The whole area was full of corpses scattered everywhere. Hiei had not spared the life of a single one of those vermin. Youkai bodies were all along the corridors and across the doorways and stairways, piling up in their way out.

Only servants had been saved from death. These youkai now walked nervously up and down the place, collecting weapons, jewels, tapestries, silver and china utensils. They took their best chance now that their Master had been burned and buried under tonnes of rock.

The upheaval of those poor bastards was a good thing to be witnessed. Kurama had never appreciated the ones that made their fortunes upon selling others. It was one of the filthiest means to get money; even for Makai standards.

It was interesting to see how many of those wretched servants looked up at him, and his sleeping partner with respect and admiration, as if thanking them for freeing them of Udo's rule.

Let them loot. All that place was too stinky. The Silver Youko was eager to return home. The atmosphere of exploration and perversity which permeated that place was too disturbing. Even for Kurama, who had been thief, mercenary, assassin, drug dealer and libertine, to live upon the exploitation of  other youkai's lives and sexes was far too immoral for him to stand.

However the youko was detained a little longer in that Fortress. Kurama searched around for a while to find his son shoes and clothes for the trip back. Then he dedicated himself to something he urged to do. He left Kinno watching over his sleeping Hiei, to follow down to the Tower's dungeons once more. He needed to set free all the tortured and imprisoned slaves from their dark, asphyxiating cells.

He had to help some of those poor devils upstairs himself. A great number of them were too weak to even walk on their own. Whenever he freed any of those youkai, he could not avoid imagining what Kinno must have suffered there too.

That blond youko was a nagger.  The boy could be a digger, a liar, a mere stray bastard dreaming of social ascension, but no one, let alone Kinno, deserved being a slave; mainly a sex-slave.

But now it was over... At last.
 
To Kurama's surprise, he felt his power return soon after leaving the limits of the outer walls. Outside the Fortress, the spells had no effect upon him. Kurama sighed in with gratitude when he noticed his strength growing back. Being jinxed was an experience he wanted to forget.

On the way back home, at first, Kurama carried Hiei in his arms, like a baby, to allow him to recharge. His pet was so cute sleeping like that  Kurama did not mind at all bringing him in his arms for a long while of the way.

Then the youko summoned the special Makai plant he had, shaped like butterfly's wings, to help him during part of the journey over the mountains. It was a bit harder this time to carry Kinno and Hiei. The boy was heavy! But the air currents in between the mountains were strong enough to keep them in the air for a long time.

All the while, mainly during their glide. Kinno said nothing. Too amazed and speechless, Kinno just looked down at the arid landscape passing by. He would not miss that part of the Makai which he was finally leaving behind.

They stopped the soft flight only when night started to fall, already very near their territory. The wind had diminished. Also, it could be dangerous to float  the remaining distance in the dark.

Even when they landed down on the green plains on the edge of the mountains around Gandara, Kinno remained quiet. The boy was relieved and happy. Maybe that was why he found himself so quiet. He must be feeling comfortably safe.

They prepared to rest for the night, sheltered amidst scented Makai blackberry bushes. Kurama collected some other fruits and nuts for a small meal. While they ate and Hiei slept, Kinno started to try to talk. And to his own surprise, Kurama did not object to settle a conversation with the kid this time.  Maybe he was getting used to the kid's presence after all; who knows?

The boy addressed his father very timidly. His voice was low and tender, almost just a murmur.

"You really want me to live with you, daddy?"

Kurama just nodded, caressing Hiei's hair. He had laid his youkai across his lap. Thus the youko spoke softly, not to awaken his slumbering lover.

"Hiei missed you a lot." Kurama made a long silent pause then. He took one quick glance towards the kid. "I missed you too."

"You are fond of  me, aren't you daddy? You're not doing it only because of Hiei Ji-chan, are you?"

Now, that one... Kurama was not expecting Kinno to pull such question at him...

The silver youko looked up at the blond kid in silence for a long time. Kinno even regretted asking such question. He cast his beautiful eyes down, and mumbled a vexed excuse, moving away from Kurama.

The fox called Kinno's attention with a slow, calm gesture.

"Yes daddy?"

Kurama sighed in. Then he offered Kinno one small but very kindhearted smile.

"You're a good youko."

Kurama turned his eyes down then. The sweet stare Kinno directed him disturbed him somehow. The boy was too affectionate. Kurama felt he was starting to fall for his good heartedness.

Kinno sat right before him. Kurama reached out to stroke his shoulder. His touch was very light and hesitant, but truly sincere.

"It is good to know you're fine, Kinno. I'm very happy to see that nothing bad happened to you."

Silence then. Kurama could not continue. And Kinno smiled to himself, understanding his father's reserve.

"I'm gonna make you proud of me, daddy. I'm not just a whore. I didn't do it because I wanted. I promise I'll be the best son you could ever have from now on."

Kurama shook his head slowly. He raised his hand in the air to deter Kinno from continuing that line of self-pitying thought..

"It's all right, child," was all the youko responded. Then he whispered out one soft, inaudible "I'm sorry." But it was so low, Kurama himself was the only one to perceive it. He was too embarrassed to say it louder.
 
Kurama noticed Hiei squirm on his lap. He placed one very soft touch on his brow, sensing the closed Jagan with the palm of his hand. It was warm, vibrant, intense... The youkai had regained most of his energy. He would soon wake up.

"Did you love mommy?"

Kurama let his fingers play with the soft bangs of black hair falling on Hiei's brow. Then he brought the tip of one finger down his face, caressing him very slowly.

"I was a different youko then, Kinno. I loved no one but myself."

"Is it why you left her and me behind?"

The Silver Youko acquiesced very softly. His hand roamed around Hiei's shoulder to his back. He caressed the youkai distractedly then.

"I left many people behind..." Kurama spoke then, looking up at the dark night sky, lost in his own thoughts for a while.

"Mommy was beautiful wasn't she?"

"Yes. Very beautiful."

"I remember a jewel she wore. She said you had given it to her." Kinno sighed in then. He sniffled, holding back his cry. He knew there was no use in crying now that he was together with his father. "The youkai that captured us took it from her. Mommy would be so happy to know I'm safe with you, daddy..."

Kurama looked at the golden youko with a sideways glance. Yes... In fact he had given that vixen a jewel...

"What type of jewel was it? Do you remember?" As the youko asked that, he felt a shiver cut through him. He widened his eyes, and they glinted in the dusk like real jewels. Of course, it was not a definitive proof, but if the kid knew it right... If he could say it, then at least it could mean the boy was not a total hoax.

Kinno smiled. He loved to have his father finally giving  him some attention.

"She was very jealous of that stone." Kinno raised his hand, showing a circular figure formed by his thumb and index finger. "It was this size." He pointed out to one astonished Kurama. "It was dark red." He added then.

Kurama breathed in, tense, with his stricken eyes laid on the kid, locked in an expression of shocked recognition.

Of course, it did not prove anything, but... Well at least it waved with one chance, one clear sigh that golden kid could really be his...

Shame burned on the silver youko's face. And guilt pounded painfully inside him. Nevertheless, Kurama breathed deeply again, managing to control his emotion.

"I don't remember much more, daddy. I'm sorry. I was a very small cub then. I just remember the stone because I liked to play with it; it was always hanging from mommy's neck....

Kurama hushed the kid.

"Try to sleep..."

The golden youko obeyed his father immediately. He rested on a perfumed patch of herbs growing next to Kurama. Lying down, Kinno aimed one marveled, very affectionate glance at his father, as he huddled, covering himself with his own fluffy tail.

The golden youko extended one hand towards his father, holding with a tight grasp the hem of the youko's tunic.

"Can I lie down near you, daddy? I'm afraid of the dark..."

"Sure," Kurama whispered, amused with the desperate way the kid gripped that white piece of clothing.

Kinno shifted closer to Kurama. Closer yet. In fact, the golden youko lay so close to Kurama that he leaned his head against his thigh. The boy smiled, when he felt the warm touch stroking his head. He knew it was his father's hands, tending him to sleep. Kinno closed his eyes, delighted with the feel of his father's warmth.

Kinno had never been so happy... Never...

"Good night, daddy. I love you..."

Kurama chuckled to himself, acquiescing in the dark.

"Good night, son..." he whispered then.

The boy was so tired he slept almost immediately. He still kept a soft smile across his face as he reposed.
 

After some moments, Kurama realized Hiei had been awake for a while. The youkai remained very still. just observing him in the dark.

Kurama shifted closer to his lover, leaning on him for a quick kiss. Hiei rolled to his side, resting his head on the youko's chest. A soft smile curved his lips. He had overheard the talk Kinno had just exchanged with his father.

"I'm proud of you, youko," Hiei murmured, bending over to kiss his lover's nipple over his clothes.

Kurama slid one finger all along Hiei's face, down his nose, fondling his lips, tapping his chin...

"Why, baby?"

"I'm happy that you have finally acknowledged Kinno."

Kurama looked down for a short moment, deviating from Hiei's intense stare. But he held the youkai closer against his body, as he circled his slender waist with his caressing hands.

"Well... Not exactly, Hiei. I still have doubts."

Hiei shook his head, in a firm denial.

"These doubts are in your mind, not in your heart. I know it, fox."

Kurama did not reply back. Maybe his lover was right... He brought his partner
closer for another kiss.

"I can't wait to arrive home, daddy..."

Kurama snickered, hearing Hiei call him that way. He nuzzled his youkai's spiky hair then, very amorously.

The silver youko concealed a tender smiled behind his lover's white starburst of hair. Then he waved his tail slowly, rubbing Kinno's back as the boy slept very quietly next to him. Yes, Kurama had to be sincere to himself -  He was really starting to enjoy the sensation of being a father...