It was all very happy and fun from the point of view of the young ones. The children cared not about anything, laughing and playing across the bloossoming gardens, climbing trees, tracking and chasing some Makai critters and birds around the guests. Nevertheless, sometimes the situation changed and became a little tense, always prompted by Takeshi, who could not help himself and stop teasing Shura. Once in a while he defied Shura calling him bonehead, sissy, or even something a little more emphatic like "fox's food".

To everyone's awe, Shura did not react the way he used to then. He did not made the slightest attempt to chase the human brat; he did not vociferate wrathful death warrants or called him "stinking human" the way he was used to. Sitting between his father and Kinno, whom he held hands with, Shura felt calm, assured of himself enough not to respond any provocation.

On the contrary, it was an edgy, very unsettled Youko Kurama who reprimended the human child for his stupid behaviour.

At this point it became very clear to everyone there something was making Kurama anxious, almost on the verge of some kind of nervous breakdown. It was so palpable that even the initial discomfort that took place when Yomi and Hikaru met each other was shadowed by Kurama's tense attitude.

The silver youko seemed to be cornered by the whole situation. Yomi and Hikaru's presence caused him to be on tenterhooks. Hiei needed to play the role of the concerned, attentive and kind husband, always attending his youko, caressing him, and being nice to him. All in all, Hiei was not inclined to allow a pandemonion to take place, if he could avoid it. Therefore he remained always next to Kurama, sitting close to him, and once in a while he would scratch his furry ears or stroke his tail, exchanging a soft, sweet talk with him. Hiei did it all to help his keep a minimum degree of politeness.

The breaking point happened when Hyoko, who had spent most of the time gravitating around Hikaru, refused to leave his company to come and sit at Kurama's lap when he was asked to.

Everyone felt very embarrassed when they witnessed the angry, jealous stare Kurama aimed at Hikaru. The silver fox made no attempt to be polite or control his emotions then. He ssemed to be on the verge of picking up a fight. To avoid problems, Hikaru acted the diplomat, lowered his head, and dismissed Hyoko, saying he prefereed to take a walk around...

Hikaru got on his feet and left, quietly. He really did not want to cause any either Hyoko or Kinno any trouble. After all, he was not family. He was just Kinno's best man, at the most, and had nothing to do with the wedding preparatives and arrangements...

As he stepped away, slowly and despondently, Hikaru realized King Yomi had come after him.

He felt embarrassed and uneasy about the King's presence, but he still attained himself to politeness, whenever possible.

He stopped and kindly waited for the Blind King to walk up to him. Then Hikaru bowed his head slightly, greeting Shura's father. Yomi approached him with studied, careful steps, not to cause any alarm or suspicion; not to mention any false hopes.

Although he had come to Hikaru, Yomi did not want that youko to misinterpret his attitude - There could never be any kind of relationship between them but mere acquaintance.

In fact, it semed the perfect time to elucidate those matters of the heart. He must warn Hikaru he was a very busy King, unavailable to be thrown in a whirlwind of passion.

"Do you mind?" he asked in a perfectly polite tone, joining Hikaru.

The youko just shook his head in silence.

The grey youko was very surprised with Yomi's attitude on coming speak to him willingly, not being pushed by either Shura or Kinno. Perhaps the King was losing his timidness - what meant that the situation was becoming graver...

Hikaru came to the conclusion it was the most appropriate moment to explain King Yomi about his self-imposed celibacy. He wanted no lovers, no partners. Gandara's King ought to comprehend his position. He wanted no bindings at all.
 
"I realize Kurama was not enjoying our presence. It is going to be very hard for us live as a family after all we had been put through."

Hikaru acquiesced, out of politeness. His face remained expressionless as he agreed that Yomi accompanied him side by side. He had overheard something about King Yomi and Kurama sharing a common past - it was Kinno who commented it vaguely to him, and the grey fox did not insist on knowing further. Such futile gossips were not of his liking.

"I am very happy with my son's contentment but I cannot deny this situation is very straining sometimes. My presence is putting Kurama under pressure."

They started to walk together, distracted by the surroundings. The perfume of varied flowers, the fresh wind from Northeast, the warmth coming from the afternoon sky distracted them from establishing any conversation for a while. They seemed to care only about leaving the moody Youko Kurama at a safe distance from them, in order to avoid problems.

"Perhaps it is not only your presence, King Yomi, but mine. Youko Kurama  abhorrs my friendship with Kinno. The fact I had come over makes him very restless."

"Is that a fact?"

Hikaru nodded his head calmly. He was so used to being nothing more but a misfit he did not care any longer. It had merely become part of his daily routine.
 
Yomi preferred to change the subject.

"Kinno is so sweet. I appraise his efforts to bring his father and I together in peace, but that youko is very edgy about anything related to his felings and his past. It is to be a hard task."

"Kinno is an affectionate youko indeed."

Yomi agreed. He breathed deeper then, savoring the pine scented breeze and the sun's warmth. He overheard a distant thunder, and smiled.

"Have you noticed Shura and Kinno are making an intensive effort to bring us together?"

Hikaru agreed. How could that escape his perception?

"Certainly."

"They want everyone to be as happy in love as they are."

Yomi smiled then, finding it a very appropriate way to start adressing the matter. Hikaru had the opposite reaction. His brow showed a concerned furrow, and visibly nervous, he started to twist his hands one around the other, as they walked across the bloossoming field.

"Kinno is very upset about the fact I live on my own."

They had stooped by a field where a myriad of different flowers grew and blossomed, among dandelions, surrounded by a vast hedgerow that followed the hill's descend into the florest.

"They want us to become friends, I'm afraid."

Yomi lowered his horned head. He felt sorry for hurting Kinno's friend's feelings, but it was something he must do, before matters became even more entangled and complicated between them.

"Kinno and Shura are equally kind towards us. Nevertheless there are many things I should warn you about, Hikaru-san..."

"I see."

There was another pause - instants of an embarrassing silence. It was Hikaru who broke it, speaking candidly as he explained his situation to Yomi.
 
"I am a recluse, King Yomi. I intend never to engage in any kind of sexual or loving liaison. I have been deeply touched about your love and your longing for me. Nevertheless all I can offer you in return is a chaste and austere friendship."

Yomi scowled.

"Pardon me?"

Hikaru sensed his cheeks flush. He realized he needed to be more straightforward. However, being direct was one thing he never appreciated. Straightforwardness could be easily mistaken by rudeness, and he did not intend to offend Gandara's King at all.

He breathed deeply, hesitating, but then he decided to speak all of it. It was the best occasion to put an end to Yomi's illusions, no matter how much it hurt him. Shura and Kinno would feel miserable about it, but there was no way Hikaru could go on mantaining that uneasy situation.

"I am highly honored to be the subject of your feelings, King Yomi. But I must warn you I do not intend to change my present routine of life."

Yomi became surprised with Hikaru's words.

"Feelings? Which feelings? I am afraid there is a grave misunderstanding here, Hikaru-san." He furrowed his brow and tightened his closed eyes, as if trying hard to ponder on that stressing conversation.

Hikaru started to walk around Yomi, very slowly, always looking down to be brave enough to speak out whatever needed to cease Yomi's loving illusions in the most painless fashion. He started his exposition, then.

"I understand it is very hard to steer our own heart. Feelings of love and desire are like a natural force; they cannot be hindered or controlled. Believe me, I will never mock or criticize you for the affection you dedicate to me, Yomi sama. I am flattered to have aroused the interest of a powerful and handsome youkai like yourself. Be that as it may, I am bound to inform a loving relationship between us is virtually improbable and impossible."

Yomi was stricken by shock.

"What do you mean? Please, clarify your words!"

Very slowly, cautiously even, Hikaru raised his eyes towards Gandara's King. He smiled in an attempt to be friendly, so as to make it easier for the King to take the refusal.

"Yomi-sama. I admire and respect you; you are to be my best friend's father in law... But I beseech you to restrain yourself. Please, let us disregard the love you feel for me and keep on living our lives just like before..."

As Yomi gave his back to Hikaru, his face was frozen in a mask of perplexity. He struggled to apprehend what Hikaru meant... Could it be that youko was suggesting that...

"Who told you I feel love for you? Who did it?" He demanded, angrily. "It is nothing but a lie! I assure you!"
 
Hikaru furrowed his brow. He took one step backwards, shocked by the intensity of Yomi's angry astonishment.

"Your son! Gandara's prince and Kinno have come to me repeated times, begging me to be kind to you because you shared an unrequited love for me... I..."

The King clenched his fists. He gnashed his teeth and inhaled deeply, taking a lot of breath before speaking again.

"I was told you cried day and night, miserable because you loved me and I gave you no attention at all!"

It was Hikaru's turn to glare at Yomi, and tense his musckes in a anxious, angry response.

"Who? I? Not at all, King Yomi! Such absurd never crossed my mind! I live alone, and my heart belongs to no one!" The youko explained, rising his voice. But instead of keeping an altered state, he managed to calm down. He sighed in and lowered his eyes, pondering on it all...

"Could it be Shura and Kinno twisted the truth and lied to us deliberately? Why would they do so?" Yomi murmured, presenting the question to himself. He could not accept he had been so easily fooled; and he could not even find a justification, a reason why Shura and Kinno would do so. "Are you sure you never said or acted in any way so as allow Kinno to interpret you wrongly? I love him, but he is not clever enough to make up this story out of nothing..."

"Not at all! I have explained to Kinno many, many times I needed no lovers in my life. He has always tried to find me lovers, and I always disencourage him. It must be your son's doing! Prince Shura made up this story!"

Yomi shook his head in a vehement denial. He aimed a shut0eyed glare at the youko, and approaced him, walking on another step, and another, getting menacingly close to him.

"My son is a prince! He loves me, he respects me. Shura is noble and consciencious. He would never make up such a lie and fool his father and King."

Hikaru gave Yomi a piqued sideways glance, and pulled himself backwards a little more. The King insisted, walking on to shorten the distance between them, and Hikaru stole himself from the closeness again, walking backwards.

"I assure you the probability of establishing an affair with you never came to my mind. It would never happen, not even if you were the last youkai on the Three Worlds!" Hikaru breathed deeper, and escaped the King, opening a wide distance between them. "It is a lie engendered by Prince Shura! He is a petty dictator, just like his father! I bet he thinks he can control other demon's lives, like you do, but I am not an involuntary victim of his matchmaking plans anymore!"

"Who do you think you are to accuse my only son of such outrageous behaviour?"

Hikaru huffed, and placed his hands on his hips, showing a defiant stand.

"You are really blind if you refuse to admit it is Prince's Shura's doing!" Even trying yet to control himself, Hikaru was nervous. It was noticeable by the hoarse, almost strangled tone of his voice, as he addressed Yomi.

On his part, Gandara's King spoke nothing. He only approached Hikaru a little more, intending to corner Hikaru against the hedgerow behind him. Yomi's expression was full of ire, but he still managed to keep some control over himself. Outraged, he breathed in deeply and lengthily,  challenging the youko with his tall, imposing presence.

"Lower your voice! You are adressing a King, not one of the filthy, promiscuous demons of your race!"

It was then Hikaru lost his temper. The ground below both demons started to shake with th energy the youko started to gather as he retreated his position a little further.

"Arrogant!"

"Have you looked at yourself in a mirror? To perceive what true arrogance is like?"

Hikaru huffed, angry with that provocation. He decided to pay back adding a little but deserved cruelty to his words.

"At least I can look at myself in a mirror!"

Yomi followed on, pressing Hikaru backwards, till his back met the hedgerow. Cornered, Hikaru started to growl, very softly yet, and his back and shoulders tensed. He was like a wild cat brought to bay.

"Fiend!" Yomi exclaimed, stepping on till mere centimetres separated them. And the King proudly threated him with his larger, taller presence.

"Maniac!" Hikaru exclaimed in response.

Yomi was so shocked he could not breathe properly for a moment. Before he could even think, his body responded, arousing his you-ki. His demonic energy  started glowing like an aura around him.

Yomi jumped forward, ready to terrorize Hikaru into silence and forgiveness, but the youko tried to evade that trap. He stepped aside and as he did it he stumbled on a root, and almost lost his balance.

Much to his surprise, it was Yomi who supported him, holding him by one arm.

"We have much to talk about! I won't let you escape before we set our differences and clarify the whole matter!" Yomi announced then, drawing the youko closer to him.
 
Before either Hikaru or Yomi protested further, a slithering root burst out from the soil, circling Hikaru's leg with a tight clasp. The youko cried loud with the shock and tried to pull his ankle out of the plant's snatch but a dozen sprouts sprawled forth, pressing both demons together in a fast succession of binding circles. In a split second the plant grew, and neither Yomi nor Hikaru had the time to avoid being suspended from the floor. Thick, monstruous roots erupted from the soil and the wooden stem emerged from the earth, like a serpent's body.

Hikaru panicked awhen he felt his feet taken off from the ground. He cried a loud, desperate "No!" and kicked and squirmed, struggling against the vines that turned around his legs, arms and waist, clinching him and forcing him motioneless. The youko wriggled and writhed inside the plant's circling trap, but Yomi remained perfectly still. He held his breath instead of crying or protesting, and he kept his mind under control enough to summmon his you-ki and try to break free from those vicious, suffocating stems and vines.

He focused his attention on those vines and onthe slimy tendrils that sprouted here and there, looking forward getting rid of that embarrassing situation. The plant was wrapping both he and Hikaru with a fast and violent impetus. The vines were winding around their bodies, entwining them in a fast growing kind of ivy, which flourished into more stems and vines and tendrils, and wrapped them tighter yet, over and over. Yomi was starting to feel like a spool! Determined to react, puzzled with the fact Hikaru did nothing more but kick, squirm and scream, he channeled his energy to detain the plant's eager, wild assault.

It was then Hikaru glared at him and wriggled violently, shoving agsint Yomi with his only free arm, pushing him as far as the plant's clasp allowed him to.

"Stop it, you filthy, despicable coward! You're taking advantage of me!"

The scream was so loud and intense, and the accusation so offensive, it broke Yomi's concentration, and he was backed off from his attempt to destroy the plant.

"What do you mean? I only want to get us out of here!"

"Get your hand off me! What are you? Some type of sex maniac?"

"Stop wriggling your sex on me!"

"Dont grope me! Take your hand off me!"

"You're a vicious, immoral, sick demon!"

"I'm innocent! It is you wagging your crotch against mine!"

"What's this stiff volume you are rubbbing on my thigh? Stop it at once!"

"Stop jerking your body against me! You are harassing me!"

"My hair!"

"Don't pull my tail!"

"What are you trying to do?"

"Stop trying to stuff your hand into my pants!"

"It is the plant, it is not me!"

"You're trying to get into my pants! You are a sick pervert!"

Hikaru became pale from shock, and his whole body coiled up in a spasm of fright when his clothes were pulled off and torn, enough to allow a slimy, tortuous plant limb to slip into his pants.

"Ahhh! I'm being raped by a plant! Stop this!"

"Why don't you stop this? You're the youko!"

"I'm not a plant weaver! You are the King! Do something before the plant rapes us both!"

Yomi was still in control; he had not noticed yet reason enough for such terrified alarm. Nevertheless, when he noticed something warm and moisty worm under his coat and into his pants, he burst out...

"Get it out of my pants! You degenerate youko! Stop blaming the plant! I know it is all your doing!"

Hikaru struggled violently against the plant, desperate to find a little more space in between the vines and Yomi's body. He aimed a furious stare at the King.

"Are you insane? I would never slip anything into your pants not even to save my own life!"

"What's this you are trying to stick in my pants, you pervert?"

"It is the plant! My hands are tied! Can't you see?"

Yomi tried to resist, but the plant was wrapping him tighter, and he realized his energy was being barred. He focused his might, eager to set himself free from that disgusting youko. He tensed his body, contracting his muscles and directed his power against the enemy plant, ready to liberate his whole fighting energy...

Hikaru cried louder yet; it was a cry of pain.

"Stop that! What are you thinking? It's crushing me!"

Yomi, shocked, immediately drew his you-ki back, and interrupted his concentration. Hikaru huffed.

"I'm not your enemy! Your you-ki is oppressing me!"

Gandara's King faced the youko with his shut eyes. Both demons were so close together they inhaled each other's breath. The plant's stems and vines and tendrils slipped around them, like a multitude of snakes, fastening them tighter as time passed. They became viciously snared together. Their clothes, their limbs, their hair, it was all messed up and entangled.

That plant creature wagged and shuddered, circling them tighter. Yomi huffed, Hikaru groaned. Their chests were pressed together, and Hikaru's knee slipped in between Yomi's thighs, while the King's arm was fastened around the youko's waist in a way his left hand cupped the other's right buttock. Meanwhile Yomi could feel his sex rub Hikaru's lower abdomen, while they became more and more entangled in a confusing mass of grey, black hair and plant's green tendrils.

"I wanna get out of this damned trap!" Hikaru screamed, terrified.

Yomi showed the youko a shut-eyed black look.

"You are a hysteric!"

"I loathe this situation! I want to get out of here!"

"It is one of Kurama's traps! You are to blame! You were so careless and stupid you didn't see where you were heading!"

"It is your fault, you imbecile! You cornered and pushed me against it! You did it on purpose!"

"Never! Do you think I enjoy being bound to you?"

"You truly do!"

"Not even in your dreams!"

"Thanks all the Gods! Then they would be nightmares, not dreams!"

Hikaru was going to continue the angry argument, but he screamed, shocked to be  pushed violently against Yomi, so tightly it hurt.

"For every gods's sake, find a solution out of here! Please! One of these monstruous vines is trying to creep into my butt!" Hikaru begged, altered by an all-enveloping terror.

The youko cared not about his composure then. He started to yell out for help, the louder he could. To Hell with discretion and appropriateness! He only wanted to get out of there! He shouted for help, and Yomi rose his voice as well, calling for his son, Shura and demanding Kurama to come and save them.

Their loud voices elicited one reflexive response from the plant

Kurama's green sentinel crushed Yomi and Hikaru tighter yet with its vines and lianes. Leaves started to flourish in a fast succession from the stems binding and wrapping both demons, building up a leaf-made-cocoon around their squirming bodies...

  To Be Continued...