This fic is a little shounen-ai (let me stress on the little—no intimacyI
would be too ashamed of myself to write out THAT). YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kurama heard a tap at his bedroom window. He got up to open it, and, not surprisingly, Hiei was there. "Oh, Hiei," he stuttered I didn't expect you to come today!"
"I'm a demon," he started. "You can't expect anything," Hiei said as he jumped inside. As Kurama closed the window, he noticed a large book on his desk. "What is that?" he asked, pointing to the book.
Kurama looked over at the large children's book of fairytales that his ningen stepbrother laid on his desk awhile earlier. "Oh, that? That's a book of fairytales!"
Hiei looked innocently confused. "Fairytales?"
"Yeah, ningen parents usually read them to their kids as bedtime stories. Sometimes they can be about kings, queens, fairies, magic, and sometimes even dragons!"
"Dragons?" Hiei looked somewhat interested.
Kurama went over and sat on his bed, and Hiei impudently picked up the book and sat in Kurama's lap.
"W-would y-y-you read one t-t-to m-me?" Hiei stuttered, almost afraid of what Kurama would think of him.
Kurama just smiled, and opened up to a random page which happened to be in the story of Cinderella.
"And make it interesting," Hiei finished, snuggling further into Kurama's lap like a little child.
Kurama chuckled, then began reading to Hiei, changing the story around a little. . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Cinderella Story...Gone YYH
Once upon a time, there lived a King and a Queen in a beautiful Palace in a tiny little Kingdom. They had a beautiful little son, a dark-haired, three- eyed Prince named Hiei. He was very pure of heart, and the King and Queen adored him, and gave him everything he wanted and anything he needed. He was very happy, frolicking around the Palace with his pets and his toys, and he grew up one of the sweetest little boys you could imagine.
The day came to pass, however, when the Queen fell ill, and died. The King mourned her passing, as did the young Prince; but a year later the King took to himself a new wife named Shizuru, who had two young sons from a previous marriage. The little Prince Hiei thought to himself 'Now I shall have brothers my own age with whom to play all day!' But it was not to be. The new Queen was very beautiful, but conceited, and her heart was black as coal. She wanted one of her own sons to become King one day, and so banished Hiei to the kitchens, where he was forced to cook and clean and scrub the floors all day, and he wore nothing but ragged clothing, and he slept on the floor by the electric heater at night, alone. The King was saddened by this treatment of his beloved son; but Shizuru was adamant, and told him lies about the Prince and his demonic behavior, and so the King did nothing about Hiei's predicament.
Within another year, he, too, was dead, through mysterious means. Hiei's treatment by his stepmother and stepbrothers grew worse.
"Hiei! Fetch me clean underwear!" Yusuke would shout.
"Hiei! My toenails need clipping!" Kazuma would complain.
"Hiei, you lazy sod, fix the alignment on the television!" Shizuru would command him.
Hiei obeyed his stepbrothers and stepmother without question, for he really was a good boy at heart. But at night he would curl up by the electric heater and sigh and think to himself 'If only someone would come to take me away from this drudgery!' But no one did, and so he grew from a boy into a young man, strong from his long hours at work, and beautiful underneath the layers of dirt that never quite washed off in his daily water ration.
One day a messenger in a pink kimono dropped by the Palace. Hiei answered her knock at the door, for he was the only servant around. He blinked at the girl, and waited to hear what she wanted.
"Konnichi wa," she beamed. He noticed she was floating on an oar, but decided not to ask about it. "My name is Botan. I've come to deliver a message from the Prince on the other side of the mountain."
"Oh," Hiei said, and waited. She stared at him a moment.
"Don't you want to know what the message is?" she wondered.
"Sure," he replied, with a shrug. She rewarded him with another smile, and from her kimono pulled a scroll. She unrolled it partway, then lost her hold on it, and it snapped up into her face. Blushing, she unrolled the scroll again and began to read.
"His Royal Highness the Prince Shuuichi has decreed that all eligible young people in the Kingdoms surrounding his are to show up at his Palace this Friday night starting at eight o'clock, for a party to celebrate his birthday." Botan peered at Hiei over the scroll. He blinked. She looked down at the scroll again, frowning, then looked up at him. "That's it," she said.
"Ah," he replied.
"Baka," she scolded, "you're supposed to say whether or not you want to go."
"I haven't a thing to wear," he told her. "But you might want to ask my two stepbrothers -- " From inside the Palace at that moment came two familiar bellows.
"Hiei! I can't find my hair gel!"
"Hiei! Yukina-chan's coming over here and I need clean sheets!!" Hiei sighed. Botan blinked.
"Perhaps," she said, holding out the re-rolled scroll, "you should tell them yourself. Ja mata ne!" With that, she flew away on her oar. Hiei stared after her for several moments before turning back inside.
Hiei brought the scroll to his stepmother, who read it, lit a cigarette, and smirked at him, blowing smoke rings over his head. "So," Shizuru said, "you want to go to this party?" Hiei shrugged. "Ever been to a party?" she wondered, leaning back on the throne and crossing her legs. He shook his head. "You're a wet blanket, plain and simple, Hiei, and no one wants you at a party. Go get me a new pack of smokes, and then give that invite to your brothers."
Heavy-hearted, Hiei did as he was told.
Yusuke and Kazuma were thrilled to hear the news about the party, and immediately began preparations. Hiei was run positively ragged, fetching clothing, trimming nose hairs, polishing shoes, and running to the store for Shizuru's cigarettes. He did not mention the party to any of them, nor did they speak of it to him, but they talked incessantly about it.
"I hear he's got an incredible stereo system," Yusuke grinned. "It'll blow you away if you get too close to the speakers."
"I hear he's got connections to some beautiful movie stars," Kazuma laughed. "Maybe some of them will show up."
"Oh, like they'd want you, carrot-top," snorted Yusuke. "Women like that need a real man."
"Like you?" Kazuma howled with laughter. "Wait until I tell them that you couldn't -- " They both froze and turned to Hiei, who feigned disinterest. "Get lost," Kazuma told him.
"For good," Yusuke grinned. "Can you imagine ol' sourpuss at a party, Kazuma?" They snickered. "In five minutes, everyone'd be running out the door." They rolled on the floor, laughing. Hiei suffered this in silence as he continued folding their boxer shorts into neat little squares. He wondered, momentarily, where he could get some itching powder.
Friday night rolled around. Yusuke and Kazuma sparkled in their new jeans and high tops. As they were about to head out the door, Shizuru joined them, lighting another cigarette.
"You," Yusuke gulped, "you're not coming with us, are you?"
Shizuru inhaled, then exhaled, blowing smoke in her sons' faces. "Are you implying," she said coldly, "that I'm not young enough to go to this party?".
"Not at all," they chorused, sweating. All three turned to look at Hiei, who watched them with a peculiar expression on his face. They burst into laughter and tumbled outside into Shizuru's car, which she'd bought with the money she'd inherited on the King's death.
Hiei sighed and wandered outside, into the cool night air. He sat down on a bench in the garden and looked up at the stars and wondered what a party was like.
"Ah," spoke a gentle voice, "they're generally pretty boring, everyone tries to see who can get drunk the fastest, and then in the morning people are missing their underwear, and everybody regrets that they can't remember what happened." Hiei stared at the toddler who had suddenly appeared on the bench beside him. "Yo," said the toddler, around his pacifier, raising a hand in salute.
"Who the hell are you?" Hiei demanded.
"Koenma," said the toddler, then looked down at himself. "Oh, yeah, forgot." He concentrated a moment, and suddenly transformed into a teenager -- with a pacifier. Hiei raised an eyebrow. "It's a fixation," Koenma told him. "Listen, you want to go to that party?"
"I dunno," Hiei shrugged, staring at the 'Jr.' stamped on Koenma's forehead.
"You're supposed to say yes."
"Okay, yes."
"You don't really want to go to it, do you?" Koenma wondered.
"How am I supposed to know?" Hiei shrugged. "I've never been to one. What are you doing here besides asking me stupid questions?"
"Oh," Koenma nodded. "Right. Well, I'm supposed to make sure you get to that party." Hiei stared. "Of course, you look like crap right now, but I think you'll wash up nicely." With that, he stood, and motioned for Hiei to join him; Hiei followed him to a goldfish pond in the middle of the garden. "Look in there," Koenma told him, pointing to the pond. Hiei looked.
Koenma kicked him into the pond. Hiei jumped up, sneezing, and scrambled out of the water. "What the hell'd you do that for?" he demanded, annoyed.
"Quicker than running a bath," Koenma said, holding up his hands for peace. "Here." He pulled his red cloak over his shoulder and used it to scrub Hiei's face. "Hn," he noted, after a few minutes. "You could use another dunking."
"Don't even think about it," Hiei grumbled.
"Okay, fine," Koenma shrugged. "It's your loss. Now, as for your clothes -- " Hiei looked down at himself, then up at Koenma. "I have no idea what to do for your clothes."
"Oh," Hiei frowned.
"Here, switch clothes with me," Koenma suggested.
"Your clothes won't fit me," Hiei howled.
"Better'n what you've got on," Koenma pointed to Hiei's ragged clothing.
"Koenma-sama!" cried a sweet voice, and both boys looked up. Botan flew down on her oar, carrying a bag. "You forgot this, Koenma-sama," she smiled, holding out the bag. Koenma blushed from embarrasment, taking it from her.
"I knew I forgot something," he mumbled. He turned to Hiei. "Here, these are for you." He handed the bag to Hiei, who peered suspiciously inside. "They'll fit," Koenma assured him.
Hiei pulled out the clothes, looked them over, and looked at Koenma. "Is this a cassock?" he wondered.
"It'll look good on you," Koenma nodded. "You'll make an impression at the party."
"Right." Hiei set down the bag and looked meaningfully at Koenma and Botan. They blushed and turned their backs. He undressed hurriedly and dressed in the clothes Koenma had brought him.
"Done," he said. The others turned to look at him. They looked at one another.
"I told you we should have stuck with casuals," said Botan. Hiei cast Koenma a look he hoped was sufficiently withering.
"No," Koenma said, oblivious to the look, "you'll be a hit."
"How do I get there?" Hiei wondered.
"Oh, rats, I knew I forgot something else," Koenma groaned.
"I'll take him, Koenma-sama," said Botan, cheerfully. "I'm going that way anyhow." She patted her oar; Hiei reached up and touched it, tentatively. "Hang on," she commanded. He took hold of it with one hand, and yelped when it lifted him into the air.
"One more thing," Koenma hollered from where he was on the swiftly receding ground.
"You can fly, Koenma-sama," Botan reminded him. Koenma floated up to their level, cheeks flushed.
"One more thing," he repeated. "You have to be back by midnight."
"Why's that?" Hiei wondered.
"Because my curfew is midnight, and I need the stuff back."
Hiei grumbled all the way to the Palace.
In the meantime, the party was in full swing. Queen Shizuru had latched on to a slender young man with a scar over one eye. Yusuke and Kuwabara had found themselves a girl each. Everyone at the party was either drunk or getting drunk, and most of the bedrooms in the Palace were occupied, one way or another.
Prince Shuichi watched the goings-on with no satisfaction. He threw a darned good party, and he knew it; but he was bored with parties. They were too simple; people were too easy to please. He swung his feet up over the edge of his chair, leaned back, and closed his eyes. So very young, he mused, and bored with life already. What he needed was a challenge.
A crash sounded outside, and some shouts. Shuichi ran to investigate, and discovered a young boy outside the door, shaking his fist at the sky and shouting obscenities at the clouds. The boy turned to face him, still scowling, and Shuichi froze. "What are you staring at?" snapped the boy. "Never see anyone dropped by the grim reaper before?"
"I didn't drop you," came a disembodied voice. "You fell."
"I didn't -- " began the boy, but Shuichi interrupted, holding out his hand.
"Tell me," he said, "what's your name?" Hiei turned to look at him.
"Hiei," he replied politely, remembering his manners, taking Shuichi's hand.
"I'm Prince Shuichi," Shuichi told him, smiling sweetly and keeping hold of Hiei's hand. "And you are the cutest little thing to come walking through my doors -- "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Wait a minute," Hiei snapped, getting up. "That's enough of that."
Kurama laughed. "I'm not done the story yet."
"You are now. How do you expect me to sleep after that? I'm going to have nightmares."
Kurama reached up and tugged on the back of Hiei's shirt. "Lie down, and let me finish the story."
Hiei flopped down beside Kurama, sulking. Kurama rolled to his side, propping himself up on one elbow, facing Hiei.
"It's a stupid story," Hiei muttered.
"Why is it stupid?" Kurama wondered.
"For one thing, I do not frolic. Nor do I cook, clean, or clip people's toenails -- "
"It's a fairy tale -- "
"Well, duh. And how come they all got -- "
"Do you want me to finish the story or not?" Kurama wondered, reaching up to tickle Hiei's ear with one finger.
Hiei scowled.
"Skip to the end," he muttered, finally. Kurama gently placed his hand on Hiei's stomach and rubbed soothing circles with his palm.
"Well, in the end, Shuichi took Hiei back to his chambers and threw him down on his bed and -- "
"This doesn't sound familiar," Hiei noted, deadpan.
" -- and they lived happily ever after." Kurama finished. Hiei closed his eyes.
"Did he ever clean again?"
"He didn't have to."
"Did he get that idiot Koenma's stuff back before midnight?"
"No."
"So what happened?"
"Nothing."
"What happened -- after that? To the Queen, and the stepbrothers?"
"Oh," Kurama shrugged, wriggling closer to him, "Prince Hiei blasted them all with his previously suppressed power, to get revenge for all the crap they put him through."
"Now that," Hiei smirked, eyes still closed, "is a proper story. You could have started out with something like that."
"Stories have to be told the way they happen," Kurama told him, stroking him gently. "Now, shall I tell you the ending to this story, botchan?"
"Don't call me that," Hiei commanded, catching Kurama's long hair in his fingers. "And yes, you'd better, or I'll never get to sleep."
- Owari -
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Kurama heard a tap at his bedroom window. He got up to open it, and, not surprisingly, Hiei was there. "Oh, Hiei," he stuttered I didn't expect you to come today!"
"I'm a demon," he started. "You can't expect anything," Hiei said as he jumped inside. As Kurama closed the window, he noticed a large book on his desk. "What is that?" he asked, pointing to the book.
Kurama looked over at the large children's book of fairytales that his ningen stepbrother laid on his desk awhile earlier. "Oh, that? That's a book of fairytales!"
Hiei looked innocently confused. "Fairytales?"
"Yeah, ningen parents usually read them to their kids as bedtime stories. Sometimes they can be about kings, queens, fairies, magic, and sometimes even dragons!"
"Dragons?" Hiei looked somewhat interested.
Kurama went over and sat on his bed, and Hiei impudently picked up the book and sat in Kurama's lap.
"W-would y-y-you read one t-t-to m-me?" Hiei stuttered, almost afraid of what Kurama would think of him.
Kurama just smiled, and opened up to a random page which happened to be in the story of Cinderella.
"And make it interesting," Hiei finished, snuggling further into Kurama's lap like a little child.
Kurama chuckled, then began reading to Hiei, changing the story around a little. . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Cinderella Story...Gone YYH
Once upon a time, there lived a King and a Queen in a beautiful Palace in a tiny little Kingdom. They had a beautiful little son, a dark-haired, three- eyed Prince named Hiei. He was very pure of heart, and the King and Queen adored him, and gave him everything he wanted and anything he needed. He was very happy, frolicking around the Palace with his pets and his toys, and he grew up one of the sweetest little boys you could imagine.
The day came to pass, however, when the Queen fell ill, and died. The King mourned her passing, as did the young Prince; but a year later the King took to himself a new wife named Shizuru, who had two young sons from a previous marriage. The little Prince Hiei thought to himself 'Now I shall have brothers my own age with whom to play all day!' But it was not to be. The new Queen was very beautiful, but conceited, and her heart was black as coal. She wanted one of her own sons to become King one day, and so banished Hiei to the kitchens, where he was forced to cook and clean and scrub the floors all day, and he wore nothing but ragged clothing, and he slept on the floor by the electric heater at night, alone. The King was saddened by this treatment of his beloved son; but Shizuru was adamant, and told him lies about the Prince and his demonic behavior, and so the King did nothing about Hiei's predicament.
Within another year, he, too, was dead, through mysterious means. Hiei's treatment by his stepmother and stepbrothers grew worse.
"Hiei! Fetch me clean underwear!" Yusuke would shout.
"Hiei! My toenails need clipping!" Kazuma would complain.
"Hiei, you lazy sod, fix the alignment on the television!" Shizuru would command him.
Hiei obeyed his stepbrothers and stepmother without question, for he really was a good boy at heart. But at night he would curl up by the electric heater and sigh and think to himself 'If only someone would come to take me away from this drudgery!' But no one did, and so he grew from a boy into a young man, strong from his long hours at work, and beautiful underneath the layers of dirt that never quite washed off in his daily water ration.
One day a messenger in a pink kimono dropped by the Palace. Hiei answered her knock at the door, for he was the only servant around. He blinked at the girl, and waited to hear what she wanted.
"Konnichi wa," she beamed. He noticed she was floating on an oar, but decided not to ask about it. "My name is Botan. I've come to deliver a message from the Prince on the other side of the mountain."
"Oh," Hiei said, and waited. She stared at him a moment.
"Don't you want to know what the message is?" she wondered.
"Sure," he replied, with a shrug. She rewarded him with another smile, and from her kimono pulled a scroll. She unrolled it partway, then lost her hold on it, and it snapped up into her face. Blushing, she unrolled the scroll again and began to read.
"His Royal Highness the Prince Shuuichi has decreed that all eligible young people in the Kingdoms surrounding his are to show up at his Palace this Friday night starting at eight o'clock, for a party to celebrate his birthday." Botan peered at Hiei over the scroll. He blinked. She looked down at the scroll again, frowning, then looked up at him. "That's it," she said.
"Ah," he replied.
"Baka," she scolded, "you're supposed to say whether or not you want to go."
"I haven't a thing to wear," he told her. "But you might want to ask my two stepbrothers -- " From inside the Palace at that moment came two familiar bellows.
"Hiei! I can't find my hair gel!"
"Hiei! Yukina-chan's coming over here and I need clean sheets!!" Hiei sighed. Botan blinked.
"Perhaps," she said, holding out the re-rolled scroll, "you should tell them yourself. Ja mata ne!" With that, she flew away on her oar. Hiei stared after her for several moments before turning back inside.
Hiei brought the scroll to his stepmother, who read it, lit a cigarette, and smirked at him, blowing smoke rings over his head. "So," Shizuru said, "you want to go to this party?" Hiei shrugged. "Ever been to a party?" she wondered, leaning back on the throne and crossing her legs. He shook his head. "You're a wet blanket, plain and simple, Hiei, and no one wants you at a party. Go get me a new pack of smokes, and then give that invite to your brothers."
Heavy-hearted, Hiei did as he was told.
Yusuke and Kazuma were thrilled to hear the news about the party, and immediately began preparations. Hiei was run positively ragged, fetching clothing, trimming nose hairs, polishing shoes, and running to the store for Shizuru's cigarettes. He did not mention the party to any of them, nor did they speak of it to him, but they talked incessantly about it.
"I hear he's got an incredible stereo system," Yusuke grinned. "It'll blow you away if you get too close to the speakers."
"I hear he's got connections to some beautiful movie stars," Kazuma laughed. "Maybe some of them will show up."
"Oh, like they'd want you, carrot-top," snorted Yusuke. "Women like that need a real man."
"Like you?" Kazuma howled with laughter. "Wait until I tell them that you couldn't -- " They both froze and turned to Hiei, who feigned disinterest. "Get lost," Kazuma told him.
"For good," Yusuke grinned. "Can you imagine ol' sourpuss at a party, Kazuma?" They snickered. "In five minutes, everyone'd be running out the door." They rolled on the floor, laughing. Hiei suffered this in silence as he continued folding their boxer shorts into neat little squares. He wondered, momentarily, where he could get some itching powder.
Friday night rolled around. Yusuke and Kazuma sparkled in their new jeans and high tops. As they were about to head out the door, Shizuru joined them, lighting another cigarette.
"You," Yusuke gulped, "you're not coming with us, are you?"
Shizuru inhaled, then exhaled, blowing smoke in her sons' faces. "Are you implying," she said coldly, "that I'm not young enough to go to this party?".
"Not at all," they chorused, sweating. All three turned to look at Hiei, who watched them with a peculiar expression on his face. They burst into laughter and tumbled outside into Shizuru's car, which she'd bought with the money she'd inherited on the King's death.
Hiei sighed and wandered outside, into the cool night air. He sat down on a bench in the garden and looked up at the stars and wondered what a party was like.
"Ah," spoke a gentle voice, "they're generally pretty boring, everyone tries to see who can get drunk the fastest, and then in the morning people are missing their underwear, and everybody regrets that they can't remember what happened." Hiei stared at the toddler who had suddenly appeared on the bench beside him. "Yo," said the toddler, around his pacifier, raising a hand in salute.
"Who the hell are you?" Hiei demanded.
"Koenma," said the toddler, then looked down at himself. "Oh, yeah, forgot." He concentrated a moment, and suddenly transformed into a teenager -- with a pacifier. Hiei raised an eyebrow. "It's a fixation," Koenma told him. "Listen, you want to go to that party?"
"I dunno," Hiei shrugged, staring at the 'Jr.' stamped on Koenma's forehead.
"You're supposed to say yes."
"Okay, yes."
"You don't really want to go to it, do you?" Koenma wondered.
"How am I supposed to know?" Hiei shrugged. "I've never been to one. What are you doing here besides asking me stupid questions?"
"Oh," Koenma nodded. "Right. Well, I'm supposed to make sure you get to that party." Hiei stared. "Of course, you look like crap right now, but I think you'll wash up nicely." With that, he stood, and motioned for Hiei to join him; Hiei followed him to a goldfish pond in the middle of the garden. "Look in there," Koenma told him, pointing to the pond. Hiei looked.
Koenma kicked him into the pond. Hiei jumped up, sneezing, and scrambled out of the water. "What the hell'd you do that for?" he demanded, annoyed.
"Quicker than running a bath," Koenma said, holding up his hands for peace. "Here." He pulled his red cloak over his shoulder and used it to scrub Hiei's face. "Hn," he noted, after a few minutes. "You could use another dunking."
"Don't even think about it," Hiei grumbled.
"Okay, fine," Koenma shrugged. "It's your loss. Now, as for your clothes -- " Hiei looked down at himself, then up at Koenma. "I have no idea what to do for your clothes."
"Oh," Hiei frowned.
"Here, switch clothes with me," Koenma suggested.
"Your clothes won't fit me," Hiei howled.
"Better'n what you've got on," Koenma pointed to Hiei's ragged clothing.
"Koenma-sama!" cried a sweet voice, and both boys looked up. Botan flew down on her oar, carrying a bag. "You forgot this, Koenma-sama," she smiled, holding out the bag. Koenma blushed from embarrasment, taking it from her.
"I knew I forgot something," he mumbled. He turned to Hiei. "Here, these are for you." He handed the bag to Hiei, who peered suspiciously inside. "They'll fit," Koenma assured him.
Hiei pulled out the clothes, looked them over, and looked at Koenma. "Is this a cassock?" he wondered.
"It'll look good on you," Koenma nodded. "You'll make an impression at the party."
"Right." Hiei set down the bag and looked meaningfully at Koenma and Botan. They blushed and turned their backs. He undressed hurriedly and dressed in the clothes Koenma had brought him.
"Done," he said. The others turned to look at him. They looked at one another.
"I told you we should have stuck with casuals," said Botan. Hiei cast Koenma a look he hoped was sufficiently withering.
"No," Koenma said, oblivious to the look, "you'll be a hit."
"How do I get there?" Hiei wondered.
"Oh, rats, I knew I forgot something else," Koenma groaned.
"I'll take him, Koenma-sama," said Botan, cheerfully. "I'm going that way anyhow." She patted her oar; Hiei reached up and touched it, tentatively. "Hang on," she commanded. He took hold of it with one hand, and yelped when it lifted him into the air.
"One more thing," Koenma hollered from where he was on the swiftly receding ground.
"You can fly, Koenma-sama," Botan reminded him. Koenma floated up to their level, cheeks flushed.
"One more thing," he repeated. "You have to be back by midnight."
"Why's that?" Hiei wondered.
"Because my curfew is midnight, and I need the stuff back."
Hiei grumbled all the way to the Palace.
In the meantime, the party was in full swing. Queen Shizuru had latched on to a slender young man with a scar over one eye. Yusuke and Kuwabara had found themselves a girl each. Everyone at the party was either drunk or getting drunk, and most of the bedrooms in the Palace were occupied, one way or another.
Prince Shuichi watched the goings-on with no satisfaction. He threw a darned good party, and he knew it; but he was bored with parties. They were too simple; people were too easy to please. He swung his feet up over the edge of his chair, leaned back, and closed his eyes. So very young, he mused, and bored with life already. What he needed was a challenge.
A crash sounded outside, and some shouts. Shuichi ran to investigate, and discovered a young boy outside the door, shaking his fist at the sky and shouting obscenities at the clouds. The boy turned to face him, still scowling, and Shuichi froze. "What are you staring at?" snapped the boy. "Never see anyone dropped by the grim reaper before?"
"I didn't drop you," came a disembodied voice. "You fell."
"I didn't -- " began the boy, but Shuichi interrupted, holding out his hand.
"Tell me," he said, "what's your name?" Hiei turned to look at him.
"Hiei," he replied politely, remembering his manners, taking Shuichi's hand.
"I'm Prince Shuichi," Shuichi told him, smiling sweetly and keeping hold of Hiei's hand. "And you are the cutest little thing to come walking through my doors -- "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Wait a minute," Hiei snapped, getting up. "That's enough of that."
Kurama laughed. "I'm not done the story yet."
"You are now. How do you expect me to sleep after that? I'm going to have nightmares."
Kurama reached up and tugged on the back of Hiei's shirt. "Lie down, and let me finish the story."
Hiei flopped down beside Kurama, sulking. Kurama rolled to his side, propping himself up on one elbow, facing Hiei.
"It's a stupid story," Hiei muttered.
"Why is it stupid?" Kurama wondered.
"For one thing, I do not frolic. Nor do I cook, clean, or clip people's toenails -- "
"It's a fairy tale -- "
"Well, duh. And how come they all got -- "
"Do you want me to finish the story or not?" Kurama wondered, reaching up to tickle Hiei's ear with one finger.
Hiei scowled.
"Skip to the end," he muttered, finally. Kurama gently placed his hand on Hiei's stomach and rubbed soothing circles with his palm.
"Well, in the end, Shuichi took Hiei back to his chambers and threw him down on his bed and -- "
"This doesn't sound familiar," Hiei noted, deadpan.
" -- and they lived happily ever after." Kurama finished. Hiei closed his eyes.
"Did he ever clean again?"
"He didn't have to."
"Did he get that idiot Koenma's stuff back before midnight?"
"No."
"So what happened?"
"Nothing."
"What happened -- after that? To the Queen, and the stepbrothers?"
"Oh," Kurama shrugged, wriggling closer to him, "Prince Hiei blasted them all with his previously suppressed power, to get revenge for all the crap they put him through."
"Now that," Hiei smirked, eyes still closed, "is a proper story. You could have started out with something like that."
"Stories have to be told the way they happen," Kurama told him, stroking him gently. "Now, shall I tell you the ending to this story, botchan?"
"Don't call me that," Hiei commanded, catching Kurama's long hair in his fingers. "And yes, you'd better, or I'll never get to sleep."
- Owari -