Power Play (Yusuke/Kurama, PG)
Apr. 7th, 2008 02:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lady_flamewingTitle: Power Play
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho
Pairing: Yusuke/Kurama
Rating: PG
A/N: Sort of inspired by Ai no Kusabi. Post-series (very post-series). Un-betaed. Written for the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
30_kisses challenge "invincible; unrivaled".
If there is one thing Yusuke didn’t expect about being King, it’s that the job is actually rather boring. It consists mostly of waiting, and of listening to other people – well, other demons, in his case – complain about their problems. Which, of course, he’s never really cared about, anyway.
And the goddamn seats are always uncomfortable, he grumbles internally, shifting. He’s the self-proclaimed master of the elegant sprawl, but the effect here is somewhat ruined, as he can’t seem to find a position that keeps the arm of the throne from digging painfully into his back.
He’s so preoccupied with trying to get comfortable – and, really, hasn’t anyone ever considered putting fewer angles on these stupid thrones? – that when the soft voice drifts from the shadows to his left, he starts in surprise.
“You called, my lord?”
“Fuck!” Yusuke swears, and then curses again as the stone seat attempts to bury itself in his spine. Gentle laughter precedes the pale form that slides from the darkness.
“Apologies, my lord,” Kurama says, making absolutely no effort to seem sincere.
Yusuke glares at him, rubbing sullenly at his lower back. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!” he snarls, then mutters – as an afterthought – “And don’t call me that, either.”
“He shouldn’t be able to surprise you like that, anyway, lord,” comes the snide response – from the right this time – prompting another jerk, curse, and bruise from Yusuke, who gives up and stands, disgusted.
“Can’t you two ever use the door?” he demands, turning his glare on Hiei. “And stop calling me that!”
“It’s a proper title, my lord,” Kurama protests. “After all, you’ve won the Tournament several years running, now.”
Yusuke grimaces. “Yeah, about that…”
He catches Hiei rolling his eyes, and Kurama arching a delicate eyebrow, and attempts to explain himself. It goes – well, honestly, about as well as he expects it to. Which is not at all.
“There’s a Committee meeting coming up,” he begins, and that’s all right, but then he finds himself taking an abrupt tangent.
“Well, ‘Committee orgy’, really,” he babbles nervously, “but who’s keeping track, right?”
“Yusuke,” Hiei interrupts impatiently, and he’s incredibly relieved that Kurama chooses that exact moment to have pity.
“You need an escort.”
“Well…” Yusuke says carefully, “more a Pet, really.”
Hiei doesn’t even try to conceal his disapproval, and Yusuke really can’t blame him. A Pet is nothing more than a glorified slave, after all – designed to be a measure of its Master’s strength. The stronger the Pet a demon can tame, the stronger the demon.
Committee meetings have never been anything more than excuses for making showy displays of power, and Yusuke knows enough to realize that the Committee’s starting to think he can be overthrown. He needs to prove that he’s still the favorite contender to take the Tournament this year, and showing up with a Pet of the power levels either Hiei or Kurama have will make a powerful statement, indeed.
“All right.”
Hiei blinks in surprise. “What?”
“Why not?” Kurama elaborates, shrugging. “He is King. It is not my place to deny the requests of our lord.”
Yusuke scowls, displeased.
“Our lord and friend,” Kurama amends, with a placating smile, and Yusuke subsides, satisfied.
“‘Why not?’” Hiei repeats incredulously. “You would lower yourself to the status of Pet for nothing more than Yusuke’s request?”
Kurama only shrugs again.
“This is ridiculous. There is absolutely no reason for this. Yusuke’s easily the most powerful contender,” Hiei reasons, “and everyone knows it. No one else even comes close to the kind of power he has.”
“Shura,” Kurama interjects softly.
“Yomi’s pipsqueak?” Yusuke asks. The last time they saw him, he was no more than a kid. But, come to think of it…when was the last time anyone saw him, anyway?
“Not anymore,” Kurama informs them. “Rumor has it that Shura’s become quite the competent young warrior. He’s quickly becoming the odds-on favorite to dethrone you, my lord.”
“Huh,” Yusuke muses. Hiei says nothing, just rolls his eyes, turns sharply on his heel, and heads down the hall.
Figures he’d use to doors to make his exit, Yusuke considers, amused. You get all the added drama of slamming a door behind you.
“Be that as it may,” the fire-demon tosses back, sounding absolutely disgusted, “I refuse to have any part in this fiasco. I’m nobody’s Pet.”
“I still need a bodyguard,” Yusuke calls after him, grinning.
“And?” Hiei retorts, not pausing for an instant.
“I’ll pay you,” Yusuke tries, with one last ace tucked up his sleeve.
“I don’t care,” Hiei answers, but Yusuke’s fairly certain he didn’t just imagine that tiny stutter in the fire-demon’s determined stride.
With an exaggerated sigh, Yusuke plays his trump card. “More than Mukuro.”
Hiei pulls up short, one hand on the double doors to the throne room. “So,” he observes mildly, without turning, “you’ve managed to learn something during your time as King.”
“I’m not stupid,” Yusuke responds, shrugging. He’s already won, and he knows it. The rest is just for show.
“Double.”
That gives Yusuke a moment’s pause. “What?”
“Pay me double what Mukuro’s promised,” Hiei elaborates – rather unnecessarily, as Yusuke already knows what he means. He considers it briefly, then grins.
“Deal.”
Hiei barks a laugh and turns, smirking. “Agreeing without hearing a price, and with no attempt to haggle? Perhaps you haven’t learned quite as much as I thought, lord.” Yusuke just shrugs again.
“Fine, then. Congratulations: you’ve just bought yourself a bodyguard.” And with that, Hiei’s gone.
Yusuke watches the double doors to his throne room swing slowly shut and marvels at how easy it is to manipulate someone. Well, once you know what you’re doing, at least.
As if on cue, Kurama drapes his arms around Yusuke’s shoulders and across his chest. “So,” he asks softly, “how angry do you think he’ll be once he figures out you’re paying him with gems I lifted from Mukuro’s treasury?”
Yusuke considers this. “About as angry as he’ll be once he figures out that you’ve been working for me since I came to power. Oh,” he adds, as another thought occurs to him, “and once he figures out that this was all your idea.”
Kurama winces. “I may need to begin making contingency plans,” he muses, and Yusuke can practically see the gears in his mind kick into overdrive.
“Hey,” he demands, taking the fox-demon’s chin in one hand and crushing their mouths together hungrily, all teeth and tongue and panting breaths. When he finally breaks away, Kurama’s lips are swollen, his cheeks flushed, his eyes glazed. Yusuke likes the image. “After this damned Committee meeting.”
At that, Kurama smiles, and Yusuke forgets to breathe. No one should have the right to look so alluring.
“Will I need the leash and collar, my lord?” he asks demurely, turning to leave. His tail brushes across Yusuke’s groin, and Yusuke can’t quite stop the resultant groan from escaping his throat.
“Yeah,” he mutters breathlessly, reaching out for the fox-demon. Kurama evades him easily, coyly.
“As you wish, my lord,” he says, the submissive tone colored with subdued laughter, and as he exits the throne room, his lover hard and wanting behind him, Yusuke’s left wondering just who is manipulating whom.
Enjoy! Comments and criticisms, as always, are welcome.
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho
Pairing: Yusuke/Kurama
Rating: PG
A/N: Sort of inspired by Ai no Kusabi. Post-series (very post-series). Un-betaed. Written for the
30_kisses challenge "invincible; unrivaled".If there is one thing Yusuke didn’t expect about being King, it’s that the job is actually rather boring. It consists mostly of waiting, and of listening to other people – well, other demons, in his case – complain about their problems. Which, of course, he’s never really cared about, anyway.
And the goddamn seats are always uncomfortable, he grumbles internally, shifting. He’s the self-proclaimed master of the elegant sprawl, but the effect here is somewhat ruined, as he can’t seem to find a position that keeps the arm of the throne from digging painfully into his back.
He’s so preoccupied with trying to get comfortable – and, really, hasn’t anyone ever considered putting fewer angles on these stupid thrones? – that when the soft voice drifts from the shadows to his left, he starts in surprise.
“You called, my lord?”
“Fuck!” Yusuke swears, and then curses again as the stone seat attempts to bury itself in his spine. Gentle laughter precedes the pale form that slides from the darkness.
“Apologies, my lord,” Kurama says, making absolutely no effort to seem sincere.
Yusuke glares at him, rubbing sullenly at his lower back. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!” he snarls, then mutters – as an afterthought – “And don’t call me that, either.”
“He shouldn’t be able to surprise you like that, anyway, lord,” comes the snide response – from the right this time – prompting another jerk, curse, and bruise from Yusuke, who gives up and stands, disgusted.
“Can’t you two ever use the door?” he demands, turning his glare on Hiei. “And stop calling me that!”
“It’s a proper title, my lord,” Kurama protests. “After all, you’ve won the Tournament several years running, now.”
Yusuke grimaces. “Yeah, about that…”
He catches Hiei rolling his eyes, and Kurama arching a delicate eyebrow, and attempts to explain himself. It goes – well, honestly, about as well as he expects it to. Which is not at all.
“There’s a Committee meeting coming up,” he begins, and that’s all right, but then he finds himself taking an abrupt tangent.
“Well, ‘Committee orgy’, really,” he babbles nervously, “but who’s keeping track, right?”
“Yusuke,” Hiei interrupts impatiently, and he’s incredibly relieved that Kurama chooses that exact moment to have pity.
“You need an escort.”
“Well…” Yusuke says carefully, “more a Pet, really.”
Hiei doesn’t even try to conceal his disapproval, and Yusuke really can’t blame him. A Pet is nothing more than a glorified slave, after all – designed to be a measure of its Master’s strength. The stronger the Pet a demon can tame, the stronger the demon.
Committee meetings have never been anything more than excuses for making showy displays of power, and Yusuke knows enough to realize that the Committee’s starting to think he can be overthrown. He needs to prove that he’s still the favorite contender to take the Tournament this year, and showing up with a Pet of the power levels either Hiei or Kurama have will make a powerful statement, indeed.
“All right.”
Hiei blinks in surprise. “What?”
“Why not?” Kurama elaborates, shrugging. “He is King. It is not my place to deny the requests of our lord.”
Yusuke scowls, displeased.
“Our lord and friend,” Kurama amends, with a placating smile, and Yusuke subsides, satisfied.
“‘Why not?’” Hiei repeats incredulously. “You would lower yourself to the status of Pet for nothing more than Yusuke’s request?”
Kurama only shrugs again.
“This is ridiculous. There is absolutely no reason for this. Yusuke’s easily the most powerful contender,” Hiei reasons, “and everyone knows it. No one else even comes close to the kind of power he has.”
“Shura,” Kurama interjects softly.
“Yomi’s pipsqueak?” Yusuke asks. The last time they saw him, he was no more than a kid. But, come to think of it…when was the last time anyone saw him, anyway?
“Not anymore,” Kurama informs them. “Rumor has it that Shura’s become quite the competent young warrior. He’s quickly becoming the odds-on favorite to dethrone you, my lord.”
“Huh,” Yusuke muses. Hiei says nothing, just rolls his eyes, turns sharply on his heel, and heads down the hall.
Figures he’d use to doors to make his exit, Yusuke considers, amused. You get all the added drama of slamming a door behind you.
“Be that as it may,” the fire-demon tosses back, sounding absolutely disgusted, “I refuse to have any part in this fiasco. I’m nobody’s Pet.”
“I still need a bodyguard,” Yusuke calls after him, grinning.
“And?” Hiei retorts, not pausing for an instant.
“I’ll pay you,” Yusuke tries, with one last ace tucked up his sleeve.
“I don’t care,” Hiei answers, but Yusuke’s fairly certain he didn’t just imagine that tiny stutter in the fire-demon’s determined stride.
With an exaggerated sigh, Yusuke plays his trump card. “More than Mukuro.”
Hiei pulls up short, one hand on the double doors to the throne room. “So,” he observes mildly, without turning, “you’ve managed to learn something during your time as King.”
“I’m not stupid,” Yusuke responds, shrugging. He’s already won, and he knows it. The rest is just for show.
“Double.”
That gives Yusuke a moment’s pause. “What?”
“Pay me double what Mukuro’s promised,” Hiei elaborates – rather unnecessarily, as Yusuke already knows what he means. He considers it briefly, then grins.
“Deal.”
Hiei barks a laugh and turns, smirking. “Agreeing without hearing a price, and with no attempt to haggle? Perhaps you haven’t learned quite as much as I thought, lord.” Yusuke just shrugs again.
“Fine, then. Congratulations: you’ve just bought yourself a bodyguard.” And with that, Hiei’s gone.
Yusuke watches the double doors to his throne room swing slowly shut and marvels at how easy it is to manipulate someone. Well, once you know what you’re doing, at least.
As if on cue, Kurama drapes his arms around Yusuke’s shoulders and across his chest. “So,” he asks softly, “how angry do you think he’ll be once he figures out you’re paying him with gems I lifted from Mukuro’s treasury?”
Yusuke considers this. “About as angry as he’ll be once he figures out that you’ve been working for me since I came to power. Oh,” he adds, as another thought occurs to him, “and once he figures out that this was all your idea.”
Kurama winces. “I may need to begin making contingency plans,” he muses, and Yusuke can practically see the gears in his mind kick into overdrive.
“Hey,” he demands, taking the fox-demon’s chin in one hand and crushing their mouths together hungrily, all teeth and tongue and panting breaths. When he finally breaks away, Kurama’s lips are swollen, his cheeks flushed, his eyes glazed. Yusuke likes the image. “After this damned Committee meeting.”
At that, Kurama smiles, and Yusuke forgets to breathe. No one should have the right to look so alluring.
“Will I need the leash and collar, my lord?” he asks demurely, turning to leave. His tail brushes across Yusuke’s groin, and Yusuke can’t quite stop the resultant groan from escaping his throat.
“Yeah,” he mutters breathlessly, reaching out for the fox-demon. Kurama evades him easily, coyly.
“As you wish, my lord,” he says, the submissive tone colored with subdued laughter, and as he exits the throne room, his lover hard and wanting behind him, Yusuke’s left wondering just who is manipulating whom.
Enjoy! Comments and criticisms, as always, are welcome.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-04-07 08:49 pm (UTC)And Yusuke bribing him under Kurama's influence is just...so right on.
The Yusuke/Kurama interaction? And the Ai no Kusabi Kurama pet images I have in my mind now? You have my eternal thanks.
no subject
Date: 2008-04-07 08:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-04-07 09:23 pm (UTC)I find myself writing Hiei more and more - if only because it's such an interesting challenge to get him right. There's so many intricacies of his character, and yet he never talks, so I'm left scratching my head and wondering just how I'm supposed to convey all of his subtleties.
I'm glad I appear to be succeeding. Also, feel free to kick me if I ever don't. Because I know you'll do it out of love (and enjoy it, too).
Yusuke-Kurama interactions continue to be way too much fun to write. Because Kurama is just so deviously evil, and Yusuke is just so entertainingly clueless. And Kurama is totally giving Yusuke bribing lessons.
Yeah, I remembered you posting about Ai no Kusabi a while back - I think that may actually have been what spawned this particular fic...
YES - WITH THE SHURA LOVE. Clearly, he has the power, he just has to learn to use it. And once he does, I imagine he's going to become quite the force to be reckoned with. Post-series stuff is so much fun, if only for the fact that I get to make shit up.
no subject
Date: 2008-04-12 02:32 am (UTC)A-a-and my flailing about Ai no Kusabi inspired some of this fic? *flails more* SWEET. I read this one to my man and he adored it as well.
And post series stuff is so much fun because the Makai Tournament arc was sloppy at best and it's so nice to write good fanfic top make up for it - right?
no subject
Date: 2008-04-13 03:19 am (UTC)You never know. Some of the strangest things inspire me to write. And sometimes I can use a good kick, if you ever feel like it.
P.S. I always love hearing that you've shared something I've written. It's such a nice feeling.
YES. There is so much in the Makai Tournament Arc to play with. It's total fanfic fodder.
no subject
Date: 2008-04-08 02:46 am (UTC)♥♥♥
no subject
Date: 2008-04-08 03:03 am (UTC)Thanks so much for reading!
no subject
Date: 2008-04-09 04:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-04-09 11:37 pm (UTC)Thanks for the comment!
Sorry but completely unrelated...
Date: 2008-04-10 04:46 pm (UTC)Re: Sorry but completely unrelated...
Date: 2008-04-10 04:50 pm (UTC)Is it sad that Kaoru's account has Reili's icons and my main doesn't? :-/
Re: Sorry but completely unrelated...
Date: 2008-04-10 10:35 pm (UTC)Yes, we should definitely be friends - although, be warned, my journal consists of pretty much nothing but YYH yaoi fanfiction.
And why would I not be using Reili's icons? I freaking love these things.
Re: Sorry but completely unrelated...
Date: 2008-04-11 12:19 am (UTC)Jennifer was baby-sitting a friend of the family's house and he kept getting videos for free. One day, a certain VHS came in the mail: "Poltergeist Report". And, after watching the movie, Jennifer became absolutely entranced by a certain redhead and the fact that he changed into a very hot white fox-guy and that he seemed to be friends with this short guy with a really bad attitude. Lo and behold! Others were also intrigued by this!
And that was Jennifer's introduction to YYH. I shipped Kurama and Hiei before I'd even seen the series. I quickly forgot what the movie was about and never got around to seeing the whole series. Then I found out two of my favorite seiyuu of all time play two of the main characters, plus you RP-ing Kurama, equals Jennifer whining over why oh why she doesn't own the series and isn't watching it right now. ;;
Re: Sorry but completely unrelated...
Date: 2008-04-11 12:48 am (UTC)I shipped Kurama and Hiei right when I started watching, but I've recently gotten into other pairings, so there's actually not a lot of Kurama/Hiei to be found in my journal - or at least, nothing worth reading, since my old stuff really isn't worth much.
...But there is pretty much Kurama/everybody else. Yeah. He's just fun to write.
Re: Sorry but completely unrelated...
Date: 2008-04-11 03:24 am (UTC)You have the entire series?
So. Much. Win.
Re: Sorry but completely unrelated...
Date: 2008-04-11 03:52 am (UTC)It took me forever to collect it, though - I only managed to get my hands on the last DVD...a year ago, maybe?
Totally worth every penny. YYH, any time I want it.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 03:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 04:27 am (UTC)