Kurogane found himself in the port city not far from where Suwa use to be. It was always harder to be in the areas surrounding his homeland because unlike other Demons he hadn't been around long enough to forget his pain. After a while it seemed that most Demons forgot the very reason they had sacrificed their humanity. For him it had been hardly more than six months since his mother's death and almost a year since he had seen Fai. Not that he was keeping track. No he wasn't. He had more important things to worry about being a Demon now. Like stopping rogue Wrath Demons. He simply didn't have time to look for Fai. Which he had done but would never admit to doing.

Surprisingly Demons from different houses scarcely interacted and it was near impossible to get information about active Demons from other houses, once again, not that he had tried. Waking up in some of the deepest chambers in the House of Body he had realized why Fai had been so cautious in their relationship and he could hardly blame him for how he had acted though thinking of what had been said still hurt. He missed him.

As of now he was hunting a Demon and he was running low on Essence. He would finish this poor Soul Prowler off and then hit the streets to deliver some well deserved justice. Kurogane had a rule when he killed: if he had to kill to live he should kill those deserving of death. Rapists and murders were his usual targets. Not to mention they carried with them the most Wrath. Most of the Demons possessed by Wrath were hardly inclined to search for those deserving of Death. Wrath was a force derived from dark, evil passions that took root in a person and those with that particular Demon generally took on this 'evil passion' mask. They enjoyed the kill, the blood, the pure satisfaction of slaughtering and so under normal circumstances they didn't think about their victim just zeroed in on the amount of sin that person possessed. However Kurogane was not a normal circumstance as Tomoyo, the training Demon Keeper at the House of Body. He was more than a human and a Demon. He was part Angel because he was a Demon link.

Tomoyo had explained to him that it was a miracle the part of his Soul that made him a Demon Link hadn't been obliterated when Wrath possessed him. Instead his Soul had made a barrier of sorts in his Essence. Part of his Essence remained inactive meaning it didn't affect his Soul and it's only purpose anymore, as far as he knew, was to protect the small bit on Angel in him from the Demon occupying his body. The other part of his Essence was used to feed the Demon, and it was this part he had to replenish or he would die.

This was another reason why Kurogane was selective in his kill. The more powerful Wrath was in a person the less he had to kill. Unlike other sins, Wrath was one that took root in a person and permanently tainted their Essence so once consumed it lasted longer than say other sins like Lust which were generally passing sins and so they were consumed more quickly.

His plan at this point was to finish off this Demon and find a target to consume. It took a few hours to locate the Demon and it was already late afternoon by the time he did. And an hour later, after a battle on a fishing boat, the sun had set and the Demon was dead. Now he need only do one thing: find a suitable victim.

He found them all to soon. When hunting it seemed that people full of Wrath emanated a scent so vile and disgusting that he would go insane had he not destroyed it. Kurogane followed the most pungent of the scents in the air to find a child murderer in the middle of further defiling the dead corpse of a young girl. The man was dead before he spoke.

Kurogane, in need of a drink after what he had just witnessed, went to a bar towards the outskirts of the city. He had every intention of returning to the Demon Realm that evening and would need the cover of the forest to create his blood portal home. He walked in and took a seat at the crowded bar and ordered a shot of their strongest. He winced as it burned down his throat and he brought the shot glass down onto the counter pointing at it for another.

Once he had taken his second shot and shook off the burn he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. It was a familiar tugging in his chest that had only ever been proceeded by, well, him. Why was his body doing this to him, Fai was not coming back. He had stated so clearly but the anxious, on-edge feeling that he usually got when Fai was coming had onset so suddenly that it had surprised him. He was not going to stick around for this bullshit, he could go home and fantasize about old ghosts rather than panic about them in public. Kurogane threw his cloak over his shoulder because he couldn't find the time to put it on; the crowd was getting to him and making him hot anyway.

He pushed the door open and made an abrupt left successfully knocking over whoever he had just run into. The tension he had felt in the bar ebbed away just like it always had when he had finally seen Fai after a day of that anxious feeling. His eyes widened and he could feel his heartbeat quicken. Two things were going through his mind: one; he was either about to see Fai again and he would not under any circumstances let the idiot get away from him, two; the person he had just run was probably not Fai and he was most likely never going to see the blond again. He didn't want to look up because he didn't want to know but he did anyway.

Blue eyes peered back into his own, wide and surprised. “Kurogane. What are you doing here?” Fai got himself to his feet and stared at the man something was different. The man felt different in presence; had he felt Kurogane he never would have come this way. It clicked with him when he met Kurogane's eyes. They were red as blood, fire, fury, wrath. Fai, unable to stop himself, rushed forward and took Kurogane's face between his hands and brought his face level with his, “What did you do!” He demanded angrily.

Kurogane reached up and peeled Fai's hands away from his face angrily. “I did what I had to do. Nobody does this if it's not what they have to do.” What right did the blond have to demand answers from him?

“D-do you even understand what you are now!” Fai looked horrified as he again reached for Kurogane's face, this time specifically for his eye, this time much less urgently. He set his hand on Kurogane's face gingerly, as if afraid to confirm what he knew.

The taller closed his eyes and sighed. “Yes I do,” he replied and Fai ran his thumb over Kurogane's eyelid.

“Why did you do it? I left so that you could lead a normal human life and you repay me by doing this? This is the exact opposite of what I wanted for you!” Fai took his hand away abruptly and Kurogane opened his eyes. They were beginning to draw attention from the various people filtering in and out of the bar and walking along the streets. “What could have possibly driven you to this?”

The way Fai gestured at him as he said this brought only irritation. He wasn't a child and was more than capable to accept what he had resigned himself to and what had brought him to the decision he had made. “She died. They killed her you bastard! Don't stand there and imply that her life, my mother's life, was not worth the price I payed to avenge her.”

Fai shrunk back, his once anger filled resolve dissipated. “Kuro-s-, excuse me, Kurogane, I-I didn't know.” He really didn't. It's not as if he understood in that one sentence what had happened but he didn't want to risk pressing the issue.

“That's right you didn't know. You left.” It felt good to be angry and release his frustration of nearly the last year on to it's source. But he had nothing left to say, pointing out the obvious had satisfied him.

Fai slumped against the wall of the pub they were outside of and licked his lips, his mouth was suddenly dry. “D-do you want to talk? Not here I mean.”

Kurogane relaxed his shoulders and, as a result, he became less intimidating. Common sense told him that going with Fai wasn't he best idea. All the months he had spent forgetting the idiot would be a waste – more like they were already a waste. He looked back to Fai who peered at him timidly, as if he was having the exact same thought. “Yeah. Let's go inside.”

An hour later Fai was nursing his sweet alcohol and Kurogane was on his fifth shot. Up until this point they had been making idle small talk at a table in the crowded bar. It wasn't uncomfortable just tense. Fai could have sat there forever pretending that things weren't different from before and in just a few hours they would return to Kurogane's house and spend an hour trying to say good night to each other by the stairs. But that wouldn't happen, he still had to feed and there was no house to return to.

Kurogane was smirking at something he had just said when he broke the news. “Kurogane, I have to feed still. It'll only take a little while if you want to wait for me.”

“No. I'm not going to wait for you while you have sex with somebody else.”

Fai frowned even though he hadn't been expecting much else. That, however, didn't stop the sting. “How would it be any different than me waiting for you to murder somebody?”

Kurogane didn't have an answer for that. He supposed it wasn't much different, the only difference being that thinking about Fai being touched by another person made his skin crawl with jealousy and want and he had no idea what Fai felt thinking about him killing a human. He decided to steer the conversation a slightly different direction, “Why did you push me away when we kissed?”

“You mean when you kissed me.”

He scowled, “Bullshit, when we kissed. Don't try to deny that you returned it.”

Fai sat back in his chair and swirled the bottle by it's neck. “Because – because when we kissed I began to drain you. And that was just kissing. I shouldn't have been able to extract Essence from you by those means! I panicked. What if I hadn't been able to stop?”

It all made sense when explained like that, why the idiot had run from him and why he had insisted on pushing Kurogane away. However, things were different now. “That won't happen anymore.”

“How do you know?” Fai questioned bitterly.

He didn't know and he had nothing to base his notion on. “I don't know. But we can try, right?”

Fai's head snapped up, his face was set in a deep scowl. “No we can't!”

Regardless of his refusal Kurogane grabbed his face from across the table in both his hands, smooshing Fai's face in a way that would be comical in any other situation, and yanked him rather brutishly across the table so their faces met halfway. Their breath mingled momentarily before Kurogane crashed his lips into Fai's closed and unresponsive ones. Though it occurred to him to stop just in case Fai did drain he couldn't and wouldn't because at that moment he could think of no better waste of Essence than this. Slowly he felt Fai relax and taking it as a good sign he allowed himself to ghost his tongue over Fai's lips to prompt a reaction.

It wasn't happening. Kurogane's Essence wasn't flowing into him! With the realization months and months of sexual and emotional frustration were released and as Kurogane's tongue retreated from his lips he lost what little control and restraint he had around Kurogane. Fai lips pressed back feverishly and the intense urge to touch Kurogane reigned supreme. He launched himself towards the other in a blind urge, unfortunately there was still the matter of the table between them which he disregarded by crawling across the table top and pushing shot glasses out of his way as he made his way to his destination: Kurogane's lap. He hadn't known what prompted his sudden outburst be it love or lust nor did he care at that moment.

Kurogane landed with a soft thud against the back of his chair and released a small 'oompf' as Fai's weight settled on him. Fai's hands were on his face keeping their mouths locked together and seeing no alternative he placed his hands on Fai's waist so the idiot wouldn't fall.

This wasn't right. Fai pushed his tongue into Kurogane's compliant mouth. He still had to feed. Kurogane tasted horrible thanks to that gross scotch, but he could hardly bring himself to care. They were still in a bar. Kurogane pulled back slightly and bit Fai's lip causing Fai to mewl excitedly against Kurogane's upper lip. Wait, they were still in a bar.

Fai pushed Kurogane back against his chair and scrambled off of him only to meet the eyes of the crowd looking at them with varied interest, which waned as Kurogane scowled at the crowd, regardless Fai couldn't stop the blush that crept to the top of his ears. His breathing regulated as Kurogane mumbled incohesively yet irritatedly all the same. What had he just done? They couldn't do this! Since when was there a this? Fai wrapped his head around the situation for what it was. He had just kissed a man who had actual, genuine feelings for him. He had made it obvious that he returned those feelings if the very public display they hadn't put on right now hadn't been any indication. But he was still him; a Lust Demon. He had to feed and feeding meant sex for him. What kind of normal relationship could be built if one partner had to commit an infidelity daily in order to survive? Was this even progressing to a relationship? They might have been nearly immortal but forever was a long time. It was time to discover people's faults and grow tired of them and what would Kurogane do when that happened? Fai had already lost the one he cared for once but that was to death and old age but to do it a second time? Even he could see the idiocy. These were all very sobering thoughts. “Shit,” Fai let the word slip out with an upset, angry tone.

Kurogane must not have caught on. “Yeah, shit,” he laughed breathlessly, like he could hardly believe what had just happened and the happiness it brought him.

Fai scowled. “No not 'shit',” he said the word the best he could mimic Kurogane. “Shit,” he corrected by saying it darkly. “I shouldn't have done that. I-I have to go.”

“'Go' - your bed or mine?” Kurogane teased with a satisfied smirk on his face which immediately fell when Fai brushed past him while adjusting his triangular hat. “What the fuck!” Kurogane quickly gather his things and slapped some bills on the table to chase after the idiot. He emerged outside to bar to find nothing, but he could still feel Fai around. He took to the roofs to follow the quickly fading trail, “Idiot you can't run from me now!” He called out into the night as his feet silently padded over thatched roofs. He saw Fai in the distance leaping and tumbling from roof to roof, like a graceful dancer, and he broke into a run. Fai must not have considered Kurogane's speed as a Demon considering the last time he saw him he was human and less physically adept, because he looked seriously shocked when Kurogane jumped off the very edge of a building and came down landing on top of him. They skidded across the roof a few feet from sheer impact and, before the dust even had time to settle, Fai brought his leg back and pushed it into Kurogane's abdomen thereby successfully sending Kurogane flying to the other side of the roof.

Fai adjusted his body and launched himself to his feet by arching his back and pushing off with his hands. Kurogane was collecting himself on the opposite side and Fai flicked his wrist to summon his claws before taking a defensive position.

Kurogane looked at Fai, he didn't want to fight the other but at this point it seemed like the only way to communicate with him. He scowled and clapped his hands together to summon Ginryuu. He gripped the hilt and he too took a defensive position. “I don't want to fight you, idiot.”

“Are you going to keep following me?” Fai asked conversationally.

Kurogane thought a moment, “Yes.”

The blond narrowed his eyes, “Well, then this is the only way I'm going to get you to stop then, isn't it!” Fai rushed forward and raised his left hand to strike. Kurogane, however sidestepped his attack. From behind he could sense Kurogane's sward cutting through the air. He ducked and supported his upper body so it was parallel with the roof and swept a leg out behind him in hopes of tripping Kurogane.

“What's your excuse now, Fai? You aren't sucking me dry now,” Kurogane yelled angrily as he sprinted towards Fai, blunt side of his sward ready to strike.

Fai calculated Kurogane's offense and dropped to his hands using his upper body strength to spring into the air, as he approached the pinnacle of his jump he fixed his body into a ball and using his forward momentum spun over the approaching sward. He landed on his hand and feet in a crouched position.

This was getting nowhere fast. Kurogane stuck Ginryuu into the roof and drew his faithful throwing daggers from his sides. He threw them both with equal force and precision at the other and watched as they landed in Fai's cloak pinning him to the roof. Kurogane knelled in front of Fai who refused to meet his gaze momentarily and when he did he did so while also putting his claw to Kurogane's throat. Kurogane met his movement and drew another dagger and placed it against Fai's neck. “Why are you running away from me now?”

“I don't know what you want from me, Kurogane. But in case you forgot I have to feed every night. How do expect to have any kind of relationship where I have to sleep with a new person each night?”

“I can feed you,” Kurogane returned. Actually, he wasn't sure he could but he could at least try.

Fai looked at him like he was dumb. “What even makes you think I'll allow myself to have sex with you? I'll just drain you or have you already forgotten-”

“Just shut up! I can feed you the way Links feed Demons. I'm still part Link, even now.”

Fai stared at him with hardened eyes and challenged Kurogane, “Then do it already.”

Kurogane swallowed. He hadn't purposely feed anybody since he was a child and even then it would take him a while. At best, he was inexperienced. At worst, he was incapable. His mother's teachings came back to him slowly. He tilted Fai's face so their eyes met and cleared his mind. He focused solely on how energy was flowing through his body. There were two circles instead of the one that he had expected. It must have been the two hemispheres of Essence and Soul with in him operating independently of each other. Since it was the presence of a small amount of Angel Soul that gave a Demon Link their ability he went off a limb and tapped into the Essence surrounding this portion of himself. There was a push and pull of energy within him and as pressure built behind this push and pull Kurogane narrowed his eyes and the energy came out of him blinding him as it passed through his line of sight to his target. The Angel Soul within him beat rapidly and replenished what had been lost until Kurogane stopped giving. He blinked a few times and his vision came back. He stared dumbly at Fai who stared blindly back at him for a moment. “Holy shit. I did it,” he said breathing heavily and running his hand through his hair in disbelief.

A predatory smile crept across Fai's face as his own vision came back, “Yeah you did.” Once again he was unaware of what he was doing but the realization that he could be with somebody who he cared for in the most intimate way overtook him. He was consumed by lust for Kurogane, consequences be damned and forgotten.

Notes: Lotsa time skippy bullshit will ensue, beginning here and continuing the next few installments. Probably update in five days or so. Also I edited this last night after a very eventful day and I was extremely tired so if there are things I over looked sorry.

~o~

Sleep had been hard to come by the past evening and Fai awoke from his fitful rest just before daybreak. It was now time for him to return to the House of Soul to report to Ashura and probably be handed another assignment. As much as he hated traveling from country to country tracking rogue Essence Snatchers turned Soul Prowlers doing so at least kept him out of the Demon Realm.

The Houses of the Demon Realm were each run by a Demon Keeper. Demon Keepers were, at one point, humans with incredible magical abilities. However in having these abilities they were watched intensely by the Reaper until they demonstrated the one ability that would seal their fate as a Demon Keeper: the ability to create wards. The ability to create and maintain wards allowed for the Keeper to contain large quantities of Demon Souls. Once hand picked by the presiding Reaper he or she extended their youth and longevity seeing as the ability to create wards was extremely rare in a world where magic was already scarce.

Fai threw his legs over the side of the cot and rubbed his head willing away the fogginess of sleep before standing. He had told Tsumebe he would take his leave first thing in the morning and he had no intention of lying to her. He threw his cloak on and upturned the hood as he made his decent down the stairs. He looked towards the curtained doorway and wondered briefly of he should bid farewell to the hunter and his mother, he decided to let them sleep. He pushed the door open the bell overhead quietly acknowledging his leave.

“So you're just going to leave then, huh, idiot?” Kurogane yawned from behind him.

Fai turned to face the other, “I didn't want to disturb the people who treated me so kindly. Besides I told your mother I'd be gone by morning.”

The other nodded in some sort of uninterested recognition and tossed the bread roll he had in his hand ever so slightly. “Which way are you heading?” He stuck the roll in his mouth to allow his hands freedom to adjust the strap of the bag that lay across his jacketed chest.

“Just northeast of here. I left my horse at the stables on that side for the evening.”

Kurogane knelled on one knee and tightened the straps of his brown leather boots. He wore loose fitting green pants that were tucked into his boots and a tan jacket. “I'm heading that way too. Might as well go together. Where are you heading to next?”

Well this was inconvenient Fai thought but he smiled politely anyway. “Oh, you know. Wherever the wind takes me, Kuro-chu,” he said with a flippant wave of his hand.

“Sounds frivolous,” he responded standing. “Well let's get going.”

“Oh, Kuro-pon, you don't have to babysit me. I'm perfectly capable of walking across the town by myself. Regardless I hate to think you're missing out on sleep for my sake.” Fai batted his eyelashes, hoping to get the man to consent to leaving him be.

Kurogane smirked, “Your sake? Did it ever occur to you that I hunt game to make a living? And this might so happen to be one of the three days a week I stay in the woods? And perhaps once I'm done I'll bring my game back and sell it to the butcher who will clean it and cut it and all that great stuff? And then with my money I'll pay taxes and buy everything else we need to live?”

Outside the air was chill in the dawn. The wind had settled and the air smelled distinctly of fog. “Well Kuro-grump didn't have to be so brash. You could have just told me you were heading to the woods to hunt. But you still don't have to come to the stables with me.”

The other rolled his eyes, “I can't consistently hunt in the same area, the herds move as the weather changes. My hunting area is a days journey away. I'll get there later this evening, hunt the next day, and leave the following morning. In other words, I'm going there to get my horse.”

Leaving Kurogane was becoming increasingly difficult. He could always leave his horse but that wouldn't do. “What do you hunt?”

“Mostly stuff that isn't being bred. Venice, duck, turkey, the occasional predator.” Kurogane side glanced Fai. “The occasional demon.”

Fai's blood ran cold and it must have showed because Kurogane stopped smiling and frowned. “I'm just kidding. It's not like demons are real. Even if my mother thinks they are.” He coughed to clear his throat.

“But what if they were? What if somebody became a Demon to save a person they love?” Fai questioned quietly.

“It wouldn't matter. If the legends are true, anything that needs to feed off a persons soul deserves nothing but death.”

It was Fai's turn to smirk. Death wasn't easy to come by as a Demon. They could only be killed by another Demon's hand and even then they were only killed if they began hunting Souls. In those cases though the Soul didn't pass on seeing as it was consumed. When he had first become possessed he had thought he would end his life when his brother died only to find that he either continue to live or have his Soul obliterated while knowing he was unleashing a Soul Prowler into the world. Live guilty or die guiltier. “There are worse punishments than death Kuro-pon.”

“But it's the only permanent one.” They were approaching the square from the previous night. Just beyond it they would find the stables, while the town was rural and small it was compact enough that those that lived within it weren't exactly land holders.

Fai smiled solemnly. “One would think, wouldn't they?”

“Um, yeah.” Kurogane scratched the back of his head. Leave it to him to bring up death as a topic of conversation first thing in the morning. “So, uh, your wrist,” he stated glancing at the bit of white bandage that peeked through the cuff of Fai's white shirt, “does it feel better?”

Instinctively, Fai tugged the cuff of his shirt down around the bandage. He hadn't bothered to check but there had been no throbbing that morning and it hadn't given him a problem as of yet so he was sure it had healed. They were approaching the stables now, upon seeing them the hands already working retreated to where the horses were kept to saddle them for their owners. “I'm sure I'll be fine! It doesn't even hurt! Kuro-nurse did such a wonderful job bandaging it.”

“I should have asked my mom to look at it this morning. She would no more about it than I would. Or at least she would have been able to give you something in case it did hurt.” He felt a blush, however small, coming on and tried to repress it. Why did he care so much?

“Oh Kuro-kun doesn't have to worry about me! I've been taking care of myself for a long time,” Fai assured him by lightly patting his shoulder just as one of the stable boys brought his horse out by it's bridle. The horse snorted in recognition and the blond pet his snout. He put one foot in a stirrup and hoisted himself into the saddle.

Kurogane's horse followed soon after and the pair didn't bother with any greeting, the horse probably to disciplined to ask for affection. “Just because you've been taking care of yourself for a long time does not mean you're any good at it.”

“Aw, Kuro-myu has no faith in me. How disheartening,” the blond replied as the other situated himself in his own saddle.

Kurogane scowled, “Whatever. Just be careful you idiot.”

“Will do Kuro-pu. I guess this is goodbye for now then,” Fai said gently nudging the horses side.

Kurogane's hand reached out and caught the blond's arm before he could stop it. His face was set in a deep scowl when Fai looked at him but there was something genuinely soft about it, nearly child-like. “When exactly do you plan on returning. Not that it matters but I usually only stay in town two or three nights before heading back out to hunt.”

Fai knew what Kurogane was trying to say: that should he return to come on a night when he wasn't off hunting in the woods. “I'm not sure. But you'll know when I do. I'm sure of it.” Fai gave the other a small reserved smile before clucking his tongue to urge the horse into a canter towards the woods.

He kept the canter up until he and his horse had made it far enough into the woods that they would be blanketed by the trees. He glanced around himself cautiously to make sure the hunter hadn't followed them. Fai clicked his tongue twice and tightened his grip on the reigns as the horse began to steadily gather speed. The trees began to blur past and he knew they were going fast enough that he could open the portal to the Demon Realm when they began to pass through the trees. He fingered the edge of his boot and pulled forth a small dagger and gripped the bladed end in his fist. Fai straightened himself against the onslaught of wind, incredibly grateful horses from the Demon Realm had the ability to pass themselves and their rider through solid objects. His hair wiped in his face as he used the other hand to quickly pull the dagger from his other, tightly clenched hand. He felt blood pool in his fist and when enough had gathered he threw if forward in front of the running beast with such force that it landed one-hundred meters in front of them. The blood stopped midair and rapidly it expanded to reveal a portal. The horse charged through and behind it, the momentary blood portal collapsed.

~o~

It had been three months since he had see Fai. Not that Kurogane cared. In the beginning, when they had first met a little more than a year ago, he had looked so forward to the blond returning that he began staying in town four nights before going out again. Fai had said he would know when he returned, but what the hell did that mean? At the time he hadn't known what it meant, at least.

Kurogane sat at the bar of the local tavern all day he had felt anxious, like at any moment something would happen: good or bad. He took his second shot of whiskey for the evening, three was his limit and then he had to switch to beer, something he began once he learned Fai could drink him under the table.

Goddammit, he slammed the shot glass on the bar and grunted against the warm sting traveling along his throat. Why did he even care so much? It wasn't as if he and the idiot had shared any particularly spectacular moments. That was a blatant lie, and Kurogane knew it the moment he thought it because the sensation of Fai's lips on his and the memory of his arms wrapped around a slim waist rushed back to him with a vengeance.

He would come to town and the first thing Fai would do was go to bed with somebody. Kurogane wasn't sure if all the women in town were especially loose or if Fai just had a way, and he didn't want to know. The two of them would drink, and the next morning he would watch silently as Fai retreated into the woods. Every time the other man left it was jarring, and he suddenly felt empty. However, the particular night replaying in Kurogane's mind had been different. Fai had shown up later than usual the previous night and had, for the first time decided to stay for the entire next day. By that time he had accepted that he was strongly attracted to Fai but attraction and emotional attachment were two separate beasts and he was much less willing to accept and tame the second. That late spring evening though he had acted, be it the alcohol or the summer heat that influenced him as they left the bar the next night Kurogane had pushed Fai into an ally pinning him against a wall. He wouldn't force the blond to do anything, he knew better than most the idiot could hold his own due to some surprisingly well matched arm wrestling events.

He had looked into Fai's frighteningly blue eyes as he ran one hand up the side of Fai's cheek to brush stray hair out of the blond's face as he felt Fai's long fingers run up the front of his shirt over his pectorals. Of all the times to be silent the moron had chosen that moment, all Kurogane had to go off of was body language. Fai didn't seem disgusted or scared just nervous (made evident by his visible gulp and aversion of his eyes after a moment), which the man standing over him would never admit to have also been at that moment.

Kurogane tilted Fai's chin up and couldn't help that his heartbeat quickened as the other's cheeks dusted pink and his lips went slightly slack causing his bottom lip to slightly protrude. He had watched Fai go after and catch enough partners that he knew the blond didn't blush when it came to moments like these. He was always so sure of himself. Just then he felt Fai's hand on his neck and he took it as a sign to continue. Slowly they broke eye contact as their eye lids slid closed and the distance between their lips lessened.

Kurogane had quite literally dreamed about kissing Fai before, and in those dreams everything progressed so slowly that he was plagued to wake up before they progressed any further. If this was a dream though he wasn't about to sit idly by while he felt he had some control over the situation. He aggressively pushed his way past Fai's lips, not that the blond wasn't entirely compliant. Fai had tasted of that sweet cherry flavored alcohol he had ordered and though he generally avoided anything overly sweet he gladly welcomed the taste. They had been kissing for milliseconds it seemed, not long enough, when Fai's once relaxed body that he was holding became tense and he was forcefully pushed away. Kurogane had been so caught off guard that he tripped over his own feet and landed on the opposite side of the thin alley.

“Sorry, Kuro-sama. But I don't think that's a good idea,” Fai said through a gross, fake smile that made his skin crawl. To shocked and utterly embarrassed to speak he had been powerless to stop Fai when he quickly added, “I should be leaving tonight instead of in the morning as usual I've aready stayed to long as it is. I'll see you next time.” Fai walked away quickly, as if he didn't want to give Kurogane a chance to talk, but the taller would be dammed if that was about to happened. It had taken him a moment but he was on his feet calling after what had almost been his blond but when he reached the main street Fai had turned onto he found no one. Dammed he was.

Thinking about this was pissing him off. That was it! If Fai didn't walk through that door in the next ten seconds Kurogane decided to give up on ever seeing him again, that bastard couldn't just leave for three months and expect Kurogane to wait like some house wife. Ten. Nine. Seriously the idiot was consuming his thoughts and he hadn't even seen him in roughly ninety day, he should be preoccupied with chasing skirts for Christ sake, just like him! Eight. He was a fit formidable young man, any woman would be lucky to have him! Seven. Six. Who was he kidding even if Fai didn't walk through the door he would still think about him. Five. Four. Three. No he wouldn't because he was a man and not some stupid school girl with a crush. Two. He was nearly liberated, this felt right. One. But those soft lips on his... Zero.

The bell rang as the door to the tavern opened and the blond came waltzing back into his life. His cheeks were pink from the cold and his skin seemed even paler than Kurogane remembered. He had been so close too, but now he was instantly sucked back up in Fai.

“Kuro-pu!” Fai shouted across the bar once he spotted the taller.

Kurogane reddened, why had he missed the idiot again? “Shut up! I'm a man not a dog!” He shouted back automatically. There were scattered snickers around him which he silenced with hardened glances.

The blonde made his way over, his navy blue cloak swinging with his steps and showing of embroidered gold designs. Now that the weather was colder his clothes had adjusted accordingly. He had replaced the billowing fabric of his pants from their first meeting with skin tight black leather that still ran into equally black boots. His loose white shirt traded for a warm looking navy jacket that strapped across the front, probably entirely to difficult to remove.

“But Kuro-puppy would make such a good pet,” Fai mused sitting alongside him at the bar.

Fai smiled happily at him as he scowled back. “I thought you said you'd be back soon.”

“I know I did,” he huffed, “but work got so hectic that I couldn't sneak away to see Kuro-needy and Kuro-mama.”

“I thought there would be a letter or even a fucking carrier pigeon. This entire day all I felt was anxious and annoyed but then here you come walking through the door as if you never left.” Kurogane held his shot glass up in irritation to alert the bartender he needed another.

Fai's smiled dimmed, “So you knew I was coming. How cute.”

It was true, Kurogane had know Fai would be arriving today just like he always had since the blond had first left. The entire day he would be on edge, but he would never admit that he 'knew' because that would just make him insane. “Cute? I'm not cute. I'm manly or even handsome would be better than 'cute'. Cute is what you call a child.” The barkeep poured Kurogane another whiskey.

“You are but a child by comparison. I'll have a bottle of raspberry vodka please,” the blond alerted the bartender casually. “Now why is Kuro-cute so grumpy? I came back didn't I?”

“Tch. You're only twenty-two..” Kurogane mumbled. “That hardly matters now thatyou came back. Now the problem is that you are so unwaveringly annoying.”

Fai batted his eyelashes, “Now there HAS to be a way I can make it up to you Kuro-tan.”

Kurogane chocked on his whiskey. Fai couldn't possibly be suggesting anything like that could he? He hated their relationship. Kurogane hated how Fai could so easily flirt with him especially after what had happened. “Um, well, I don't know.” Jesus he sounded like a teenager going through puberty and he felt similarly awkward at the obvious innuendo.

Fai began to look around the bar, it wasn't like Kurogane was going to feed him so he might as well find both of them some reasonable prospects. Nowadays he at least tried to replenish his Essence before seeing Kurogane but today's schedule hadn't allowed for it. “Kuro-pon, look behind me. Do you see those lovely ladies sitting at the corner table?”

“Yeah what about them?” Fai watched irritation flash in the other's eyes complimented by betrayal.

Fai glanced behind himself again, they were both equally attractive but he was more interested in their escort and tall brunette man who radiated Lust. “Which one do you find more attractive. The busty blond or the busty brunette?”

Kurogane snarled, “Does it even matter? I mean they're both obviously prostitutes hired by that man.”

Fai smiled back at him, “Soon enough he won't need them.” He stood and to his surprise Kurogane put up little fight in following him after downing the shot the bartender had poured him. “I need you to help me, Kuro-handsome,” he lied. He could do what he needed to regardless but he felt guilty leaving Kurogane when he understood that watching him do this only hurt the other. “I'm going to chat up the brunette while you talk to the other two.” He figured he at least owed him an opportunity for sexual relief if he was going to be forced to watch him seduce another, and another man at that. He could almost hear Kurogane's questions upon his return later.

“Wait so you're having me distract the man and the blond so you can get with the brunette?” It irked Kurogane that this situation didn't bother him more. Well, that was partially inaccurate. He was bothered that Fai had the intention of having sex with a random stranger but some unexplainable part of him understood that the blond needed to do this, even though he wondered why he couldn't chose him. At least once. The thought that Fai was refusing him in order to preserve their friendship was believable but pissed Kurogane off all the same. He wouldn't let himself be just another conquest so he had no fear of being tossed aside after sex or allow for their relationship to stay as is in that case.

Fai froze momentarily before continuing to the other side of the bar where the three others were located, “No. I should have been more clear. You talk to the ladies and I'll talk to their escort. If you want I can make sure both go home with you.”

Kurogane's eyes narrowed, Fai's voice had sounded downtrodden as he spoke but he couldn't bring that up now, not as Fai plastered a brilliantly dazzling smile and casually placed his hand on the man's shoulder. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as fury built inside of him. He hated that Fai was touching this scum, that he was laughing so easily, that the man laughed with him, how Fai looked pained and guilty. But he couldn't stop it, the gut feeling that told him Fai needed this wouldn't let him. And what would he do anyway? Pull Fai away, snarl at the guy for his obvious attraction to the blond, beat him for his equally obvious intentions? Both of their smiles disgusted him, the man's lustful and lecherous, Fai's a mix of all the emotions generated by shame.

“Kurogane,” the name sounded so wrong floating on Fai's light and airy laugh but it successfully snapped the larger out of his lull. The blond's smile fell only a fraction of a centimeter when Kurogane returned his gaze with a cold a hardened one. “These lovely ladies here,” he motioned to them with a wave of his hand, “were just commenting on how quite and handsome a guy like you is.”

He cleared his throat, “Why should I talk when I have nothing to say?” Kurogane took this opportunity to realize he was the only one standing. Fai was mindlessly rubbing circles across the man's hand beneath the table.

“Well, Kurogane, it's only proper to compliment such beautiful ladies after they have complimented you. Or at the very least ask their names.”

Kurogane felt childish, like he was being led around by the hand. He was a man goddammit and was very well aware as to how to interact with women if he chose to do so. However currently he was more concerned with Fai's confusing decent into this. Awkwardly, he pulled a chair out for himself and sat down while mumbling a half ass compliment of, “You both look very lovely this evening.” He wasn't lying, both women were pretty and had their youth and when they smiled warmly at him, probably for his attempt at flattery, he almost forgot they were prostitutes. “What are your names?” He asked feigning ignorance as Fai began running his fingers through the man's hair. He resisted the urge to break something and pushed the thought that Fai should be running his fingers through his hair out of his mind.

“I'm Summer and this is Susan,” answered the blond female and both of them batted their eyelashes.

Quite honestly, he had no idea how to reply to this or what to say next so part of him was relieved when he felt Fai's hand on his shoulder. Fai leaned down so his mouth was right next to Kurogane's ear, “Kuro-pon,” he whispered his hot breath sending shivers down Kurogane's spine. “Me and Jeremy are going to get out of here for a little while. I'll meet you back here in an hour.” There was a brief pause, beside him he heard Fai lick his lips, “I'm sorry.”

Kurogane's mouth went dry taking away his ability to speak. To protest. Fai wasn't smiling when he turned his head, their noses almost touching, instead he looked like a man who was about to take part in a business deal, calculating. Do something, don't let the idiot leave!

Fai looked pointedly at Summer and Susan who were busy listening to Jeremy make his own excuses to leave. “Take the next hour and enjoy yourself.” He smiled and Kurogane loathed it.

He watched in silence as Fai left the bar. He had no right to be angry, he had no claim to the idiot, as the blonde had made clear previously, but a large part of him wanted to envelop the blond in his arms, hold him close, and protect him from the world and whatever made him smile so unemotionally. One hour the blond had said and it was already feeling like an eternity.

From across the table Kurogane heard a snort. “Jeez I can't believe you let him leave with Jeremy.”

“I couldn't believe it either!” Susan replied. “I thought you were going to sweep him into your arms and carry him away like in one of those romance novels!”

“Oh shut it Susan. You imagine everything as a romance novel,” Summer laughed and looked at Kurogane.

“I have no idea what you two are talking about,” Kurogane defended through clenched teeth though his red ears gave him away.

The two women looked at each other and cackled. “Of course you don't. Just like you don't want to rip Jeremy's throat out for all the indecent things he's about to do to your blond. I'm sorry the blond.”

“This doesn't concern you,” he stuttered in embarrassment. Was he really that obvious?

Summer waved a hand dismissively and sat back in her chair, “Regardless, both of us have already been paid for the evening. Courtesy of your friend. Why don't you use us to take your mind off him? We'll even let you do it from behind if it helps.”

“Yeah, a big strong man like you should have no trouble pleasing the two of us and we certainly won't have any trouble pleasing you as much as you want for the next hour,” Susan added raising her eyebrows.

Kurogane creased his forehead in irritation. Of course Fai would do something like this. But, how long had it been since he had felt the warmth of another, man or woman, in his bed after the most precious embrace? He had stopped pursuing anybody after he had first met Fai, the decision hadn't been a conscious one. Honestly, he was tired of shower fantasies and late night messes. Despite what part of him craved to do he couldn't feasibly wait around for Fai forever.

He cleared his throat and coughed into a closed fist, “Did he pay for a room too?”

 Title: That Which Possesses You (The Darkest Seduction)
Rating: PG (this chapter)
Warnings: Mentions of sex nothing explicit
Summary: Possessed by the Demon of Lust Fai must bed a new partner each night in order to survive but when he happens upon a young man with the ability to allow him to feed without doing this his interest flares. Torn between preserving Kurogane's human life and his emotions he leaves to spare them both but finds that protecting those you care for isn't always as easy as it seems and can't always be reached through self-sacrifice.
While Fai and Kurogane deal with their own personal issues they are unaware of the responsibility they will have to take on with the coming of the new Reaper and their relationship is tested under he strain of unforeseen responsibility and circumstance.
Notes: The fic is mostly pre-written and will be updated twice a week unless it reaches a point where I no longer have stuff ready to post. The first chapter is rather short and cuts at a odd place but I had to do that or it would be to long, so I apologize. Set AU. Thisis my first time writing fantasy since third grade so I'm sorry if it's horrible

~o~

Cold air whipped around him as Fai walked through the small village he had found himself in. Around him stood thatched roof houses and structures no more than two stories high and while most were dark with drawn wooden widows to ward off the dangers of the night and the present wind there was one illuminated building. A tavern, as it was, sat at the far end of the cobble-stoned town square directly behind a circular based water fountain. And this was his destination.

As he approached he could hear the patrons inside talking, drinking, dancing – overall having an enjoyable evening. He pushed the door open with the confidence of a man who knew exactly what to do and how he was going to do it. A bell chimed overhead and most people sparred him a glance, but to these he paid no heed for it was the people whose stares lingered that would fulfill his purpose. He looked up and took in the faces of those around him as his hood dropped from his head. To reveal his blond hair. He smiled warmly at no particular person and walked to the far end of the wooden plank lined bar and took a seat.

Three people had continued to stare to stare at him when he walked in and chance willing one would approach him he was much to worn to pursue them himself, but if it came to it he would. Now that he was in a warm place he began to get comfortable first removing his flawlessly white hooded cloak with blue designs and setting it on the counter and then his black gloves yanking each individual finger before extracting his hand. He turned his left palm over and rubbed the marking gentle with his fingers. It had grown large that day, larger than usual, but it hadn't been his fault that the Soul Prowler had taken so long to find and kill. According to his mark the sun would rise in roughly four hours, in that time he needed to bed, and he could already feel himself becoming weak. Male or female didn't matter it was Essence that counted, the life force behind the person.

Fai sighed, adjusted his flowing white shirt, and smoothed the billowing black fabric of his pants that fed into his knee high similarly black boots, each tied with a perfect bow. The fashion of the day was loose fitting, light clothing, not that he minded for it gave him the ability to move freely while battling Soul Prowlers and he could more easily hide his weapons, when he hadn't left them with his horse. It seemed to him that he might actually have to physically hunt his prey this evening. Normally his own Essence was strong enough to attract somebody immediately. It was like a unseen force just reached out and chose the most compatible bedmate for the night based purely off of the Lust in the victim, and after some time the two of them would leave, mostly unnoticed, and he would do what he needed to survive: extract their Essence.

Essence and Soul – the two driving forces behind his existence. In this world there were many magical beings but in Fai's mind there were only two that mattered: Essence Snatchers and Soul Prowlers. The later of which he hunted and the first of which he was. Essence Snatchers were the tame form of Soul Prowlers and any Snatcher was capable of becoming a Prowler. Snatchers had to absorb the Essence of humans in order to live. Essence and Soul worked in harmony to create a person's being. Soul was what a person was at the core remaining the same and Essence was the driving force behind the Soul constantly changing with the person and their life. At the core a person could be kind and caring but if surrounded by misfortune they could be driven to do questionable things.

Essence Snatchers were, or at least at one point had been, humans willingly possessed by Demons. The Demon lived within it's host keeping them forever young and giving them unimaginable beauty, grace, and elegance; it came at a price of course. The Demon fed off of it's host Essence to fuel it's existence within the mortal realm constantly draining the driving and protective force surrounding the Soul. If the host were unable to replenish their Essence by sunrise their Soul would be left vulnerable and eaten by the Demon within them and in that moment they would cease to exist.

Existence and death are similar and separate. When a person dies their Soul is no longer of this world but still alive even if it can no longer maintain it's attachment to it's vessel, the Body. However, if the Soul is absorbed it is obliterated and turned into raw energy for the Demon that absorbed it and if enough Souls were absorbed the Demon had the potential to destroy the delicate balance of the spirit world and the mortal world. Most notably Demons would be able to exist without a host in the mortal world. Therefore when a Essence Snatcher failed to refill their Essence for the Demon within them their Soul became unprotected and the first that it would take and absorb thus their existence would cease. The Demon would continue to search for Souls until it had become strong enough to exist without it's host and take on it's true form. And this was why Fai had to bed a new partner each night, because he had the fortune and misfortune of being possessed by the Demon Lust. His Soul would remain protected and he could do his own part in keeping the oblivious humans safe by taking a new person to bed each night to drain them.

Fai never took more than he needed, always operating and the lowest level of energy he could. He would never say he regretted becoming this way he had saved his brother even if he had become basically immortal with no hope of salvation. Now, two hundred years later, he was sent out on missions to destroy the various Snatchers that became Prowlers when needed, his brother was dead of natural causes, and he would forever remain at the preserved age of twenty-two. As previously stated, normally his Essence was strong enough to attract the individuals needed to sustain him but he was much to weak now and thus his Essence was depleted and not nearly as magnetic.

He pushed himself off of his seat thinking, “Might as well use this beauty for something,” and made his merry way over to one of the people whose stares had lingered when he first walked in. Even in his weakened state he could read person's Essence even if he could hardly transmit his own and of the people he had targeted he settled for a plump redhead, her Essence was filled with enough Lust that he could drain it without completely devouring it. Human's who had their Essence completely drained became the living dead – a Body with a Soul but no desire and they became unresponsive to the world. Even if the human wasn't fully drained the effects were rather devastating. Aspects about the person would change and normally the victim, as Fai thought them, became lost because even if they didn't remember what had transpired they were acutely aware that something was missing from them. Some went insane, others became depressed, and the then there were the lucky few who with incredibly strong Essence would continue their lives with nothing more than feeling like something was forever missing. This woman was one of the later, and though he took comfort in that it did nothing to relieve his guilt.

The redhead's bosom stood taught being supported by a brown leather corset under which she wore a blue flowing top that ruffled at her wrists and was tucked into a pair of skintight red pants. Fai tapped her on the shoulder, “Good evening milady,” he said smoothly.

She turned from her companions, her red curls were held back from her face with a tightly done bandana. Her smile was radiant, and her cheeks flushed from drinking and laughing carelessly. Silently Fai wondered if he was about to take that smile from the world. “Milady?” she scoffed loudly in a distinctly Irish accent. “I haven't been addressed as 'Milady' in all mi' life! Call me Francis, short for Francesca.”

Fai gave her a slight smile, “I apologize for the rudeness of other people up until this point, Francis, for a woman as lovely as you should always be addressed in the highest regard until otherwise told.”

The young woman smiled to herself before giving him a once over, “And what shall I call you, handsome?”

“Please call me Fai. Forgive me for not stating so earlier,” he took her hand and planted a kiss atop it. “Tell me Francis, do you know a lodge close by that is still accepting customers?”

She smiled and titled her face down while keeping her gaze on the blond man, “Ay, but lodging isn't cheap and neither is a bedmate. If you catch mi' drift.”

Fai hummed, “A lady as lovely as yourself?”

She smiled wickedly, “Lucky for you I come free to the right person.”

“What qualification does this person need, love?”

Francis stepped closer to him and interlaced her fingers behind his neck, “Tonight the right person need only golden hair and amber eyes.” She planted her mouth firmly to his and Fai engaged sucking at her rosy bottom lip as his eyes slid close, not from pleasure exactly but habit.

From the group behind Francis came numerous cat calls in similar accents, “Oi, Francis, get a room why doncha?”

She turned sharply and planted her hands on her hips, “I was plannin' on it Brutus! Now if you'll excuse me I have business to be attendin' to.” She grabbed her cloak and took Fai's hand as they headed towards the exit.

“Just a moment,” Fai interrupted their departure, “I forgot my cloak. I'll meet you outside.” He took her hand in both of his and kissed it for a second time that evening.

She kissed him chastely, “Hurry back.”

He bowed deeply as he backed away, “Will do.” Once she had left he stood upright and walked uncaringly over to his cloak which he slipped on quickly before pulling the hood up and grabbed his gloves in one hand and rushing towards the door. Unexpectedly, though, he collided with with a solid mass that sent him tumbling backwards. Irony would have it that he could fight and slay Soul Prowlers but could be sent flying when he walked into a simple human. Fai braced himself for impact with the dirty wooden floor but his decent was halted by two hands grasping his forearms.

“Tch. Watch where you're going idiot,” a deep voice chided lightly.

Fai looked up, the hood of his cloak falling away from him as he caught the coal eyes of the large stranger. The feeling of being weightless was instantaneous and it felt like the two of them had been removed from the world. The man's eyes dilated slightly as they began to glow a bright gold and though he couldn't confirm it Fai was sure his were mimicking the other's. A beam of light extended from the pupils of the stranger and met with a beam of light from Fai's own eyes and there was an explosion of warmth between them.

As quickly as it had began the moment had passed and they were back in the tavern though based on the way the man was looking at him he guessed that whoever was holding him had never left. “Hey are you okay?”

Fai gathered his senses about him, “I'm fine. Thank you for catching me.” He smiled brilliantly and brought his hands to he man's biceps (which he noted were huge) to support himself and the man catching his cue adjusted his position so Fai could find his footing.

The stranger rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands and looked back to Fai with confusion.

The blond felt incredible like his Essence had been fully replenished – no it couldn't be. He glanced at his hand and sure enough his marking had disappeared. The marking never full disappeared because he only replenished the minimum amount he needed to make it through the next day. But here was proof that he had absorbed Essence right in front of him and he had done it without even having sex. This went against everything he knew about his existence. He knew that in order to absorb Essence the supplier had to be filled with excess of the sin his Demon craved and this man was not filled with enough Lust to taint his Essence.

“Weren't your eyes amber?” The rough voice brought Fai back from his thoughts.

Fai instinctively reach up and touched beneath his eye “My eyes?”

“Yeah I thought when you first looked up they were amber they're blue now.”

“Blue?” It suddenly clicked with Fai his eyes became amber when his Essence was extremely low but became their natural blue when it was strong. “Oh! Blue! Yes my eyes are blue. It must have been the light or something,” he trailed off. “Um, what's your name?”

The darker raised an eyebrow, “Kurogane. Are you sure you're okay? You seem a bit strange.”

“Oh yes! I'm fine. More than fine actually,” Fai rushed being so animated with his hands that Kurogane took a step back.

Kurogane rubbed the back of his neck, “If you say so. Anyway I think you're girlfriend is waiting for you.” He pointed behind Fai.

The blond whipped around to see Francis calling him over with her finger. “Oh, she's not my girlfriend she's-”

“You know this is of no concern to me. I have business here. Now if you'll excuse me,” Kurogane pushed past him and went to the bar and started a conversation that sent the bartender to the back room. Fai stared on only to stop when, simultaneously, a hand was placed on his shoulder and the coal-eyed man looked up to glare warningly at him.

“Friend of yours, love?” Francis ventured. Her hand traveled from his shoulder up the nape of his neck and tangled itself in his hair.

Fai was confused to say the least. For two hundred years he had been use to people being unwaveringly attracted to him and yet this man had simply walked away from him. The even greater mystery was how he had been able to replenish his Essence. For the first time he had been denied and he found himself irrevocably attracted to this man for reasons he was scouring his brain to find. It had been a century and a half since he had actually been attracted to anyone physically or otherwise. Sex and his condition had taken away his ability to be anything but objective about it and the people he slept with.

He removed Francis' hand from his hair gently and turned still grasping it. “Francis, you'll have to forgive me. It seems something urgent has come up and I must leave. Perhaps another time.” While he had her he might as well try to secure a second opportunity he still had to absorb tomorrow as well.

“Ay, I wish I could agree but, alas, me and mi' crew,” she threw a thumb in the direction of her counterparts, “be headin' out at first light.”

“I find myself in a similar position. Well then this is farewell until we meet again.” He kissed her hand and departed as swiftly as he had come.

Fai had been waiting on the roof of the tavern for close to twenty minutes and regardless of the need he felt to talk to Kurogane he was becoming impatient. Just then the door opened and the familiar bell chimed. Light found it's way into the square for a moment before being sucked away by a closing door and the person who had emerged with the light stepped into the square.

All to quickly he became unsure of himself. What exactly was he supposed to do now? How was he supposed to approach the situation? He couldn't feasibly walk up to the taller and explain that he was possessed by a Demon of Lust, fed off the Essence of innocent humans and was about to do so when he walked in and somehow filled him with Essence, and now he was unexplainable drawn to him. Logic told him not to do that so instead he crouched further down on the roof to silently watch Kurogane walk away a bag now slung over his shoulder.