Shura and Kinno would only be allowed to meet and date once every seven days. Not only because Kinno had much to do back home, but also for Shura's need to dedicate much of his energy and time to hard training. The tournament was closing in, and Yomi wanted to be sure the Throne of the Makai would not escape either him or Shura.

Their fathers had managed to set Kinno and Shura's engagement pretty well.

Their relationship would be made formal as soon as the next Makai Tournament had finished, whatever result it brought.

Meanwhile, not only would Shura need to try his best to become a youkai even more powerful than his father, but Kinno was also expected to put much of his effort in trying to develop his own powers. Moreover, he should be educated beyond his present limited knowledge.

Kinno tried to complain at this one, but his shy remarks were not considered. And Shura had told him he would help...

The golden youko merely smiled. He and Shura accepted meekly each and every one of the terms their fathers had arranged. They understood such demands would be hard for them, but necessary, for their own good.

They had been given some moments alone to talk and bid each other a loving, private farewell, as their fathers awaited.

It would be hard to resist the missing feeling imposed by a six-day absence. They held tight one against the other, enjoying every little instant of sensation and warmth their embrace offered them.

Shura brought Kinno closer, nestling him against his body, while his arms slowly encircled his waist in one affectionate caress. Being shorter, Shura rested his face on the curve of Kinno's nest, careful not to let his horns cut his skin. Kinno kissed his head, breathing deeply to feel the fresh scent of his glossy black hair.

He nibbled the tip of  Shura's pointed ear, and the boy chuckled and shuddered with the tingling sensation. His fingers clasped the slender waist of the fox tighter, but with the sweetest adoration.

"I love you, Kinno... You will never let go of me, will you?"

The fox made his tongue draw a teasing slip along Shura's ear. It tickled the youkai so much he jumped in his arms.

"Never", was all that Kinno responded. Yet, it felt extremely comforting to Shura. He cuddled against Kinno's chest, and slowly looked up, his lips reaching Kinno's...

They kissed, and their hands started the most sensual caresses. The contact of their bodies brought higher the flames of passion they carried inside. They held their breaths for a long moment, while their mouths were smothered together in a hungry, arousing kiss.

They made their bodies rest one against the other so close, that they felt as one, and their fingers clung passionately to their flesh, in the rapture of their embrace, that it hurt, and yet they would not let go one of the other.

When they parted their kiss, in a slow reluctance, both smiled, and equally inhaled deeply, to try to recompose themselves of the sudden excitement which had made their demon hearts throb and their blood rush violently in their veins.

Their cheeks bore a rosy tone, and their eyes sparkled with joy. It was so good to love without the need to hide, fear or lie... Being free to love and live their passion together was all they cherished since they had first met...

Shura looked down, his eyes contemplating in adoring awe the beauty of Kinno's naked torso. His pale chest, the delicious pink tone of his nipples, the consistency of his flesh, the curve of his waist, the subtle relief drawn by the muscles of his abdomen...

Shura touched down, his fingers slipping down the curve of Kinno's side to reach the sensitive area between his navel and his low trousers' waistband. The youko chuckled. Now it was his turn to feel tickled. Shura smiled, and slowly slipped two fingers into his trousers, stroking along the thin line of golden fur which merged further down...

"Shura... Our fathers are just there... We can't make it now..."

The prince's response was to draw Kinno closer for another kiss.

"Say you are mine..."

Kinno smiled, touched by his sweetheart's wanting innocence...

"I am your youko, lollypop. I promise it to you. You will be my first real sweetheart, and my only one."

The tension always present in Shura's features vanished for a moment. The prince showed the most pleased smile, and his hands moved up along his youko's arms, stroking his shoulders and then fondling his beautiful, soft hair.

Their smiling mouths touched in another kiss. They felt they could be there together, for evermore...

"I love you, blondie. I know Love is not an emotion suitable for a powerful demon, but since my eyes fell on you, everything else seems to lose importance. You are all I ever need."

Kinno's smile grew wider, and he flushed so intensely he felt vexed. He concealed his face against Shura's hair.

"I love you too, my sugar... You are the sweetheart I always dreamed of. If you were a beggar or a thief instead of a prince I would still want to be together with you..."

Shura acquiesced. He wanted to say so much, just like Kinno, yet their feelings were so overwhelming, so intense, that they could not find any means to express them in words. They just wanted to be cuddling tight, and kissing, and stroking each other forever... And in a way, was there better way to show their love?

"I don''t know how to explain it, Kinno, but you make me feel good, you make me feel complete..."

"You too, honeybun... You gave me something I never had before. I don't need to fake; I don't need to pretend I like being with you... I know you won't ever beat me or mistreat me... I never knew true love before you showed it to me..."

Yomi's son caressed Kinno's face, very slowly.

"Don't think of the past. I want you to forget it. Just think on our future, and how happy we're gonna be. Even meeting just once in a while, I know you will be thinking of me, and that will give me strength to keep on my training and my studies."

"And I'm gonna try my best to be up to you, Shura... I'll be here waiting for you, thinking and dreaming of you always..."

They snuggled one to the other, closing their eyes while slowly parting their lips for another kiss, when they heard their names being called.

So soon?

Startled by the interruption, they still held tightly one to the other, clenching fervently. Neither one wanted to let go...

"I'll be thinking of you, Kinno..."

"Yes, sugar... At least now we know everything is fine with daddy and your papa..."

They smiled, and shared a last kiss, foxy and pointed ears twitching as another loud call urged them to be apart and go home.

They held close, very close, as much as they could, so much it hurt. Their eyes met in one fixed, passionate stare, and Shura grazed his lips on Kinno's, in one butterfly kiss, as he whispered to him...

"I love you, my blondie..."

Kinno responded equally, but he slipped his tongue up Shura's lips, before murmuring in an adoring fashion...

"You are my only love; I can't live without you, sugar..."

"I'll be waiting for you..."

"Yes... Me too..."

They reluctantly withdrew their embrace, and stepped back, still holding hands for one instant. But soon the touch slipped apart, and immediately then they felt themselves affected by a deep longing.

But at least they were absolutely sure of their mutual love and of their family's acceptance.

Kinno watched Shura pull himself away, slowly, sorrowfully, but when he looked over his shoulder to his imposing father, who waited for him steps away, he kept his chin up, and stood up proud and determined as always. He was a prince, and not used  to walking around with downcast eyes, no matter how much grief pounded in his heart.

He waved to his youko and still had the chance to give Kinno a pretty, slight smile, before turning his back and walking away to join his father.

Kinno kept waving and smiling, accompanying Shura and his father with teary eyes. They followed down the rocky way, and soon could not be seen any more...

He already missed his horny sweetheart, but he also felt so happy things had turned out fine...

Kinno smiled. He was about to turn round and head home but he was assailed by a fierce clinch. He lost his balance, and would have fallen down, if another pair of embracing arms did not hold him.

Kinno was practically attacked by Hyoko, who jumped on him, loudly crying his name, yelling out a confused medley of all that had happened till then. The baby youko tugged at his arms and hair to be lifted, while Ikki encircled Kinno's waist with a tight hug.

The golden fox was so happy. He raised Hyoko in one arm, nestling him against his chest, and kissed his brow with a noisy smack. Then he patted Ikki's spiky black hair, closing one arm around his neck to draw him nearer.

"Kids! I'm gonna get married to Shura! I'm so happy!"

Ikki seemed rather confused. And Hyoko was so startled he froze. He stared at his big brother with very sad red eyes, and even sniffled.

"Are you going away, Kinno? I don't want you to go away!"

The baby started to whine loudly, and one of his small hands grabbed a lot of Kinno's soft hair, as he started to pull in a evilish protest, which made Kinno cry, and do his best to detain him.

"No! No! I'm still living with you! I'm not going to get married now, don't worry..."

Ikki faced Kinno with very concerned looks.

"Daddy Kurama is not happy with it..." The boy pointed then at the silver youko and his partner, who were coming in their direction. Hiei was quiet, and very stern as always, but Kurama was so displeased and angry that he even inspired fear...

"Kinno is going to marry a important youkai then I want lots of presents and candy! I want toys! I want candy!" Hyoko shouted, yanking at Kinno's hair to make him pay attention.

Kinno agreed, squirming and groaning with the vigorous pulls. He patted the young youko's head, promising him that he would have all that. It was the only way he managed to put Hyoko back on the ground.

Kinno puffed, relieved, carefully inspecting his tresses. He could not risk that anything damaged his hair. Shura enjoyed it so much...

It was then Kurama's fury was aimed straight at him. The silver youko showed such an angry expression, that Kinno's reaction was immediately to lower his head, and bend his shoulders in obedience.

"You left your brothers alone with the skunk, and you risked them to run away with your lover! Kinno! You're a disaster!"

Hyoko ran to Kurama's side, tugging at his tunic to be given attention.

"I like Hikaru oji-san, daddy! I want to go back there!"

Ikki seconded his brother promptly.

"Hikaru-san protected us, daddy! I like him too! He took very good care of us!"

Kurama looked up at the Makai's leaden skies then, begging for patience. But he tried not to protest further. It could even bring suspicion that he might have known Kinno's striped friend before, and Kurama could live pretty well without it.

Kinno smiled, fidgeting in place, clapping his hands with so much contentment. Yes! Hikaru! His friend would be too happy to know the news! They needed to go shopping in Gandara to celebrate!

"I can't wait to tell Hikaru about it all! I'm so happy, daddy! It's so good to know you and Shura's papa are friends now!" He smiled then, in such a beautiful way that the silver youko could not steal himself from doing the same.  "You forgive me, don't you daddy? I didn't know Shura was the prince of Gandara..."

Kurama nodded. It had all happened, what was the use of crying over spilled milk? At least Yomi was intending to turn his son's affair with Kinno into a serious engagement.

"We have a lot of time to talk about it. You have to tell me all the details..."

Kinno flushed.

"All? Daddy, I don't think Shura is gonna approve if I tell you all the details..."

The silver youko managed to hold back the impulse to call Kinno a senseless stupid... He sighed in, and then out, and made a gesture, for Kinno not to say anything else. All that confusion had strained him enough.

"Let's go home..."

Hiei was the first to turn and head back home, before any others. Kurama could notice his partner was very disturbed. But instead of speaking it out, he started to grumble and sulk, getting into a very nasty mood.

He wondered what it could be... At times like these, the best thing was to leave him alone for a while...

Hyoko and Ikki stood behind just for a moment, till they organized a sprint competition. Then they burst in a mad sprint, passing by everyone, cheerfully laughing all the while.

It was then Kinno tugged timidly at his father's arm.

"Daddy, this is going to be a very serious commitment between Shura and I, right?"

Kurama grumbled something, and nodded his head lazily.

"Then Shura and I are gonna get married and live together like you and Hiei ji-chan..."

Kurama nodded again, a little exasperated. Sometimes Kinno made him feel totally disoriented... What was he trying to get at?

"Well... Yes, it is something like that..."

Kinno smiled. He came closer to his father. They faced one another, and started to walk in a slower pace.

"Shura is a prince. If I marry a prince, what am I gonna be?"

Kurama stopped. He looked at the blond youko, and softly placed his fingers over his mouth, to cover his smile. He chuckled, always trying to hold it back, but unable to. How could he remain serious when Kinno stared at him in such a focused manner, expecting an answer to his question?

The youko looked downwards at the rocky, tortuous path. The kids had given up their race, and panted, too tired to continue, a little away from them. Hiei kept his ill-humored course...

Damn! He knew he should not do it, but he could not resist the play...

He looked right into Kinno's eyes, and made a true effort to seem very serious.

"You're gonna be a princess."

Kinno's eyes grew wide with joy. An ecstatic beam showed on his lips.

"Oh, daddy! I always dreamed of being a princess! I'm so happy!"

Kinno clapped his hands, jumping around Kurama in a childish fit of enthusiasm, while the silver youko struggled to suppress his laughter.

Oh... That kid was so stupid it made him adorable...

Kinno eagerly hugged Kurama, and then he ran down the way, hopping and waggling his tail happily, chanting he was going to be a princess. He ran and met the kids, who joined him in a crazy celebration with them. Kinno started to teach his brothers how to accompany him in a crazy song, about a little princess in a terrible mess, who dreamed of a prince on a tall white horse...

Kurama shook his head. Inari! Where did Kinno find all those stupid songs?

He reached Hiei, who had stopped aside the path, not only to wait for him, but also to watch the partying madness just a little down the way.

Kurama shuffled Hiei's spiky hair with a caress, then he encircled his shoulders, bringing him close to him. His hands kneaded the sensitive area between his shoulder and neck. Hiei was stiff, tense... He even squirmed, avoiding his embrace a little...

"Hey youko..."

Kurama smiled, patting his baby's back.

"Yes?"

"Shura told me about some flowers..."

Kurama's smile vanished. Yet, he tried to act as if he did not understand...

"Flowers? I did not know Yomi's son enjoyed flowers..."

Hiei glowered at his partner.

"He mentioned some flowers you gave Yomi... Flowers which made him experience the most vivid wet dreams..."

Kurama felt a sudden nervousness strike him. His hands trembled, and he felt cold sweat start at his brow.

"Well, Hiei... I didn't think it was important..."

"Really? Were you aware he dreamed of you every single night?"

Kurama struggled to seem cold and unaffected. He gave Hiei a yellowish little smile, very embarrassed.

"You can't be jealous of a dream... Yomi helped me when we moved to the makai, then I..."

Hiei cut the youko brusquely.

"Then you decided to keep Yomi's old flame for you still burning, right?"

"Hiei, I..."

Hiei showed an ironic smile. Then in a quick move, he reached out and yanked Kurama's tail, making the youko jump and cry a loud exclamation of pain.

"Hn! We're gonna talk about it when we get home..."