Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, nor am I making any money off fanwork.
Occasionally, after a particularly rough battle, Hiei took shelter in Kurama's house to make use of his first aid kit and his medicines. It was an act of trust that Kurama never commented on, but he always left the window open for Hiei, even when he was not home.
It was on one such day that Shiori went up to Shuuichi's room to put away some laundry. She usually left her son's room alone because she knew how he liked his privacy, but she figured there was no harm in it since he was not home.
With the white laundry basket between her hands, she used her hip to nudge the door open. Despite Shuuichi's absence, she heard noises from his room and thought that you might have come home from school early.
"Shuuichi?"
Kurama walked through the door just in time to hear his Mother scream. Fear struck him like a weight and he instantly imagined the worst. Dropping his school bag, he rushed up the stairs in direction of the scream and stopped short when he saw both Hiei and his mother standing in his bedroom.
Hiei was grimacing and drawing back, and Shiori clutched her chest. The laundry was spilled across the carpet and the basket laid on its side. Kurama could smell blood, but saw no wound on Shiori and guessed that Hiei had been in another brawl. He was concealing his wound, though, as well as his sword.
"Oh, Shuuichi," Shiori panted, still holding a hand to her heart. "Why didn't you tell me you had a friend over? He scared me half to death."
"Oh…well, I'm sorry. I forgot, Mother," Kurama lied, watching Hiei out of the corner of his eye. He knelt down to right the laundry basket, and pick up his shirts and a pair of his boxers that had fallen out.
"Are you going to introduce me?" She asked, calming her breathing and trying to take the laundry basket out of Kurama's hands. He dodged her neatly, smiling a little.
"No need to bother yourself with this. I'll put it away," He said lightly. "Mother, this is Hiei."
Hiei snorted and nodded a greeting. "It's nice to meet you," He grumbled reluctantly.
"And it's very nice to meet you!" Shiori returned warmly despite Hiei's unfriendliness. "Thank you for being friends with Shuuichi."
Hiei shifted from one foot to another awkwardly, and Kurama noticed his hand tucked against his side where his black cloak was turning dark brown with blood. He had to get Shiori out of here and let Hiei tend to himself.
"Mother?" Kurama spoke up, setting his laundry basket on his bed and leaning over it to close his window. "Can we speak in the hall?"
"Oh, yes." She smiled, and with one last "nice to meet you", she walked out into the hall. Kurama followed her out and closed the door behind him. He could already hear Hiei shedding his cloak and rummaging around under his bed- perhaps where he hid the bandages?
"I'm sorry he scared you," Kurama began to babble, trying desperately to think of what to say to occupy her. "I simply forgot he was here…and…I…mother, why are you crying?"
Shiori held a hand to her mouth and her eyes had started to water, causing Kurama to feel a spike of panic. Something had upset her. Had he upset her? Had Hiei upset her? What could he do to make it better?
"They're happy tears," She choked out, and further surprised him by wrapping her arms around him in a warm hug.
Kurama felt concern replaced with bafflement and he patted his mother comfortingly on the back. Her tears were sinking into his uniform.
"H-happy tears?" He stuttered as Shiori sniffed. She drew back from him wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands and nodding her head.
"I…" Her voice choked with sobs and she swallowed deeply. "I was just so worried about you. You never brought home any friends and boys your age are usually so social and I was so worried that you were lonely. And-" She sobbed again and balled her fists in her apron.
"No!" Kurama blurted out, feeling, before anything else, a need to comfort her. "I'm not lonely. I have lots of friends. There's Yusuke, and Kuwabara, and Hiei, and Botan, and Keiko, and Shizuru, and Genkai."
"Really?" Shiori sniffed.
"Yes, don't worry about me."
"Why don't you have them over more often? Are you embarrassed?"
"No!" Kurama denied instinctively and then paused to think up a believable lie. "I just didn't want to bother you. You're always so busy that I didn't want to make any disturbances here."
"Oh, sweetheart," Shiori reached up to cup his face, and Kurama stopped himself from drawing away. Nearly two decades old, but he was still uncomfortable with such intimate touch. "You wouldn't bother me. I want to meet your friends. Why don't you invite them all over for dinner tonight?"
Kurama felt dread settle in his stomach. He could only imagine Hiei's table manners, and Yusuke and Kuwabara getting into another fist fight, and Genkai's harsh language, and Shizuru smoking outside, and all the unsightly things that the company he kept tended to do. It would horrify Shiori and she would try to pretend that it didn't, and before he knew it she would be suggesting new clubs and communities to him like she used to when he refused to make friends in primary school. But…she looked so hopeful; he couldn't find it in himself to tell her no.
"I'll ask," He conceded, and a light come into her expression. "But that doesn't meant they'll come. It's rather last minute," He warned her.
"Of course. I would understand," She promised, but Kurama would tell she would be disappointed if at least a couple of them didn't come.
They stood there for another moment while Shiori beamed at him and the tracks of tears dried on her face before he squirmed uncomfortably.
"Oh!" She gasped as she realized that she had been holding him. "I'll go start dinner, then. How many guests should I expect?"
"Seven, at the most."
"Okay, then. Get back to your friend."
Kurama watched her walk down the stairs, and then, sighing, opened the door to his room.
"No, fox," Hiei announced, loud and clear.
He was sitting cross-legged on Kurama's bed, bandages wrapped tighly around his abdomen and his stained cloak on the floor. His katana was leaning against the wall within arm's length. A plan started to form in Kurama's mind and he smiled pleadingly as he walked towards Hiei. He scooped up the cloak as he sat on the bed. Hiei eyed him warily.
"Please, Hiei?" Kurama smiled. "The food is very good, I promise. It's part of what kept me here, and how long has it been since you've had a warm meal?"
Hiei snorted, unconvinced.
"I'll have to invite Yusuke and Kuwabara, as well. Don't you want to stay to see that?"
"I can see the detective and the fool anytime," Hiei retorted, and Kurama sighed. He picked up the laundry basket and walked over towards his closet, near the door, to put clothes away. He hung up a few shirts without speaking to Hiei. When Hiei's attention drifted, Kurama darted out the door, Hiei's cloak still in hand. This was not missed by the smaller demon and his voice called after Kurama.
"Fox!"
But Kurama was already half-way down the stairs, where he knew that Hiei would not follow him. "You'll have to stay till it's laundered!" He called back. Of course, Kurama would see to it that the blood stain proved especially difficult to get out.
Once he had filled up the laundry room sink and left Hiei's cloak to soak, he walked over to the hall phone and nervously twined the cord between his fingers before punching in Yusuke's number.
"Hello?" A sleepy voice yawned from the other side.
"Yusuke? Are you just waking up?" Kurama asked, a little more surprised than he should have been.
"Uh? What time is it?" Yusuke grumbled and there was noise of shuffling on the other side. "Damn." He said when he found whatever he was looking for, likely a clock. "I didn't mean to sleep that long, but-hell- I feel great."
Kurama chuckled. "I suppose that means you didn't go to school either?" He guessed.
"Come on, 'Rama. You didn't call to nag me about school. What's up?"
Kurama cleared his throat, tucking a hand in the pocket if his uniform. "I was wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner tonight? My mother is eager to meet my friends."
"Yeah. Sounds fun. It's been a while since I've had a good meal. Ma's been gone all week. When?"
Kurama placed a hand over the speaker as he leaned to call down the hall "Mother? When will dinner be ready?"
"Seven," Shiori called back.
"Does seven work for you, Yusuke?" Kurama turned back to the phone.
"It's not like I'm doing anything," Yusuke returned, voice still slow with sleep.
"Oh, and Yusuke?"
"Yeah?"
"Could you bring Keiko with you?"
"Kieko, too? I don't know man, I think she has a test tomorrow that she's been studying for, but I'll give it a shot. Is that it?"
"Well, no. If you could get in touch with Genkai…"
"Genkai? Man, you're going to fucking owe me."
"I appreciate it, Yusuke."
"Yeah, yeah." There was a click and Yusuke's end of the line went dead. Kurama put the phone back on the receiver before dialing the Kuwabara siblings, who were both willing to come. As he was wondering how in the world he would get in touch with Botan, the phone rang.
"Hey," Yusuke said. "I just wanted to let you know Kieko's coming because she wants to meet your Mom. Also, she's bringing some something-or-other that her Dad makes. She said to thank you. No word on Gramma."
"Okay. Thank you, Yusuke, and please tell Kieko that's not necessary."
"She's got it in her head. No stopping her now," Yusuke sighed. "Later, fox-boy."
"Goodbye, Yusuke."
Hanging up the phone, Kurama pondered over the dilemma of Botan as he walked back up the stairs. Hiei was up there, likely still enraged, and someone was going to have to deal with that.
As he predicted, Hiei was still sitting on the bed, polishing his sword now, and glaring daggers into Kurama.
"Come now, Hiei. I've done you a favor. You weren't going to leave with you cloak covered in blood were you? The smell would attract demons for miles."
Hiei only huffed because he had intended on washing his cloak before he left, but he was no more pleased at being held captive this way.
"You invited them all," He stated in irritation, scrubbing the blood and grime off his katana with one of Kurama's white shirts, his vengeance for the kidnapping of his cloak.
Kurama noticed this, but chose to stay silent about it. They did not speak for the next hour or so as Kurama started on his homework.
"Surely, my cloak is done washing by now," he demanded and Kurama shook his head.
"No, I don't think it is Hiei. But you may go check if you'd like. I'm sure my mother would be willing to help you."
Agitated, Hiei snarled. "I should cut your head off," he threatened. Kurama paid him no mind and continued to work his way through the processes of his math homework.
As seven came closer, Botan appeared on her oar at Kurama's window, with baby Koenma tucked in her arms.
Taken aback, Kurama opened the window and Hiei moved across the room as the two crawled in.
"Kurama!" Botan chimed. "I heard about your dinner and I wanted to let you know I'd be just delighted to come!" She set Koenma down on the bed and waved Kurama closer to whisper in his ear "Koenma invited himself. He was very insulted that you did not invite him."
Kurama stopped himself from groaning. The arrogant toddler and his insecure ego!
Across the room, Hiei smirked.
Keeping in mind to be gracious, no matter his irritation, Kurama turned to Koenma. The baby had assumed his toddler form and was pulling his hat off his head. Kurama noted that something would have to be done about the Jr on his forehead, and Botan's hair as well.
"Kurama," Koenma greeted coolly. "I see that you did not consider me important enough to invite to your party."
Kurama bit the inside of his cheek.
"Not at all," Kurama attempted to placate him. "I simply figured that you were too busy to attend. I am glad you're here," he lied.
"That's true, Koenma sir!" Botan piped up. "Since that earthquake you've had a lot of papers to process!"
"Quiet, Botan!" Koenma snapped. "I am taking a break."
Kurama forced the smile to stay on his face. While he did not particularly dislike Koenma, he found the young leader of spirit world tiring and too demanding. Additionally, he was not prepared for an extra person and feared that Koenma would only add more excitement to the already rowdy crowd.
"I would like to remind you all that I am Shuuichi here. Will you remember that?" Kurama spoke over Botan's giggling.
"Ah! Oh yes, of course." Botan fluttered, clutching his hands in promise. Koenma nodded behind her.
"Hiei?" Kurama pushed, entering a staring match with the surly demon. Hiei yielded and rolled his eyes, which Kurama took as an affirmative.
"Now," Kurama continued. "Lord Koenma, if you would allow me to cast an illusion over you to cover the Jr. on your forehead..."
"What? What's your wrong my forehead?" The young lord demanded defensively.
"Nothing sir. It's just that my mother will assume it's a tattoo, and perhaps even that you're part of a gang. And I'd rather not have her think I'm associated with a gang, or she will start to question me more when I have to leave suddenly," Kurama explained, keeping his polite smile in place.
"Oh, yes, of course," Koenma agreed, pompous like a prince.
Kurama set to work on weaving an illusion around Koenma, on top of the one he was already wearing. When Koenma started to look nervous at the feel of Kurama's youki, Kurama tried to reassure him.
"Do not worry, Lord Koenma. Kitsune are adept at illusions. You have nothing to fear."
As Kurama was finishing the illusion, the doorbell rang and Shiori called out "I've got it!"
"I'll get it, Mother!" Kurama cried out in a rush, and hastily gave Botan a hand gesture that meant 'stay'. However, she took it to mean 'follow' and trailed him as he rushed down to the door. Bored, Koenma followed as well and Hiei drifted behind them at the top of the stairs.
Kurama beat Shiori to the door, and opened it for the Kuwabara siblings. They took their shoes off on the doorstep and stepped inside. Kuwabara was holding some kind of gift.
"Hello," Kurama greeted, aware that Shiori was watching from the door of the kitchen. "Thank you for coming." He desperately wished to tell that what he had already said to the others: I'm Shuuichi here.
Botan seemed to sense this, and leaned over his shoulder to say "Yes! Shuuichi sure has a nice home, doesn't he?"
Kuwabara, who had opened his mouth to speak and hand the gift to Kurama shut his mouth again with a click of teeth.
"Uh, yeah. Thanks Shuuichi," Kuwabara tripped over the name as he said it, making Kurama twitch. "We brought cake." He held the box out for Kurama to take.
"That wasn't necessary," Shiori insisted, walking from the kitchen doorway into the foyer to take the box from Shuuichi's hands and thank his friends. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Shuuichi's Mother. It's so nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Shizuru smiled, bowing. "I'm Shizuru Kuwabara. I'm Kazuma's older sister."
"Oh? And how do you two know Shuuichi?" Shiori continued on.
"Charity!" Kurama blurted out, seeing the panicked look cross Kuwabara's face. "We all worked on that charity together. Remember, the one I told you about?"
"Oh, yes." Shiori began to nod, recalling something about a charity that Shuuichi was involved in that helped construct homes for the poor. "It's great work you do," She assured the Kuwabaras. They nodded along, holding their tongues and pretending to know what she was talking about.
"And you are?" Shiori turned to Botan and Koenma, who were still standing behind Kurama.
Kurama took a moment to be relieved that Botan had the forethought to wear the school uniform she stole rather than her pink kimono.
"I'm Botan, and this is Koenma. We also know Shuuichi from…erm…charity," Botan grinned, giggling nervously.
Shiori nodded, but her eyes were drawn upwards.
"Your hair is very unique," She said calmly, displaying the same polite tact that Kurama often used.
It occurred to Kuwabara that Shiori might have been the one who taught it to him.
"I- I-I," Botan stuttered, one hand clenched at her side. "I have a condition! Yes! I have a condition. You've heard of blue hair? It's not just for old people, you see!" And then she started to laugh, loudly and nervously, the way she always laughed when she lied. She patted her hair awkwardly before stepping behind Koenma to hide.
"And Koenma?" Shiori repeated for confirmation. "What an interesting name. Your parents must be interested in traditional lore."
Koenma cleared his throat. "Yes, yes," He agreed. "My father is, yes, very interested. Absorbed, really."
"You could say he lives for it!" Botan added cheerily from over his shoulder, pleased with her little joke.
If he had any less self control, Kurama would have succumbed to nervous twitches.
"Hey! Look who's walking up!" Kuwabara shouted to change the focus of the conversation, and pointed at Kieko and Yusuke walking up to the house. Kuwabara stepped out of the doorway and Shizuru stepped to the side to make space for the pair.
Kurama opened the door in anticipation and waved at the two as they walked up.
"Hey!" Yusuke hollered, waving excitedly when he saw the open door.
"You're late!" Kuwabara shouted back. "Shuuichi has been waiting!"
Yusuke paused, blinking before the realization dawned on him. Keiko stood by his side, looking baffled. Yusuke leaned over to whisper in her ear, and then she nodded slowly.
"I'm sorry we're late. It's my fault," Keiko apologized as she slipped off her shoes and stepped in the door. "I had just a little bit of studying I had left to do for my exam. I hope you didn't wait too long." Keiko bowed gracefully, carefully holding the tubberware she brought with her. She held it out to Shiori. "I hope you don't mind. I brought some yakizana that my father makes. It's very good."
"You're so sweet," Shiori smiled and accepted the gift. "This will go well with what I made. And you are…?"
"I am Keiko Yukimura and this is Yusuke Urameshi," Keiko gestured to Yusuke behind her. "It's nice to meet you."
"Yusuke? I feel like I've met you before," Shiori wondered aloud,
"Yes, in the hospital, mother. He came with me to visit you once," Kurama reminded her, and Yusuke nodded.
"It's nice to see you doing better, ma'am," Yusuke said, and Kurama was touched that Yusuke would be so respectful with his mother.
Actually, he was touched by all of them. They all knew how important this was to him, how important she was to him, and they were all putting on their best behavior. Even Hiei, because if he had really wanted to leave, he easily could have.
"Is everyone here?" Shiori asked and Kurama nodded. "I'll serve dinner, then. Shuuichi, show them to the dining room." She directed and Kurama smiled to show agreement.
"Let me help you with the plates," Shizuru insisted, following Shiori into the kitchen. There was a polite protest between the two of them before Shiori yielded.
"Me too!" Keiko volunteered, and she made to follow them both. As she passed by the stairs, she noticed Hiei near the top and halted. Her head cocked to the side and her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Do I know you from somewhere?" She asked him, and both Hiei and Yusuke jerked.
"No," Hiei replied, expertly concealing the slight unease he felt.
"I feel like you're familiar," Keiko insisted. Her brows knit together with the effort of recalling a blurred memory. "I was walking home from school-"
"Keiko!" Yusuke interrupted, throwing an arm around her shoulder and steering her to the kitchen. "You were gonna help out, remember?"
"Oh, yes!" And then, Keiko disappeared through the doorway and said no more. Yusuke sighed in relief and Kurama couldn't stop himself from a little chuckle of amusement.
"What's so funny fox-boy?" Yusuke growled. Hiei was no more amused.
"That could have been very bad," Botan worried. "I thought Keiko didn't remember!"
"Didn't remember what?" Kuwabara asked, and Botan nudged him in the side.
"Not so loud!" She hissed. "Do you want them to hear us?"
"Didn't remember what?" Kuwabara asked again, softer this time.
"Nothing, nothing," Kurama dismissed lightly. "Just a little trouble with the Shadow sword is all. Shall we sit?"
"You guys never tell me anything," Kuwabara grumbled as Kurama lead them to the dining room. Botan and Koenma took their seats as Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama dragged more chairs up to the table in order to seat nine people. The girls carried in the food and placed utensils and plates on the table.
"By the way," Yusuke leaned over to speak to Kurama quietly. "The old lady said she wasn't dragging her saggy ass down the mountain for a dinner."
Kurama laughed politely. "It makes sense. It is a very far way for her," He dismissed.
Hiei snuck in at some point while the others were busy and seated himself at the far end of the table.
"I forgot to make tea!" Shiori realized as she set down glasses. "Hold on, I'll go heat some water."
"No, mother, sit. I'll do it," Kurama protested, stepping in front of her to block her way.
"I don't want to intrude on you. I know no teenager wants their mother hanging around when they're with their friends."
"No!" Shizuru disagreed. "Please join us."
"Yes. It would be a shame for you to make this food and not eat it," Koenma added.
In truth, they all wanted to see her- the woman who tamed Kurama. She was the one who had made a heartless demon renounce his ways and accept life as a human boy, and they were as interested in meeting her as she was in them.
Kuwabara pulled out her seat for her to sit down, and Kurama felt secure enough to momentarily leave the room and brew a pot of green tea. While the pot heated, he stepped into the laundry room to scrub the remaining blood out of Hiei's cloak, drain and clean the sink, and then hang the cloak up to dry.
When the kettle whistled, he carried it back into the dining room and was pleased to find that the group seemed to be getting along very well.
"Do you and Botan go to the same school?" His mother asked Kieko, having noticed that she and Botan were wearing the same uniform. Keiko drew back just slightly before Botan spoke over her.
"Yes! Yes! We're in different classes, though!" She lied, and Kurama breathed a sigh of relief as she poured the tea and took a place next to his mother.
Despite his fears, the dinner passed unexcitingly. Everyone seemed to be putting on their best for Shiori. Kuwabara even resisted a fight with Yusuke when Kurama could tell that they would much rather have decked it out right there. Yusuke controlled his swearin as well, though he couldn't help a few slip-ups. At one point, Shizuru reached for a pack of cigarettes, and then stopped herself. She slipped them back into her purse and took a long drink of water.
Kurama felt his heart swell a little at their care and concern and ended up very much enjoying the dinner.
Hiei disappeared right after dessert, and Keiko and Shizuru dragged Yusuke and Kuwabara home early because of school the next day. Not wanting to be the awkward lingerers, Botan and Koenma dismissed themselves shortly after.
Kurama walked them out the front door but knew that they would likely walk around back where they couldn't be seen before Koenma returned to his baby form and Botan took off on her oar.
Shiori was beaming behind him as she carried dishes from the dining room back to the kitchen. He locked the door and went to wash the dishes with her. He stood next to her at the sink and dipped his hands into the soapy water to find the extra sponge.
"I know that they might seem a little peculiar," He said, "but they are good friends."
"All teenagers are peculiar. You're exploring yourselves; it's part of growing up," Shiori dismissed, shrugging her shoulders and toweling off a bowl. "That girl didn't have to lie to me about her hair, though. A condition? Really?" She laughed to herself and Kurama frowned nervously into the soap bubbles foaming up from their sink.
"I suppose she wanted you to like her," He offered, lathering up a tea cup.
"I'm glad you did this," Shiori confessed. "You have a good group of friends."
"I think so," Kurama shrugged.
Shiori wiped her hands off with a towel and turned his face towards her. "Thank you," She stated earnestly. "I know that you don't like these kinds of things, but I'm glad I got to meet your friends."
"It made you happy," He replied honestly.
"I'll finish this up. Go do your homework," She dismissed him, talking the tea cup from his hands and washing it under the faucet.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes. Go study."
Kurama used a dish rag to wipe the wet lather off his hands and brushed them off on his uniform pants. As he was walking out, he heard his mother speak again.
"You've come such a long way," she mused.
"Mother? Did you say something?" He asked, knowing full well what she'd said.
"No. Nothing."