems so, but I think I can fix it...*
Quietly, he led her over to the water's edge, then spoke.
"Yumi, do you remember how I told you there would be a punishment for losing our little game?" He asked, his tone still light. She flinched out of her stupor and gave him the most deliciously startled look he could have hoped for.
"Y-You mean the bite wasn't the punishment?" She asked, voice quivering.
He simply grinned, removed his hand from her shoulder and said, "I'm afraid not." then gave the startled kitsune a push.
_______
Yumiko sneezed again as he wrapped a blanket around her. She was still furious at him, and gave a hiss of annoyance, her crimson-to-cream ears flat, at which he quickly withdrew his hands.
"Come now, Yumi. It wasn't that bad, was it? Would you prefer if I had used traditional means as a punishment instead?" He asked, watching her pale, then look away. He chuckled, then knelt before the still damp girl, and patted the top of her head.
"I would never truly hurt you Yumiko, not as a punishment. I intend to push you to your limits in our training, but rest assured I know my own as well. I would much rather use methods such as these, than the traditional ones. Wouldn't you agree?" He reassured her, then staged the question, giving her leg a pat for good measure.
Yumi nibbled on her lip, but nodded all the same. She was well aware most demons in her position would not be treated so kindly. She had been quite lucky to find a demon with a heart. He nodded in return, then held up the salve he had been working on.
"Good, now let's see to that lash."
***
She laid down on her sleeping bag, her arms pressed against her to hide her chest, then called him in. He had waited for her to get comfortable, and giving her a chance to hold onto her modesty before entering. Her back was exposed to him, and he released a sigh to see that the cut had been superficial. The only place where the lash had truly broken skin, had been where it crossed with the other. Carefully, he pressed the salve into the small wound, noting as she flinched from a mixture of left over pain and the cold from the salve. The effect was near-instant, and he watched as she relaxed her muscles, letting out a sigh of her own. He then took another scoop of the salve, and glanced downward.
"Do you want me to treat the other marks?" He asked. He would not do so without her permission, despite how badly he might wish to. She glanced over her shoulder, and nodded, moving her tail out of the way so he could see clearly, and watched intently as he finally glanced lower.
She laid before him in no more than those dark grey shorts. Her chest was pressed into the sleeping bag, and she hid them well with her arms as she looked up at him, those sea-foam eyes silently studying his expression as his own emerald orbs traced down to her thighs. Her tail curled lazily along her spine, the tip flicking as his gaze settled.
He had aimed that lash with the utmost care. He of course, had considered aiming for the shorts themselves to soften the blow, but wished to teach her a lesson she wouldn't soon forget about proper training attire, so the first blow had landed an inch below the lip of the fabric. He chuckled softly, and she pouted.
"What's so funny?" She asked, ears flicking in irritation. That only made him chuckle again as he pressed the cool salve against the first welt, feeling the soft skin of her thighs as he did.
She twitched, and sucked in her lip, eyes going straight ahead as a warmth spread through her at that touch. In truth, she had hoped to get closer to the fox over this trip, but this wasn't exactly what she had in mind.
She let out a gasp as he suddenly squeezed, her face blushing wildly as he said,
"Do you need another explanation of why you shouldn't send such images, Yumiko?"
She blushed even worse, having not realized that she had sent the thought at all, and he squeezed the flesh beneath again, leaning over as he did so.
"You're becoming more shameless by the day, little fox... Caution might be wise, unless you truly wish..."
She let out a little "EEP" as his hand slid upwards by a mere inch, and she shot off the sleeping bag, straight into his own; the only place in the tent for a startled fox to hide.
He laughed fully at the sight of a little cream-colored tail tip sticking out of his dark green sleeping bag, and sent a wave of comfort through the bond so she would know he was simply teasing.
"Not so brave when it's more than just thoughts. Are you, my little fox?" He asked as his finger stroked that tail tip, which disappeared into the bag as well, a growl coming from its depths. He put his hands up in defeat, and moved the little jar of salve closer to the opening, careful not to get scratched by the thoroughly flustered girl within.
"I'm certain you can see to the other marks without me. I'll be outside if you need anything." He said, then made to leave the tent. She simply growled again, though he did see a paw, not a hand, reach out for the jar.
Yoko lost it in his mind at that. 'You startled her so badly she shifted!' He laughed, having fully enjoyed the little fox's antics as well. *Yes, and now you should understand why I've waited.* Shuichi responded, giving one last fond glance towards the lump in his sleeping bag, before walking to the fire pit, intentions on prepping dinner for when she was ready to leave her little burrow.
_______
The sun was already setting before the little fox decided to leave the tent. To Kurama's surprise, it truly was a fox that emerged. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of her. She was small, so small... hardly larger than a house cat. Even Yoko seemed startled by the sight of her. 'She's a runt...' There was dismay in the demon's voice, and Shuichi could sense long buried memories in his mind. He tried to ignore the demon's musings as he extended a hand towards the girl in fox form.
Even if she were small, she was beautiful. Her fur was mostly that russet red, though her ears and tail both faded to cream. She eyed him warily, but padded closer all the same.
"What's this, then?" He asked in a gentle way. "Do you no longer trust me to behave, little fox?"
He watched as the fox shook her head, then spoke through the bond, her tail drooping in the grass.
'I'm stuck...'
This was absolutely humiliating!!! It was her birthday, her sixteenth birthday! Not only would she not have a party, and not have her siblings around for the day, but she had also completely ruined her chance to go further with Kurama!! When his hand had slid up, when he actually asked her instead of just scolding her for the thoughts like usual, she had panicked!!!
Without even thinking she had shifted!!! She had dove into the sleeping bag even as her nose became a muzzle, and now she was stuck like this!!! She had spent the past several hours desperately trying to shift back, while doing her best not to let Kurama sense her panic, as she hadn't wanted him to know how worthless she was in this form!!! She hated her fox form! It was tiny, and weak, and she just felt... small... as she asked him for help.
He blinked at her as the words registered in his mind, and her core felt like it would shatter as he snorted, trying to hide his laughter behind a hand. She was too hurt to even snarl as he laughed, and let out a heartbroken whimper instead. 'It isn't funny...' she pouted, wishing the ground would just open and swallow her up.
Kurama tried his best to swallow the laughter, but the waves of misery from the girl as she told him she was stuck had undone him! *Perhaps I did startle her a bit much!* He shot to Yoko, who simply shook his head in awe at the little fox. 'Careful Shuichi, laugh too much and those teeth might yet find their mark.' Yoko warned. Heeding the warning, and the flat ears by the sides of the little kitsune's head, he patted his lap.
"Heh, come here." He instructed through the laughter. Those ears shot up, and she eyed him skeptically. He grinned, a devious expression as he added. "I'm sorry, did you not wish to sit on my lap?" He asked, knowing full well she had thought about it more than once. Even in the fox form her jaw dropped at his blatant mockery.
'NOT IN THIS FORM!!!'
The sheer volume of the thought made him wince, and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop a fresh wave of laughter as she bristled, and stomped her front paw. 'It is so not fair for you to use my thoughts against me like that!!'
"Then perhaps you should keep those thoughts to yourself, litt-"
'I'M FUCKING TRYING!!!' She snapped, her jaws wordlessly snapping along with the thought. 'AND IF YOU CALL ME LITTLE ONE MORE FUCKING TIME, I'LL ACTUALLY BITE YOU!!!' She flashed her fangs for effect, thoroughly over this stupid, no good birthday! She shivered from head to toe, and plopped into a sitting position, letting out a miserable wail.
'This is the worst birthday ever!!!'
Kurama blinked at the tantrum in front of him, then sighed. 'And so it begins...' he thought to himself. In truth, he had brought her into the mountains for another reason this weekend. He had been fully aware of what to expect two weeks ago when his own 16th had come, and Yoko had been preparing him for years. Even still, he had made a bit of a fool of himself in his territorial display, and had marked her quite brazenly in-front of the others.
Yumiko however, had little idea of what to expect, and to be trapped in that form certainly would not help. He had intended to endulge her a bit, while still keeping a clear boundary between them and completing the bond just yet, but at the first prod, she had shifted. He thought perhaps the partial bond had helped more than they expected, but that clearly wasn't the case.
She may not be in a true heat, but the poor girl's emotions were a roller coaster at the moment. It was that knowledge that curved the growl in his own throat, and he allowed the tantrum to continue until he was certain her rage had shifted as well. Once she had quieted, he got to his feet, and moved to kneel before her. He bent as low as he could, and spoke with as gentle a tone as he could muster, while extending his hand, palm up to her.
"I know this isn't the birthday you had wanted Yumi. I would love nothing more to give you a celebration like you and Mako gave to me. I'm sorry for startling you before. Had you asked me to stop, I would have at once." He said, watching as those ears relaxed, and she sniffed at his hand. It might be Yumiko in mind, but the being before him was still a fox, and as he was well aware... curiosity would always win out.
'You didn't startle me...' She thought, placing her chin into that hand, the way he would hold her chin in human form. 'Not how you think at least... I... You didn't upset me Shu... I mean Kurama. I just wasn't expecting you to... you know.... Usually you just scold me...' her thoughts were subdued, and he could feel the waves of emotion as she ran through misery, acceptance, regret, longing... trust...
That last emotion was so strong he nearly lost his balance, and he risked moving a finger to stroke that chin in his hand. He could feel the resulting trill clean through his human heart. She rested that chin further into his hand, and for a moment he felt the little fox's mind go blank.
"Has no one ever, pet you?" He asked, a bit incredulous as he moved that hand to scratch behind her left ear as he would have Celeste. She trilled again, and leaned heavily into the touch. 'No, I didn't hold this form much, and to be honest, I didn't like anyone touching my fur... but...' She didn't have to finish the sentence, they both knew. It was different with him.
The thought made him smile, and he moved again. "You trust me, right Yumi?" He asked.
She lifted a paw, giving him a dubious look, then took a deep breath, and fed her emotions through the bond again. 'I do.'
With gentle hands he lifted her behind the shoulders, and brought the small fox to his chest. Her breath had caught the moment his hands had slid underneath her, but she forced herself to stay still as he lifted her. She blinked as she found her chin resting on his shoulder, front paws wrapped around his neck as he stroked a warm hand down her spine, from ears to tail.
She had stiffened at the first stroke, but felt her body relax with each that came after. She shivered slightly, feeling as though years of tension were washing away with those gentle strokes until, she broke.
The little fox trembled in his arms, and he smiled as he felt the silent sobs against his shoulder. He continued to run his hand from the nape of her neck to the tail. Slow, gentle strokes that worked loose all of the pain, the guilt, and the fear the little fox had carried for years. It was little wonder she had hated her true form, nearly in fact, as much as Yoko once had. Yoko however, had grown harsh, and cruel in his years alone, only learning to feel emotion when he had met Mako's father.
To the day, Only he and Tsume had ever stroked the silver kitsune's fur in this manner. It was an incredibly intimate thing, usually reserved for familial bonding, but Yumi had no kin left to help her through this change, so he would suffice. He kept their connection wide open as he felt for the release of emotions, felt for her very core to sigh as it let go of years of stress in the little runt's pelt. Finally, he felt her head lull to the side, seconds before her body began to shift.
His eyes went wide, and he immediately lifted his gaze to the sky as the little fox in his arms changed back to her full form, the only scrap of cloth left on the girl being that soft grey choker. Somewhere in his mind he had hoped having this side of her nature finally addressed would help bring about the change, but he had not thought about the fact that she did not possess an enchanted garb as Yoko had, and now found himself wholly unsure what to do with the sleeping girl.
He blushed as she adjusted in his arms, nuzzling deeper into the crook of his neck, her chest pressed against the hoodie he had thrown on as the night grew cold. He released an exasperated sigh and shifted his hold on the girl enough so that he could rise without dislodging her, and carried her into the tent. He had to stoop so low to enter, he feared he would drop her, but those paws had been in perfect position to lock around his neck when she changed forms.
Part of him wondered if the mischievous little fox had planned this, but he swiftly cast the thought away. Carefully, he unzipped her sleeping bag with one hand. Then, with as much care for her modesty as he could muster given the situation, he lowered her into the bag. He laid her on her side, careful not to zip her tail into the bag, and released another sigh as he plopped down on his own bag, his eyes enamored by the peaceful expression on the girl's face.
She looked so carefree asleep like that, her ears twitching every now and then as she dreamed. He watched with stark interest as she brought one hand up to tuck under her cheek, and chuckled softly at the sight.
"How can something so serene cause me so much grief?" He asked aloud, moving to brush a bit of hair from her face. As quietly as he could, he made his way from the tent, and set to putting out the fire, and packing away the dinner that sat forgotten on a stump nearby.
He shook his head in dismay to find a tanuki hovering over the stump, the fish's tail clamped between it's jaws. It froze as it spotted him, carefully gripping that fish with his front paws. "Ah well, I'm sure we can find some food in the morning." He said to the little beast, which took off with the fish the moment he waved a dismissive hand at it.
With the fire put out, and the campsite dealt with, Kurama made his way back to the tent as the last bit of sunlight faded from the sky. He couldn't help but grin at the sight that awaited him.
At some point, the little fox must have woken, and decided she liked his sleeping bag more than her own. He sighed again, running a hand through his hair, and settled on fitting as much as he could into her 5foot, hello kitty sleeping bag. Half of his torso stuck out of the bag, and he grimaced as he looked longingly to his own spacious seven foot bag. With a huff that was very unlike the fox demon, he folded up his hoodie as a makeshift pillow, and did his best to go to sleep.
His eyes hadn't been closed for more than five minutes when he felt a hand gripping at his chest, seconds before soft ears tickled the flesh there. Cracking an eye open, he smiled warmly at the little firebrand as she used him as a pillow, and chuckled.
"You truly are a wonder, Yumiko Sayo..."
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The rest of this chapter will pertain to Tsume. If you wish to skip, continue to the A/N, or proceed to the next chapter.
The slender demon stared down at the wolf-demon sleeping peacefully in his bed. It had been over a month now since her last outburst. In truth, he had prepared to restart her training from scratch after hearing that infernal name leave her lips, but the girl had surprised him.
He had been thoroughly shocked to return to his room the night after her... lesson... to find the girl not hiding, but sitting in one of the dresses he had bought for her years prior, waiting willingly for his return. Even more shocking, had been the apology, and promise to never say the name again, without a threat of pain. He had been so stunned, he had allowed the pale grey wolf demon to lead him to the bed, and had watched in silence as she took the lead for the first time in fifteen years.
Ever since he had first discovered Yoko's abandoned sylph, she had resisted him at every turn. Of course, such things had never stopped him before, and certainly wouldn't. He had lived in a state of constant fear for the first few years, waiting for the famous fox demon to appear and reclaim his little lost pet, but he never did, and slowly her resisting had grown feeble.
He had little doubt the fox had returned to the sylphan glade, and wondered if perhaps she had finally given up her fight, knowing her former master had found a new pet. Regardless, as he peered down at the sleeping girl, he grinned.
He glanced to the nightstand, the gift he had brought her sitting open. She had actually smiled at the small blue dress he had presented her, and had been wholly appreciative when he explained that she would be accompanying him on an outing, now that she had finally learned to behave. He couldn't wait to see the looks as his master's guests beheld 'his' pet.
Tsume did her best to control her breathing. It had worked, this clever, slow-paced plan of hers. She had spent every night for a month proving how she could "be good" and "be obedient", and it had paid off! He was taking her away from this horrid room! She would see the sky, taste fresh air for the first time in over a decade!!
She just had to keep playing the "good little pet", biding her time until he made a mistake, then she would kill him, and find her true master. Her bonded mate, who was still out there somewhere. 'Be strong Tsume... I will find you...'
Her tail wagged at the thought, and she covered it by gripping the satin of the false master's shirt more tightly in her 'sleep'. She knew Yoko would find her, or she would find him. She would return here then, and raze this entire estate to the ground. They would make a new den here, restart their pack, and punish every creature this demon called friend.
He gripped her wrist gently, fully oblivious to her false affection, and she wagged her tail again for the insolent fool. 'Soon" she thought, 'soon you'll learn why not to collar a wolf...'
[A/N: I absolutely love this chapter!! A tiny bit of heat, as Yumi and Kurama push the limits of the temporary bond, the day for completing that bond drawing closer. Tsume had chosen to fight in the only way she can! Any guesses yet to her captor? How will Yumi react when she wakes up? Was this part of her devious plans? Read on to find out!
Next chapter: The Letter.
See you then!!]