The decorations and the laughter of Sayako and Sasuke revived the room,making it a perfect place to celebrate a birthday. Sayako was a day younger than Sasuke,but the little girl insisted on celebrating with her cousin.
We gathered around the presents in the living room,singing happy birthday while those keen eyes were looking at us with love. A few moments after we finished singing,Genkai entered the room with a big birthday cake she'd made for this occasion. I know,noone expected Genkai to be a good cook,but she was actually a pretty good cook when she'd decide to actually cook something.
The children were blowing out the candles while Yusuke was jumping around and taking pictures...a hillarious sight I must say.
„Daddy,look what I got from aunt Tayuka and uncle Kurama!"
„What a lovely outfit you've got there,Sayako!" Yusuke took her in his arms and sat her on his lap.
„What about you,Sasuke? Do you like the present?" Keiko asked,smiling.
„It's great! Thank you aunt Keiko!" Sasuke was smiling happily while admiring his brand new robot.
„Now,how about a walk along the beach?" Yusuke proposed.
„Yeah,let's go!" Sayako and Sasuke yelled at the same time.
I was waiting for Kurama to get changed while changing Sasuke into denim shorts,since the evening was hot and sultry.
Genkai opened the big sliding door leading to the main veranda,as if she was reading my mind. Turning my head back to Sasuke,I noticed he was holding the scarf Hiei gave him. The sparkle in his beautiful eyes was gone and they filled with tears instead. I pulled him into my embrace,but said nothing.
„Mum,uncle Hiei didn't come to my birthday party..." he spoke in disappointment while gripping my shirts with his tiny hands as if he was trying to find consolation in me.
„Sweetheart,I am sure he wanted to come but something important came up in the last minute." I said while running my hand through his red hair.
Damn you,Hiei! I'll never forgive you for this one!-I wished he could read my mind in that moment,wherever he was.
I looked through the door,my eyes focusing onto the orange summer sky. There was indeed something calming about this place. The fresh air and the sound of the waves hitting against rocks...they could calm even the most tormented soul,and I hoped it would work for my son too.
Suddenly,something dark fell of a the big oak tree in the garden. Sasuke pressed against my chest,shaking with fear.
That shrimp,I knew he'd come...-I smiled when realising there was only one person who could fall off an oak tree and still look as badass as always.
Hiei suddenly emerged from the bushes beneath the tree and walked towards us. Sasuke called out to him and jumped into his embrace,Hiei making the usual indifferent face as he welcomed him in his arms.
„I knew you'd come!" Sasuke was smiling happily.
„Don't make yourself weird ideas,kid. I came because I was forced to,by your mother." He frowned.
„Sure,I just don't remember when was it that I forced you onto coming?" I laughed.
I noticed Hiei blushing,and realised this was the first time I had seen him being embarrassed.
„What's important is that you came." Sasuke hugged him.
„Hiei,what a lovely surprise." Kurama spoke as he stepped out on the veranda.
Completly ignoring the sarcastic answer Hiei was about to shout out,I couldn't take my eyes off Kurama. His face was hit with the weak light of the remaining sun rays,his sparkling eyes half closed because of it. He was wearing a green shirt that was half unbuttoned,showing his silky skin in a way that made me wonder whether he was trying to kill me or just following the fashion. The tight blue jeans he wore were revealing the perfect shape of his muscular legs,reminding me why I advised him to buy them.
In the end,Sasuke managed to persuade,or should I say blackmail,Hiei to come for a walk on the shore with us.
The sun was slowly sinking beneath the horizon and a pleasent breeze started blowing form the sea,cooling the air a bit. The sea was unusually calm that evening,without any traces of waves or bad weather coming. I wrapped my arms around Kurama's,enjoying the warmth of his body as I watched Sayako and Sasuke running ahead of us.
„Daddy,my legs hurt..." Sayako's pleading eyes were focused onto Yusuke as she wrapped her arms around his leg.
„All right sweetie,everyone knows daddy rocks at piggy riding!" Yusuke grinned and lifted Sayako on his back.
„Sure,that's why you let me fall last time..." Keiko whispered,happy Yusuke didn't hear it.
Sasuke walked by their side for a while,before he suddenly turned around and started running towards us.
„Uncle Hiei,could you give me a piggyback? ride" He asked while tugging on his pants.
„Do I seem like I could?" He frowned angrily.
„Come here Sasuke,I can." Kurama smiled before Sasuke jumped on his back.
Damn Hiei,he just has to act like a jerk the whole time!-I thought to myself while frowning to Hiei.
Kurama and Yusuke were racing to the beach,with Sayako and Sasuke cheering. I was happy to see Yusuke had tripped on a rock and that Kurama won,even though I knew it wasn't the right thing to do...he was my brother,after all. But Kurama was still...my boyfriend.
Yusuke and Keko got married two years ago,and Kurama and I still hadn't talked about it. To me marriage seemed as a natural thing once you have a child,and I was starting to think Kurama wasn't really thinking the same as I was.
The Sun had now completely sinked beneath the horizon,the sky being covered with the sparkling night blanket. The light breeze stopped blowing,bringing back the sultry air. We were sitting on the sandy beach and listening to the waves,letting the sound bring the feeling of calmness into our hearts and bodies.
Sayako and Sasuke were half asleep,curled up against each other on the warm sand. I watched as they slept,unaware of our talking around them. I suddenly remembered how Yusuke,Keiko and I used to go on picnics with our mothers when we were little. They'd take us on a picnic in the hills for a whole day. We'd go with the train at five am and come back at nine pm with the evning train.
We used to sleep like that too...-my thoughts flew back to the childhood as I watched them with a smile.
I leaned my head against Kurama's shoulder,closing my eyes and letting my heart enjoy in those memories. In the meanwhile,Yusuke and Keiko were being really suspicious with whispering something. But Kurama and I were concentrated on each other so much we didn't even notice Yusuke's „evil laugh" a few meters form us.
„Tayuka,I am starting to feel sleepy too. Why don't you let me go back at the house with the children?" Keiko proposed before faking a yawn.
„Yeah,I'll go with Keiko. You guys stay here and have fun!" Yusuke grinned.
„Sure,thank you guys. Keiko,don't forget to put another blanket over Sasuke!"
„Don't worry,don't worry...you guys just have fun." Keiko waved to us before heading to the house with Yusuke.
I looked at Kurama,his beautiful eyes returning the look.
„You know this was Yusuke's idea,right?" I was trying to surpress a laugh.
„Yes,I heard him before."
Right,sometimes I' d just forget foxes have a good gently pushed me on the sand and lay on top of me,looking straight into my eyes.
„And I must admit he had a great idea of leaving us alone here."
I smiled,sharing his opinion.
We stayed like that for a moment,looking at each other's eyes as if we were trying to read each other's mind and find out what the other was thinking about in that moment.
I realised he was gorgeous under the moonlight,his hair shining under it as it was faling down onto me like a waterfall of blood. I watched as his expression changed,as if he was in pain. I knew I've seen that happen before,but I didn't want to even think of breathing sped up,the green in his eyes turning golden. I watched as his beautiful red hair changed into silver,almost glowing under the moonlight.
„K-Kurama...?"
He was looking at me in surprisement and anxiety,before his lips curled into a perfect smile. He pressed a kiss on my forehead,his big arms holding me close to him.
„Tayuka...do you know what this means?" he asked,smiling.
I was trying to understand the meaning of him turning into his demon form all of a sudden,but all the rational answers had just vanished from my mind.
„We're going to have another baby!"
I looked into his eyes,surprised. The thought of having another baby with Kurama was making my heart pound like crazy.
„A-another baby?"
Kurama nodded.