What am I Daddy? What are you?

"DAD! DAD!"

Hiei looked up as a sobbing red haired youngling ran through the front door as if something demonic was chasing her. As impact was made, and heard, an older male version of the youngling came out of the kitchen clutching a tea towel. Hiei looked up at the newcomer and raised an eyebrow as if to say; 'You're the emotions expert.' The red haired male, known well as Kurama to his demon world friends; Youko Kurama to most of his demon world foes; and Shuichi Minamino to the human world, smiled and extracted the crying child from Hiei's lap, preventing anymore burrowing.

Dropping the tea towel into Hiei's lap the red haired male sat down in a chair opposite the television and put his daughter in his lap. Gently Shuichi, or Kurama as we'll call him, soothed the young one by rocking her gently, cradled in his arms against his chest. As soon as the sobbing faded into soft breathing Kurama pulled the child away from his chest in order to get a better look.

"Feeling better?" He asked gently, receiving a timid nod in return. "Good. Now, what was all that about?" He asked kindly, much to the amusement of the black haired comrade who never ceased to be amazed at the healing powers Kurama held in his actions and words. Getting up from the chair he had recently been settled in, he moved to the arm of the chair that was currently occupied by both sets of red heads.

An emerald and a garnet coloured pair of eyes glanced at the new weight on the chair before moving to look at the man they were currently sat on. Nuzzling into the red hairs embrace their daughter took several deep shaky breaths before telling her story. By the end both Kurama and Hiei were livid, although Hiei showed it in his features more than Kurama ever could. "That's it! We're going to talk to the fool who thinks he runs that school!" Hiei thundered, deliberately keeping his language in check in front of their child.

Kurama hugged the youngling supportively. "Daddy no! I'll get in trouble." Kurama glanced up at the fuming Jaganashi, urging him with his own emerald eyes to calm down and help. Making sure his comrade was at least attempting to reign in his temper he turned back to his daughter.

Kurama kissed the top of her forehead before commenting. "Aria, sweetheart, we can't just let someone get away with scaring and attempting to attack you, even if they didn't actually hit you. They attempted to and that's bad enough." Hiei sat back on the armrest, temper still at its highest peak but trying to keep under control in order to soothe their already frightened child.

Kurama held her back against his chest, speaking in a soft drone that would sooth anyone, even Hiei found himself yawning when suddenly, he smelt something burning in the kitchen. Realising it was their dinner he dived into said room and yanked open the oven. He grabbed the 200-Celsius dish and shoved it on a wooden platter. Checking it over he concluded it was only burnt around the edges and therefore would be edible. Taking some plates out of the low cupboard he served three portions up and set the plates on an already laid table.

Kurama followed the scent of dinner with a half asleep Aria in his arms. Kurama settled the youngling down on her chair and handed her some eating utensils. Sleepily she took them and started eating. Hiei glanced at his partner across the table before joining Aria in dinner consuming.

After dinner had ended Hiei took the dishes to the sink and started running water while Kurama took their daughter to bed, reading her favourite bedtime story, The Three Little Pigs, until she went to sleep. The red head came back downstairs, exhausted and feeling relieved Hiei had finished the dishes. Flopping on the couch next to Hiei he turned and lay down, his head resting in Hiei's lap. Sighing, he relaxed into the caresses Hiei was giving him by means of running his hands through Kurama's hair.

They rested peacefully for a moment before Hiei ruined it by growling in his throat. "I know love. Homophobic parents pass on their fear to their children. It isn't unheard of in this world." Kurama sighed, stroking Hiei's knee softly. "It's a pity people, and children, like these decide to attack the family of people like us."

Hiei listened to his partner, filled with anger. "Fox we should take her back. At least our world hasn't got these damn fears."

Kurama sat up facing Hiei and touched the fury lines covering the fire demon's face. "Love that would mean telling her what we are. You know we cannot do that."

Hiei growled angrily. "These damn rules you Youko have! They can't be everywhere! Your race is damn near extinct!" He snarled viciously. Kurama stared at him for a moment before getting up and silently going up the stairs to the room he and the fire demon shared. Said demon just watched Kurama depart, mentally beating himself for lack of thought. The Youko clan was still a touchy subject with Kurama.

Lying back he reflected on what had happened the last time they had been in the demon world. Just like his people, the Koorime, Youko's refused to allow mixed demon children, half-breeds, to tarnish their pure race. The ningen scientists had found a way to turn a sperm cell into a female's egg cell, through some apparent 'brainwave' as they called it. Then, as Kurama had always wanted kids he'd donated his cells to try out this thing with success! Then somehow, nothing short of blackmail, bribery and some of the best sex he'd ever had, Kurama had managed to convince him to donate his own sperm to fertilise the newly transformed cells.

He sighed and groaned as he remembered the hassle they had trying to find a surrogate mother to grow their embryo. Luckily there was an agency in which women offered their wombs to childless couples. He and Kurama owed everything to that woman, and she died giving birth. Some life! That child was then dubbed Aria, courtesy of Kurama after his ningen grandmother. Hiei would do anything for that child, their daughter, but sometimes he wished life could go back to when it was just them.

Soon after Aria's first birthday Kurama felt a wave of homesickness, not to mention Hiei had been summoned by that bloody bitch Mukuro. So off they went back to demon world where they spent some time with Mukuro, well Kurama did. He ended up spending more time out fighting than anything else!

Finally, after Mukuro had given him every task she had, they left for the Youko territory so that Kurama could go and become reacquainted with his home. Big mistake! The Youko's smelt the difference in Aria as soon as she entered the territory. They had grown to accept Kurama in his human form only because he could defeat them without breaking a sweat. But a child, quarter Youko, quarter ningen, quarter fire-demon, quarter Koorime. Unacceptable.

The leader of the clan had gone straight up to Kurama and requested, as a nicer word, that he keep the youngling away from demon world. Kurama, as a result, ended up killing half the Youko population due to the, persuasion, used in the request. The remaining Youko vowed to kill Kurama, the child and Hiei should any of them step back into demon world. Hiei travelled back to Mukuro's territory to inform her of his resignation as her Heir. After discovering why this was happening Mukuro had threatened to destroy every Youko clan member for threatening her heir and his family, to which Hiei argued perversely. Kurama had already withdrawn into a shell after having his family rejected by his kin and having to kill the more murderous members, the last thing he needed was a continuous blood bath on their part.

Shortly after the trio's return from demon world, they cut all ties to their previous lives and took up the role of a normal human family. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Botan, Koenma and the rest of the Spirit Detective group hadn't been able to understand but left the family alone in respect of their wishes. However, the human world wasn't ready to accept the demons turn human. Once Aria had joined school and word had got out about her parents being gay men she was forced to endure torment, assault and abuse virtually everyday.

Hiei glanced at the clock. It was late. Too late to ponder this sort of stuff. He sighed and left the comfort of the couch to turn off the lights, lock the doors and windows, close the curtains and blinds, and turn off the electrical items. He then made his way up the stairs and into his and Kurama's room where he slipped out of his everyday clothing.

Folding his clothes over the dressing table's accompanying chair he looked at the still silhouette of Kurama under the covers. He padded softly over to his side of the bed and slid underneath, Kurama's back to him. He propped up his pillows and leant back, his head elevated slightly, his arms folded behind his head. Feeling the body next to him shift, he touched Kurama's shoulder gently. The red head turned over and rested his head on Hiei's chest, snuggling into the warmth. "Fox?" He murmured in surprise. He wasn't expecting an answer, nor did he get one. They both fell back into the silence, Hiei caressing the fox's hair, already used to the sensation he was feeling on his stomach. The nightly tears of emeralds.