THE NINGEN WAYS

WARNINGS AND DISCLAIMERS: This fic contains yaoi..as well as characters whom I have no rights to. (I just love them...^^;;;) This is just for fun, not for profit or any other bad reasons..( is profit bad? well.. I'm not getting any in any case..) I'm assuming that the preople who're reading this have read many other similar disclaimers. -_-;;; Is it okay if I skimp a little? The bottom line - just don't sue me. I'm really really poor and I'm in debt. Even if I were to sell all my belongings, I wouldn't be able to pay off all my loans. -_-;;;;;

Koenma studied the grumpy little demon in front of him. Not repentent - not repentent at all. With a sigh, he looked at the report of Hiei's recent escapade in his hands; two cars scorched to ashes, one burnt down house, two ningens with second degree burns. And all for what? Just because those humans had the misfortune to see Hiei and had commented what a cute child he was...

Well, Hiei? Do you have anything to say to defend yourself?

Hiei snorted. What's your problem? It's not like I killed them.

Kurama entered the room at that moment, a concerned expression on his face. Is he going to go to prison? The redhead asked, wondering if destruction of property was enough to break Hiei's parole - all they had been told was not to kill humans... or was it not to harm humans in a general way?

There was a long pause as Koenma debated what he should do. The koorime was badly in need of lessons of appreciating ningen ways. And then..he came across an insane idea - but was it? Clearing his throat and trying to keep from laughing, he faced the still grumpy demon.

I've decided to put you in... rehabilitation facilities... so that you learn to appreciate the ningen ways and something like this doesn't happen again. Oh.. and Kurama, I need your help on this.

Kurama nodded. Whatever to keep his little friend out of prison.

Koenma smirked. Hiei.. I want you to... attend ningen school for three months.

Hiei shouted.

There was a thud and the angry youkai and the god-junior turned to see Kurama lying dazed on the floor.

Kurama.. I would like Hiei to live with you during that time, if you don't mind too much. Perhaps your family can help him get more attached to ningens? Koenma suggested, ignoring the youko's obvious distress.

Kurama closed his eyes, his eyebrows furrowed..as if he was trying to hide from a bad nightmare.





Kurama walked to the city park, holding a paper shopping bag containing a small black school uniform. Koenma had wanted Hiei to attend Kurama's school, but after three hours of yelling and shouting, the prince of Death had decided that short of killing the little fire demon, it would be impossible to dress him up in a pink school uniform. It had taken threats of exposing Hiei's secret to Yukina to get Hiei to agree to go to school at all. Kurama didn't know whether to be amused or offended that his best friend seemed to fear what he himself wore practically every day.

Unfortunately, the only school in the district that had black uniform was...Furinken High (sorry..-_-;; couldn't think up any other name -_-). The school was reputable for its highschool gang..almost as bad as Yusuke's school. In fact, the two schools were considered to be arch enemies. Could things possibley get worse?

Knowing Hiei, very very likely...

He arrived under a large willow tree in a deserted part of the park where he had agreed to meet Hiei. He couldn't sense the demon's youki anywhere..but that was to be expected. Koenma, in his questionable wisdom, had warded Hiei excessively. No more using the Kokuryuha... no more using the Jagan...

Hiei walked to him from the shade of a tree nearby - an unusual event for him. He usually appeared by jumping down from whatever tree he was in.. But not surprising either. Koenma, again in his wisdom, had put small black bracelets and anklets on Hiei. They were made of matte black metal that gleamed dully in the sunlight, their thin appearance deceptive of their weight that made Hiei about as slow as a fit ningen.

Kurama nodded slightly. Hiei stopped a few feet from him, hands in his pockets. Let's get you dressed so that I can introduce you to my family.

Hiei avoided his gaze, not answering. Kurama, noticing a slight redness on the demon's face, wondered if Hiei was embarressed. Hiei, shy? Nah.. couldn't be.

Kurama took out the school uniform and handed it to Hiei. While Hiei changed, Kurama also took out brown contact lenses and extra-strength hair gel. He really hoped that it worked...

When Hiei finished dressing, Kurama let out a gasp. He was so cute!!!!!! But remembering the scorched cars and house, he wisely kept his mouth shut. Getting a large dollop of hair gel on his hands, he called to Hiei. Grumpily, Hiei sat in front of Kurama as he reshaped Hiei's hair, flattening out the starburst and the candle shaped hair at the back of Hiei's head.

After twenty minutes of wrestling with Hiei's hair, Kurama examined his handywork. Hiei's hair was saturated with gel, giving it a wet appearance - perhaps it was good that Hiei was going to a school with more 'relaxed' regulations than his own. The hair was far from being neat, but it looked normal enough; definitely not much more unusual than Yusuke's gel-soaked hair.

Washing his hands in the nearby stream, Kurama took out brown contacts. Hiei eyed the small membranous plastics with skepticism as Kurama told him to open his eyes wide.

"What are those?"

"Oh.. they're contact lenses. To change your eye color. Don't worry. You'll see fine with them on - they're non-prescription lenses."

Hiei narrowed his eyes. "You're going to put them in my eyes?"

"Hai. Now open them wide."

"Are you insane, fox?" Hiei backed away.

"Hiei.. Don't be difficult."

"Difficult?!! You're trying to put slimy things in my eyes, and you expect me to just let you?!"

Kurama sighed. It had been a rather long day..and he was too tired to argue with the stubborn fire demon - although looking at Hiei's pale face, he realized that the demon had to be feeling at least as frazzeled as he was.

"Okay. Let's forget the lenses. Just..if people ask you why your eyes are red, tell them you have red contacts in them."

Hiei visibly relaxed as Kurama put the lenses away.

"Now, Hiei. Repeat after me. 'I have red contact lenses in my eyes.'"

"I have red contact lenses in my eyes." Hiei grumbled.

Grateful that Hiei was at least being partially cooperative, Kurama smiled at him, tensing a little he remembered what lay ahead of him. He sighed again tiredly. Better to get it over with.

"Let's go introduce you to my family."

"Hn."





Shiori opened the door to find her son standing on the steps with a little boy. Since Shuuichi hardly ever brought friends home, she was surprised. But she quickly masked her surprise with a warm smile.

"Kaasan. This is my friend Hiei." Suuichi explained. "His parents are away for a few months on a business trip. And I was wondering if he could stay here since all his relatives live outside the city and he has to go to school here,"

She nodded, smiling at her son. Shuuichi was such a good boy, always willing to help his friends.

"It's nice to meet you, Hiei-kun," she said, extending her hand.

"Hn."

He seemed much younger than her son, she thought as she ushered him into the house.

"How old are you, Hiei-kun?" she asked when they were all seated around the coffee table. Shuuichi had prepared some cocoa for his friend and coffee for her and himself.

Hiei blinked. "Hn. Why would you want to know?"

Kurama groaned, knowing that Hiei wasn't being intentionally rude. He really didn't know why Kurama's mother would want to know..

Shiori blushed at the sharp reply, but she smiled indulgently at Hiei anyway. "I just thought that you look younger than Shuu-chan. Maybe more around the age of my step son? Perhaps you'll make a new friend in this house during your stay?" she offered.

"Friend?" Hiei repeated, as if the idea was foreign to him.