"Deck the halls with boughs of holly..." The jovial redhead began humming merrily as he hung Christmas decorations.
"...what are you doing, kitsune?" The redhead pulled a star out of his pocket and put it on top of his best friend's spiky black hair, then wrapped his friend's hair with garland. The little demon sweatdropped.
"Come on, Hiei, let's go get a tree."
"Can't you go out in the front yard without me babysitting you, Kurama?"
"You can't get a Christmas tree in the front yard, silly! Besides, it's our first Christmas together! Don't you want it to be special?"
"You're the special one." Hiei grumbled, taking the garland off his hair and tossing the star into the wastebasket. Kurama picked the star out of the trashcan, and set it on the mantle.
"Come on, Hiei, get into the Christmas spirit." The aquarium was wrapped in garland, and a Santa hat sat on top of it. The red beta and black guppy, both male, swam around happily among Christmas-themed aquarium decorations. The scrawny silver kitten watched the fish, her tail twitching.
"No way." Hiei said. "Baka kitsune. Baka ningen holiday." Hiei left.
"What's his problem, Yoko?" Kurama asked the silver kitten, who rubbed against his ankles, happily purring. "Come on, let's go Christmas shopping." Kurama tugged Yoko's hot pink harness on her, and clipped the leash on. Yoko ran around to the extent of her leash, mewing happily. Kurama put on his parka, picked Yoko up and put her under his parka. He put on his winter boots and went outside into the ankle-deep snow.
"Ok, now what do we have to do today, Yoko?" Kurama asked the kitten, who looked up at him with her yellow eyes. "Get a tree, go shopping for gifts, get food for the party, and then we get to come back home and decorate!" Kurama celebrated, his Youko half shining through. "I've got money, and there's rope in the car for the tree." He said. "I think we're ready, Yoko!" Yoko mewed. Kurama got into his blue car, taking Yoko out of his parka and setting her on the passenger seat. She put her front paws on the window and stood up, peering out the window. She swatted at a bird that swooped out of a tree.
"Yoko, you silly koneko." Kurama chuckled, starting the car. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw a pair of crimson eyes staring at him from the backseat.
"So, where are we going, kitsune?"
"I'm glad you decided to come shopping with me, Hiei."
"Hn. It is Christmas, baka kitsune." Hiei said.
"Glad you found the Christmas spirit so quickly." Kurama said with a smile, backing out of the parking spot. He turned the heater up just about as high as it would go. Yoko jumped into the backseat with Hiei, curling up on his lap and purring contentedly. Hiei ignored the kitten, choosing instead to pester Kurama.
"Where are we going, kitsune?" Hiei asked, poking Kurama in the back of the head.
"Tree, gifts, food, decorate." Kurama said, chanting it like a mantra under his breath.
"And how long until Christmas?" Another poke.
"A week."
"Then why do we have to do this all today?" Hiei poked Kurama yet again.
"Because tomorrow I'm going to go with Kaa-san to the Minamino Family Christmas, then the next day I'm going to go shopping again, then the day after that, we have to clean the house, shovel and salt the sidewalk, then we're going to Kuwabara's house for his and Shizuru's Christmas party, then the day after that is Yusuke, Keiko, and Atsuko's Christmas party, and we have to go over sometime that day and help clean up and decorate. Then the day after that, we're going with Genkai, Yukina, Kuwabara, Yusuke, Keiko, and maybe Botan to find a tree for Genkai's temple, and then we're going to help decorate the temple from top to bottom, and then stay for the party. The next day is Christmas Eve, so we're going to have to make sure everything is perfect! That means wrapping gifts, shoveling sidewalks, and various other last-minute tasks. Then the next day is Christmas Day, and we're going to call everyone to invite them to our party, because I want to keep it a surprise." Kurama said. Hiei blinked rapidly.
"Wait, 'we'? 'Our'?" Hiei asked incredulously. "Since when did I agree to any of this? And what is this about you going somewhere tomorrow?" Poke.
"You agreed the other day, remember? And about the Minamino Family Christmas, I'm really sorry, but I asked Kaa-san if you could come and she said no."
"Hn, like I really want to go. But what's this about going shopping alone?" Poke.
"I can't buy your gifts if you're with me, baka." Kurama laughed.
"Who said I wanted gifts, kitsune?" Poke.
"No one, but that's the spirit of Christmas! Giving!" They had reached a stoplight, and Kurama reached around and squeezed Hiei's knee gently, turning back to the wheel as the light turned green. Hiei was out of questions, and so started poking Kurama in the back of the head for no reason, other than just to try to annoy him. Kurama retaliated by turning the radio on to a station playing Christmas songs, and singing along. The song playing at that moment was 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing'.
"Kurama, who is 'Harold', and why does he have angels?" Hiei asked, poking Kurama yet again.
"Hiei, 'Herald' means to announce, so 'herald angels' are angels who announce." Kurama said. "By the way, I know that you're poking me, and I suggest you stop, or Santa will leave coal in your stocking."
"Santa? Who is Santa?" Poke.
"He's a jolly old man in red, who brings children gifts on Christmas Eve."
"I am not a child, Fox!" Malicious jab.
"I know you're not." Kurama said coyly. "Nor are you a virgin, but that's a different story." Hiei blushed, crimson eyes narrowed to slits. Kurama snickered.
"What's the matter, Koibito?" Kurama asked. Hiei continued glaring.
"I'm sorry, Hiei-kun." Kurama apologized, looking into the rearview mirror for a moment. "Do you forgive me, so we can make up?" Hiei could've sworn he saw a flash of amber in Kurama's green eyes.
"Hn, of course I forgive you." Hiei said. Yoko, still lying in Hiei's lap, stretched and began kneading Hiei's legs, her sharp little claws easily penetrating the black fabric of Hiei's pants.
"Yoko, behave." Kurama said. "So, Hiei, what are you planning on doing while I'm gone tomorrow?"
"Sit around, missing you like Hell." Hiei said sarcastically. "I'll probably sleep a little bit, and feed the damned cat, although I don't see why we can't just open the aquarium and let nature take its course."
"Now do you really think Shuu-kun and Hi-chan would fill Yoko's bottomless pit of a belly? Besides, I think Hi-chan is switching genders." Hiei made an interesting choking noise. "Just think, there might be little baby beppys!"
"Beppys? Kurama, what the hell are 'beppys'?"
"Beta plus Guppy equals Beppy."
"Kurama, you've finally lost it."
"No I haven't, Hiei, I'm just full to bursting with joy!"
"Are you pregnant?" Now it was Kurama's turn for an interesting choking noise. He blushed furiously.
"What gave you that idea?!"
"You said you were full to bursting."
"WITH JOY NOT WITH CHILD!"
"Hn." Was all Hiei said in reply. Jingle Bell Rock began playing on the radio.
"Are we going to do something tomorrow night, after I get home?" Kurama asked, looking into the rearview mirror again. Hiei saw another flash of amber.
"Maybe, maybe not. Depends on what I do during the day." Hiei said with a shrug. "If I decide to be nocturnal, then expect to do it until dawn. Otherwise, I just might be too tired." Hiei faked a yawn to emphasize his point.
"The next night?"
"I forgot, you've been chaste for about a month. You'll probably rape me in my sleep if we don't do it soon." Hiei smirked. Kurama blushed and pulled into the tree lot.
"Talk about good timing, we're here!" Kurama said, turning the car off. He got out of the car, and Hiei got out of the backseat. Yoko was about to come out, but Hiei shut the car door before she could. Yoko made a break for the front car door, but Kurama shut it.
"Sorry, Yoko, you have to stay here." Kurama said. Yoko scowled as darkly as she could with her cute little kitten face. She then unsheathed her claws and poised herself to claw the hell out of the driver's seat.
"Yoko..." Kurama warned. Yoko put her claws away and melted into a puddle of silver fur on the patch of sunlight covering the driver's seat.
"We'll be back soon, Yoko." Kurama said. A gold eye opened on the puddle, then closed. Kurama pulled a long reel of rope out of the trunk, and slung it over his shoulder.
"Come on, Hiei, let's go get the greatest Christmas tree ever." Kurama smiled. Hiei followed Kurama.
Hiei and Kurama had been searching for the perfect tree for an hour.
"Kurama, we've been here for an hour."
"I know, Hiei, but we haven't found the perfect tree."
"How about this one?" Hiei pointed to a tree that was only slightly taller than Kurama.
"Too tall." Kurama said.
"This one?" Hiei pointed to a tree that was a lot shorter than he was.
"Too short."
"This one?" A wild, poofy, shrub of a tree.
"Too bushy.
"This one?" A thin, scruffy, twig of a tree.
"I'm looking for something about as tall as you are, that's shaped like your hair." Hiei sweatdropped.
"How the hell are we going to find a tree that fits those exact proportions?" Hiei asked. Kurama looked from Hiei to the tree he was standing beside, then back to Hiei. It was almost exactly as tall as he was, and perfectly shaped for a Christmas tree. Kurama's face split into a wide grin.
"We just found our tree." Kurama grinned.
Kurama and Hiei had gotten their tree, and Kurama had tied it to the top of the car. The two got back into the car, and Yoko jumped back into the backseat with Hiei again. Kurama started the car and the three (counting Yoko) were off to their next destination: the mall.