Kiyaku: Closed Windows
Warning: Yaoi through and through. Don't like it? Don't read it!
Disclaimer: Do I have to say? Geez!
Chapter 14: An Accepted Welcome
Hiei and Kurama slowly recovered from their injuries during the operations. Some of the bandages had been removed, the only ones that covered Hiei was the one around his arm, his torso and his forehead. Kurama had only suffered from bumps, scraps and a sprained wrist. Yukina brought in fresh flowers for them everyday and news of what's happening on campus. Keiko and Shizuru also visited. Keiko with homework for them and Shizuru with candy hidden in her jacket. Yusuke and Kuwabara visited to tell them about the fights the got into. Kurama usually pulled a textbook out at this time to read while Hiei paid accurate attention.
"That was good," said Hiei after Yusuke retold the latest fight. "Wish I could have been there."
"Not with a broken wrist and a stitched forehead," said Yukina sternly. "You're staying out of fighting until you've recovered."
"I know, Yukina, I know."
"Might want to try ducking next time, through, Kuwabara," said Kurama, indicated the bruise on his temple.
"That's not from the fight," said Kuwabara nervously. "That's from, uh, the, uh, doorknob."
Hiei raised an eyebrow. "The doorknob bruised you on your head?"
"Yeah," said Kuwabara defensively and everyone laughed.
It wasn't for another week that they were allowed to leave the hospital and go home. At which point Kurama was getting bored from reading the same passages in his textbooks and Hiei was about to go off the walls. Both were more then happy to get back home. Yukina had informed them that they had gotten them new furniture and bedding from second hand stores. Shiori had taken some clothes out of storage and gave it to them and even make them food to reheat so that Kurama didn't have to cook.
When they arrived in their apartment they found food on the table of various sorts, all wrapped in plastic wrap or in Tupperware. Most had bows on them or get well cards.
"Where did those come from," asked Kurama.
"The neighbors," said Keiko. "They were waiting for us when we were placing the new furniture in the apartment. They even helped with the couch."
"It seems some people accepted us," said Hiei. "But for how long?"
"We'll just wait and see," said Kurama.
They had a welcome back party that night for Hiei and Kurama, using some of the food the neighbors gave them. They stayed up late and reminisced on the times they were kids.
"Oh, did you hear," asked Shizuru over a glass of beer.
"Hear what," asked Kurama.
"They found the people who assaulted you," said Yusuke.
"They did," asked Hiei. His head had been lying on Kurama's lap to rest it from a dizzy spell. When he heard what happened he shot up and wished he hadn't. The dizzy spell had returned five times worse. He laid it back down with a grown.
"Easy, Hiei," said Kurama massaging his lover's head. Yukina went to the kitchen.
"Yeah, said Keiko."They caught them the day after who were placed in the hospital."
"Got drunk and bragged about the "perverted disgusting gays" they beat up," said Yusuke. "Bartender called the cops and arrested them. Apparently they were drunk when they assaulted you."
"They had to be guys from the campus," said Kurama.
"They were," said Yukina, reappearing with an icepack. "Right now they're looking at three to five in jail."
"They deserve life," said Hiei, placing the pack on his head. He felt immediately better.
They stayed up a little longer and curled up around the living room to sleep. The next day they walked to school together, Kuwabara and Yusuke in front of them like bodyguards. When they walked on campus everyone looked at them, nothing usual and they went to their lockers. Yusuke opened Kurama's locker and surprisingly nothing fell out.
"Going soft," said Hiei.
"Or they ran out of stuff," said Yusuke and brought out Kurama's books. Kuwabara opened Hiei's locker to find nothing in there as well. Taking the books they needed they headed toward their classes.
Reaching Kurama's classroom he walked in. Conversation stopped when he walked in. Kurama ignored it and headed toward his seat. He refused to meet anyone's eyes and kept his head high. Sitting in his seat he got out his books and opened it to the appropriate chapter.
SMACK
Kurama's head jerked up to see Carl Walker, the American exchange student, standing over him with an eraser clutched tightly in his hand and he glared at the student who threw it.
"Where I come from," he said. "We don't attack when their back are turned."
He threw the eraser at the student, which hit the student square in the head, and turned to face Kurama with a smile.
"Don't worry," he said, giving Kurama a thumb up. "I've got your back."
He sat down next to Kurama.
"Thanks, Carl," he said and the American smiled.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hiei was taking a test that Kurama had him study all week for when he dropped his pencil while reaching for an eraser. It rolled under the desk of the student in front of him.
"Excuse me," he said. "Can you get me my pencil? It's under your desk."
"Sure," said the student, and kicked it further away. Hiei groaned and reached into his pocket to find another pencil, and groaned again when he didn't.
"I believe you dropped this."
Hiei looked up to find a classmate standing over him with his pencil. She smiled shyly at him.
"Thanks," he said taking it back.
"No problem," she said and returned to her seat.
Later Hiei met with his friends in the cafeteria. Kurama was still in a class farther up the campus and wouldn't join them for another few minutes. Kuwabara had gone to Kurama's class to escort the redhead softly to the cafeteria. He came upon his friends while they were talking in low voice.
"…to help them," said Yusuke.
"We're having a soup and salad at my church," said Keiko. "The pastor agreed to it yesterday."
"And you mother gave me a raise," said Yukina. "More then enough to pay for my ordinary bills."
"You got a raise, Yukina," as Hiei setting his tray down. "Why didn't you tell me?" All three looked up at Hiei in surprise to see him standing over him. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," said his friends. Hiei raised an eyebrow.
"Guys….."
"You'll find out soon enough, oniisan," said Yukina with a smile.
"Find out what," asked Kurama walking up with Kuwabara and setting his tray down next to Hiei.
"A surprise apparently," said Hiei. Kurama looked suspiciously at his friends.
"What surprise," he asked.
"If we told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise," said Keiko with a smile.
TBC