Hello! And here's the next chapter! :D

Enjoy and review! :)


The Rose In Between

by four-eyed 0-0

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Kurama opened his eyes slowly and inhaled the sweet smell that had woken him. He scratched his nose and found it pressed against brown hair.

Brown hair.

He blinked a few more times before realizing that Anikka had managed to worm her way into his arms in her sleep and that Hiro was now right behind her when they had slept with him in between. He looked at Anikka's peaceful face and a warmth traveled down his spine. He wrapped his arms around her more tightly. He did not care what she would say once she woke up.

It had been so long since he had held her like this and he wanted to take advantage of it. You might say that he was being unfair, but well, he was just a man still in love with the woman who had given him a son. The woman to her parents he had sworn to marry. The woman he had always wanted to be with. What a great morning he was having.

He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. Tomorrow would be her birthday. And he had planned what he should do.

He was thinking about the plan when she stirred and he felt her head move. He opened his eye a crack and found her staring straight at his face, her eyebrows knitted. But then she looked away and inhaled deeply before taking his arm off her and getting up. She looked at him warily and then at Hiro. He grabbed this opportunity to play stirring and opened his eyes as well, as though he himself had just awoken. She looked at him and brushed her curls out of the way.

He raised his eyebrows. "Morning."

"How did he end up there?" she asked, irritated. She nodded at Hiro who was still sound asleep and crossed her arms along her chest.

"No idea," he said, as he too got up.

"You told him to move, didn't you?"

"Of course I did not."

She released a sigh and threw the blanket off her, so that Kurama had to blink twice at the sight of her legs. She had been wearing shorts, he realized. And a sleeveless top. What if other fathers saw her? What would they think? Would they ogle at her?

"Let's just drop it. It's nonsense. I have to cook breakfast." She tucked Hiro's blanket tighter around him and kissed his forehead before standing up and going out of the tent. He hurriedly got up himself and rubbed at his eyes before and checking her out. She was just starting to start the fire and no other men was in sight. Mostly were females who were also preparing breakfast. It was still dark.

He made his way to the water jug and gurgled before making his way toward her. She looked at him and the back at the boiling rice.

"You came to help me?"

"Yes."

Anikka nodded. "You better start frying the sausage and the eggs while we wait for the rice."

"We?" He smiled.

"Deaf?"

Kurama's smile widened. They would be waiting together. "No. Just asking."

She just shrugged and he had to admit that he was really starting to feel better. He took the washed frying pan and placed it on their coal stove and started up the fire.

Anikka made her way to the fallen log after placing the pot's lid back into its place. Just then another mother sat down next to her, smiling.

"Good morning," the woman greeted. Anikka greeted her back with a very rare smile. "You're lucky your husband's helping you." The face of the curly-haired brunette turned ashen. "Mine is still snoring as loudly as a tiger."

"No. You're mistaken. He isn't my husband." Anikka waved her hands frantically. Kurama turned back to the pan.

"What?"

"He isn't my husband."

"What is he to you then?"

"A friend of my son."

Kurama snuck a glance at them and saw Anikka's frown glanced by the firelight. He turned away when she happened to glance.

"A friend of your son?"

"Yes. A friend whom he considers his father."

"Don't you consider him you son's father?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you see him a father to your son?"

"I don't know."

"Well, just look at him. He is your son's father. They're so much like twins!"

"He isn't."

The woman tapped Anikka's shoulder and went away, saying, "Open your eyes, dear. Young love's truly wonderful."

Kurama heard Anikka's feet scratch the ground and soon she was checking the rice. He just kept quiet and so did she, except for the occasional requests of handing this and that. Once they were finished, Anikka went in back to tent to wake up Hiro and she came back outside with him three minutes later.

That morning they had lectures about family communication and responsible parenthood. In the afternoon, there was a game again. And now the fathers needed to rock climb while carrying their child on their backs. Hiro's and Anikka's eyes widened and the latter shook her head. Many other mothers started to protest.

"Mesdames, this is something vital for you to learn how to trust your husbands."

Everyone kept silent after that, guilty. Anikka looked at Kurama and he smiled at her.

"Mum, I'd like to do it." She narrowed her eyes at Hiro.

"You honestly don't feel scared?"

"No, Mum. Definitely and honestly not. Dad will be there to take care of me." He smiled at her then to Kurama. He smiled back.

"But, dear…" Anikka started, the stopped. She knew she could not do anything about it. "All right. But please be careful. I don't care about winning. Just take care of yourselves." She looked at Kurama. Hard.

He nodded, smiling.

At the game site, Anikka looked frantic. Although the fathers and children were stuck so snugly to one another, she kept buckling and unbuckling the ropes, as though doing so would increase their securing capability. At the sound of the gun, she screamed, "Take care of the child at your back, Kurama!"

It was no joke of a game. "Just cling to me, son. And don't look down."

"Yes, Dad." He pressed his head upon his shoulder and wrapped his arms around him tighter. For the years that he had been the thief and the detective he was, he was quite sure he had never been this nervous in his life. For goodness' sake, it was his son whom he carried on his back! And up there he could clearly hear Anikka yelling down below. Good thing was that the rock they were climbing was just ten meters high. Halfway through it, his muscles were surely used up , but not at all physically.

Then the real nightmare began. He heard the crack of the rope. And he looked up. No. It definitely was breaking.

"Kurama! The rope!"

It was Anikka. He was sure of that.

"Help! My son! Kurama!"

He was shaking. He could not concentrate.

"Dad…"

"Just please don't look down. Close your eyes, son. I'll save both of us."

"Okay, Dad."

"Are your eyes closed?"

"Yes."

"Do you trust me?" His breathing was caught up in his throat.

"I do."

"Thank you. And keep them that way."

Crack. There were screams down below.

He needed to do this. He reached for his now short hair and conjured a rose from out of nowhere. And right then and there, he lashed the whip out, making it cling to a protruding portion of the rock. He heaved the two of them up, so that the whip made a large arc, and they landed at the top of the boulder safe and sound.

There was silence and everyone was looking at the two of them.

"Dad, can I open my eyes now?"

He smiled at the absurdity of the situation. "Yes, son."

Hiro gasped. "Are we safe now?"

"Yes."

"Hiro! Kurama!"

The two of them turned to the mother running toward them, tears in her eyes. Hiro managed to unbuckle himself from Kurama and came tumbling down his side. Anikka fell to her knees, staring at the two of them, tears still streaming down her face. Then, much to his surprise, she wrapped her arms around him and their son. Kurama had to blink twice to confirm what had just happened. And then he heard her words. Clear despite her sobbing.

"Thank you for being safe. Don't ever do that again. Please. Don't ever scare me like that, Kuchi. Don't ever scare me like that. Not with Hiro. Please. Don't. Don't you do that, you two. It's not funny."

A tear flowed from his eye. He hugged her back, squeezing her and their son. "I promise, Kaka. Never again."


Awh...

That's all I can say.

And anyway, review responses can't be given now. Haha. I'm being a bit lazy now and besides, I've a LOT of things to do. Haha.

Till next chap!

~four-eyed 0-0