Latitude

Latitude

"H-Hiei." The soft alto voice whispered. The redhead drew the sheet tightly against his naked body, the tangled crimson hair fell on the wan, delicate face. The fire demon ignored the soft call and stood on the windowsill of Kurama's ningen room. The small was back stiff with anger. The harsh ruby eyes glared at the full moon.

"I-I'm sorry..." The youko murmured and bowed his head. Kurama bit his lips and stared once again at the silent fire youkai. "Hiei...."

"Goodbye Kurama!" Hiei said coldly and flitted off to mingle with the dark night.

Kurama's emerald eyes widened. The youko jumped from the bed, ignoring the red silk sheets that fell from his naked body. The redhead stood across his window. For a log time, he remained standing, desperately wanting to believe that the fire demon would come back and change his mind. Then the redhead walked back to the bed and dumped his tired, shaking body. A slender hand curled into a fist.

That bastard! Who did he think he was to treat him like dirt? He was Youko Kurama! The redhead expelled an angry, painful breath and stared with flinty eyes at the ceiling. Maybe it was his fault. He should not have jumped on Hiei like that. But then how was he supposed to know that Hiei was a virgin? That damned fire youkai acted like he had no innocence left on him. The youko had always been attracted to the fire demon and waited for his chance to bed him. And last night he had found the opportunity. Kurama snarled under his breath. Hiei had been eager, too eager to be taken and then after that.... The youko slammed his fist on the pillow and forcefully closed his eyes. He tried not be bothered by the pain that pervaded his chest at the thought of his friendship with Hiei coming to an ultimate end.

The youko was awakened by a loud pounding on the door. Kurama dazedly reached for the bedside clock. Who the heck would be calling at an ungodly hour? And just as he had entered the stages of deep sleep. The youko padded downstairs to his apartment and called through the door.

"Who is it?" Kurama asked in a husky voice.
"It's Yusuke." A muffled voice answered. The redhead's had moved to open the doorknob and started to welcome Yusuke in.
"Kurama... what...?" Yusuke's brown eyes widened at the sight of a fully naked Kurama. Kurama stared uncomprehendingly at Yusuke's shocked face and stared at himself. A deep flush covered the youko's face before he ran back to his room quickly. Yusuke came in and locked the door. The reikai tantei leader let out a harsh, calming breath and shook his head. He had always wondered how Kurama would like without any clothes on and now he knew. He quelled the erotic thoughts of having to touch that exquisite body, kiss it all over and...

Yusuke groaned and went to the youko's kitchen. When Kurama came down again, fully dressed, Yusuke was nursing a cup of scalding coffee.

"Help yourself." The youko murmured sarcastically.
"Sure. There's more on the counter." Yusuke answered, giving the youko an all-encompassing secret glance. Kurama went to the kitchen. Yusuke hurriedly wiped the beads of sweat from his brow. His body was so hot despite the air conditioning in Kurama's apartment.

The youko came back and sat down from across Yusuke. He was sitting very close to the brown-haired youth so that their knees touched. Yusuke cursed under his breath. Fate was determined to play a joke o him. The young man pretended to take something from the back pocket of his jeans and stood up. When he sat back down, he managed to distance himself away from the youko. There was a brief silence as Kurama sipped on his coffee cautiously. Yusuke's brown eyes followed the contours of that sensuous mouth, imagining himself to be That cup.

"Yusuke? Are you all right?" The redhead had tagged at the reikai tantei leader's free hand.
'Oh!" Yusuke blushed and covered his confusion by drinking from his cup.
"What brings you here?" Kurama asked the youth from across him with curious emerald eyes.
"I just wanted to ask if you're coming to the training tomorrow." The youko's fine brows furrowed.
"Training?"
"Oi, did you forget? Genkai-baasan has made some training sessions for us and that busybody toddler wanted us to cooperate with her!" Yusuke said in a huff, momentarily forgetting his initial uneasiness and awareness with the redhead. Kurama's face cleared.

"Ahm, yes, the training. I heard about it. What time will that be?" The redhead asked casually, groaning inwardly. He hadn't had his rest since last night.
"In about an hour." Yusuke replied to the redhead's question. The youko almost choke on his coffee.
"NANI?" Yusuke grinned.
"I knew I'd surprised you."

Kurama looked up into the bright sky and winced at the pain that coursed through his whole body. Genkai had made them run, crawl, leap and crawl and leap again. The youko's green tunic stuck to his body like second skin. A thick cake of mud completed his new outfit.

"Baasan! We need a break!" Yusuke hollered to the old woman on the roof of the temple smoking a cigarette calmly.
"Thirty minutes!" Genkai finally nodded her head and jumped from the roof agilely.
"NANI! Six hours of straight hell and only a 30 minute-break?" Yusuke muttered unpleasantly. Beside him, Kuwabara groaned and broadcasted all the aches and pains on his body. Yusuke rolled his eyes at his whining friend, then his eyes were riveted to a dirty, but still lovely redhead.

"Where are you going, Kurama?" The youth asked curiously.
"I'm going to wash up." Kurama murmured softly and turned gracefully away.

The redhead made his way to a hidden cave behind Genkai's temple. Kurama sighed. The fire demon did not tun up during the training. He knew he would not want to see him after what had happened between them and the youko was relieved that he could postpone his meeting with Hiei, but then he could not entirely disregard the fact that he cared. He cared a lot that the fire demon would show up! Kurama murmured with delight when he saw the waterfall inside the cave. He had discovered this pleasant surprise when he got lost within Genkai's territory. The youko began to strip his clothes and dipped into the cool water. Just fifteen minutes of soaking and he'd be feeling fresh again.

"Kurama!" The startled youko turned to face Yusuke. The redhead saw a very intent glint on the brown eyes. "Can I join you?" Yusuke asked in a clear voice.

Kurama nodded and swam toward the waterfall. There was a resounding splash of water and then Kurama yelped when his legs were pulled down the water. For a moment, the youko fought crazily against the hand that held him. Then Yusuke helped the youko up on the water again. Yusuke laughed as the youko coughed the water out of his lungs.

"Yusuke! Are you crazy?" The youko demanded in a rasping voice. The brown-haired youth pounded Kurama on the back.
"Gomen, Kurama. I thought you expected me." Yusuke murmured to the coughing youko.
"Well, I didn't expect a monster to pull me down the water!" The youko countered and coughed again.
"That monster may have been attracted to your legs." Yusuke joked, but his brown eyes were serious. Kurama bent his head and pretended not to hear those words.
"So much for a peaceful dip in the water." The youko said, hoping to sway Yusuke toward a safer topic. The redhead's heart thumped madly against his chest when Yusuke barred his path.

"Ano...Yusuke. I think it's getting chilly out here." The redhead laughed nervously. Yusuke advanced nearer, trapping the redhead against a rock.
"Kurama...." The young man whispered huskily at the side of Kurama's tense face. The redhead closed his eyes, refusing to raise his head. Yusuke moved nearer still until their wet naked bodies brushed. The brown-haired youth pressed against the redhead.

"No, Yusuke." Kurama's left hand snaked out to push Yusuke away from him. The brown-haired youth grasped the slender hand and pressed it against his chest. Yusuke's other hand tipped the youko's chin and he dipped his head to press his seeking mouth against the redhead's. Kurama pushed against Yusuke's chest. The soft touch only inflamed Yusuke's senses. The youth pulled the slender waist to his body and invaded the youko's mouth when the latter let out a sound of protest. The slender hand on Yusuke's chest tightened and Yusuke deepened the kiss, wrapping the redhead completely against his naked body.

A sudden splashing of water broke the two apart. Kurama took the opportunity to free himself from Yusuke's tight embrace, gasping for breath. Yusuke was breathing raggedly and stared at the youko's very pale face.
"Ku-Kurama...." Yusuke murmured huskily.

"H-Hiei!" The youko whispered in horror, staring behind Yusuke. Yusuke turned and encountered the deathly stare of Hiei's ruby eyes. The fire demon stared coldly at Kurama before he left. The redhead followed Hiei's retreating back helplessly before he waded slowly out of the water.

"Kurama! Let me explain!" Yusuke swam after the youko and held his hand. "Kurama, I--I want you." Yusuke whispered hoarsely. Kurama shook his head at him.
"I'm not into that kind of relationship, Yusuke."
"I'm sorry. I put that badly, didn't I? What I wanted to say is that I like you more than just a friend." Kurama looked at him grimly and turned away to put his clothes on quickly.

Yusuke stared at him. When the youko started to walk away, Yusuke grabbed him back. "Kurama, talk to me! Tell me what you think of me!" Kurama sighed.
"What do you want me to say? This--physical attraction happens to us, to all of us all the time and it wouldn't last. And I don't want it that way. Not anymore...." The youko whispered. "What you feel for me won't last, Yusuke so just forget it" The youko added and left the youth with his confused thoughts.

When Kurama got back to the training camp. Hiei was waiting, listening to something Genkai was saying. The old woman nodded to the youko and snorted at Yusuke.

"Hurry your slow butt out here!" She roared, noting Yusuke's furtive glance to Kurama.
"Tonight the four of you will stay underneath the makai sky." Kuwabara groaned. Genkai ignored him. "Yusuke, Hiei, you go together. Kurama, you team-up with Kuwabara."

The fire demon eyed Yusuke icily while Kurama breathed a sigh of relief, but he frowned when he saw the antagonistic faces of both Yusuke and Hiei. Obviously, Genkai noticed it too because she looked over at Kurama.