Hiei could definitely tell by looking that he was pregnant now, even though he was only on his fourteenth week. Because his abdomen had been flat before, and because of his small stature, he found that he tended to look a little further on than he actually was. Looking at him in a fitted shirt, most people would probably wager that Hiei was about sixteen weeks along, maybe even seventeen.

It didn't make him insecure, though, like he thought it would. Instead, he felt proud that he was able to give the gift of life, especially to the child of the man he loved. It also let him flaunt his demon status, since male pregnancy was something only demons could do. So he began wearing his pregnant belly like a badge of honor. It wasn't big enough to slow him down yet, but he still got to sport a bump. He liked his thicker, shinier, softer hair, rounder face, and more blessed ass. The breasts had put him off a bit at first, but he knew why they were there (a way to feed the baby once it was born), and they also felt good when touched, so he didn't mind. He could carry this baby, give birth to it, and feed it, all by himself. That was one amazing body! It all just made him feel incredibly sexy and self-assured.

So that was why, when Sunday morning dawned sunny and cold, he had his big idea. (Since he had more energy now, he was getting up early in the morning again.)

"Kurama," said Hiei, admiring his shirtless self in the mirror, "you know how I look more like I'm pregnant now, and less like I need to lay off the snacks?"

"Yes." Kurama got out of bed and wrapped his arms around Hiei affectionately. "You're getting lovelier each day, and our baby is healthily growing."

Hiei smiled, then said, "Well, I think we should tell your mom about it."

"What?" Kurama looked surprised. "Hiei, she doesn't know. She thinks we're adopting. How will she ever believe that a male is pregnant?"

"Can't we just tell her we're demons?"

"Yeah, if you want her to put us in a mental hospital," said Kurama. "Most humans don't actually believe demons are real, and Reikai encourages these beliefs. You know that. Makai and Ningenkai aren't supposed to mix, so if a demon is living peacefully among humans, like you and I are, he's supposed to keep it secret."

"But I could prove it to her," Hiei insisted. "You could take on your Youko form, and I could use my Jagan eye to levitate a chair or something. As long as she keeps it a secret from everyone, it's okay, right?"

"I'm just not sure how she's going to react, Hiei," Kurama said. "It will certainly be a shock."

"She'll be fine," Hiei said confidently.

…

Kurama was not at all sure about this, but he wanted to respect Hiei's wishes. So later that day, they went to visit Shiori. Hiei wore a fitted maternity shirt, with a sports bra underneath.

"What a nice surprise," said Kurama's mom, giving them both hugs. She didn't say anything about Hiei's change in appearance, so Kurama figured she thought Hiei was just getting fat and that it would be rude to mention it. "What brings you two here today?"

"We actually had something important to discuss with you, Mom," said Kurama nervously. How to say it? He wanted to ease into it slowly, but—

"You're going to be a grandmother," Hiei said happily, as they walked into the kitchen to talk.

"Ah, so you were approved!" Shiori smiled. "That's wonderful. When's she due?"

"Um, Mom…" Kurama was sweating, and it was December. "We're not actually adopting."

"You mean, you're using a surrogate mother?"

"Er, no," said Kurama.

"Oh, goodness!" Shiori's pleased expression suddenly turned to one of alarm. "Don't tell me your stepbrother has gotten a girl pregnant! He's only sixteen!"

"Not as far as I know," Kurama reassured her. "Look, Hiei is the one who's pregnant."

"How…how is that possible?" Shiori was looking confused now.

"Because I'm sorry," Kurama told her, "but there's something about Hiei we've been keeping a secret for way too long."

Shiori gasped, then nodded. "Oh, I see."

"You—you do?" said Kurama. Hiei gave Kurama a smirk as if to say, See? I told you so!

"Yes, and don't worry, dear," said Shiori, bending down to give Hiei a hug. "If you feel like a man, you are one, no matter what your assigned biological sex may be."

"What? No!" Hiei pushed her away impatiently. "You humans try to explain everything away if you don't understand it! I'm not adopting, I'm not impregnating some woman we don't know, and I'm certainly not a biological female! I'm a demon."

"I-I know it's hard to believe, Mom, but demons are real, and Hiei is one," said Kurama, deciding he could tell her about Youko Kurama when they got the Hiei thing across. "And even though human males can't get pregnant, demon males can. I don't blame you if you don't believe us, so that's why we decided to give you some proof."

"Watch." Hiei lifted up his headband to reveal his third eye, to which Shiori let out a loud gasp. It was safe for Hiei to use the Jagan during pregnancy as long as he didn't use it on himself or the baby, so he used it to levitate one of the kitchen chairs, letting it spin in a circle, then dropping it onto the floor. Not many demons could actually levitate things; Jin was the only person Hiei could think of who would be able to do it, and even then, he was manipulating the air underneath the objects, not the objects themselves. It was very unique to those with the powers of the Jagan.

Shiori was standing in the middle of the kitchen, her hands over her mouth, staring at the chair. When she finally said something, it was in a voice Kurama had never heard before.

"GET OUT!" she screamed at Hiei, pointing towards the kitchen doorway.

Hiei's eyes widened. "W-What?"

"OUT!" Shiori repeated. "OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

"But why? I didn't—"

"How dare you use Shuichi to create your demon spawn!" said Shiori furiously. "My son is a person, not a sperm bank!"

"Mom!" said Kurama in shock. When she looked at him, he said, "That's not what happened at all. Whenever we, um, interacted… it was totally consensual."

"Consensual, my foot!" she said. "How do I know he didn't hypnotize you with that third eye of his?"

"I would never use the powers of the Jagan on him!" Hiei shot back, the color in his face rising.

"And you expect me to believe that, when you let him get you pregnant?" Shiori demanded. "Why would anyone willingly have sex with a demon? Those evil spirits that roam the Earth, responsible for every problem in the world today?"

Kurama knew his mom was just scared, but he was equally sure that Hiei wouldn't see it the same way. And sure enough, he could only watch as his husband's eyes filled with angry tears.

"You're just like the rest of them!" Hiei shouted, pointing at her with one shaking finger. "I thought you were different, a good human—but you're not! Well, I've got news for you! I hate you humans, every last fucking one of you, and I hope your entire species becomes extinct!"

And with that, Hiei ran from the kitchen, his hands over his face.

"Oh, Shuichi," said Shiori, embracing her son. "Are you all right? I just can't believe it."

"Mother, you've got to listen to me," said Kurama, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table and sitting down, then gesturing for her to do the same. "Not all demons are bad, just like not all humans are good." It was like Sensui all over again.

"But how do I know?" she said, her eyes filling with tears. "I never believed in demons before, but after seeing him levitate something…How do we know he didn't do something horrible to you?"

"Do you really think someone could brainwash me?" Kurama asked, giving her a little smile. "I can think for myself and make judgments for myself. Hiei and I are sorry we lied to you all these years, but I was afraid of a reaction exactly like this one. It was his idea to tell you the truth. I don't blame you for being scared, but I think you hurt his feelings."

Kurama figured his mom's love for Hiei would overwhelm her fear of his being a demon, and it seemed to be leaning in that direction already, judging by the concerned expression on her face. All he needed to do was work on her a bit more.

"Remember how you always suspected Hiei came from a broken home?" Kurama continued.

"Yes." Shiori looked down at the table, her face full of guilt.

"Well, he did," said Kurama. "In fact, he didn't really have much of a home at all. He never knew his dad, and he was forcibly taken away from his mom as a baby. So she committed suicide, and he kind of looked after himself after that."

"Oh, I always knew!" Shiori seemed horrified. "I knew he was lonely. I could see it in his eyes…I'm so sorry. Hiei has never done anything to harm either of us. I shouldn't have reacted that way."

"You'll probably need to tell him that yourself, Mom," said Kurama gently. "But first, there's a little something I've been hiding, too."

"You're…also a demon?" she guessed.

"Sort of," said Kurama. "I'm a demon reincarnated as a human. I can access my demon body, but I prefer not to, because I'd much rather live here in the human world with you. The same is true for Hiei. We both believe that home is wherever our families are."

Shiori looked touched.

"Now, if you want to make up with Hiei, Mom, I think the first thing we should do is give him an apology," said Kurama. "He's probably out in the woods somewhere, so we'll have to look for him."

"But how will we ever find him?"

"Well, demons can usually be sensed by their energy by both demons and spiritually aware humans," Kurama explained, "but sometimes they can manipulate their energy if they don't want to be found. It usually works, but a pregnant demon has a strong scent that can't be masked. It's so the mother can always be located in times of distress, usually by the father." He stood up and gestured for his mom to follow him out of the kitchen. "Come with me."

"All right," said Shiori tearfully. "I think I have an idea."

They headed to the forest outside Kurama's childhood home, where Shiori still lived with her husband and stepson. Kurama figured Hiei would surely be in this forest, and he was right, judging by the smell, but it was even easier for him than that; Hiei seemed to have forgotten to mask his presence at all. Plus, they knew they had found him when there was a specific tree with tear gems shining underneath it.

"Hiei?" Kurama called softly.

No answer.

"I'm so sorry, Hiei," said Shiori, and she definitely looked it. "What I said was uncalled for. Please come down."

Kurama sensed Hiei moving upwards, farther away from them.

"You can't hide up there forever, you know," Kurama called.

More silence. And then, in a small voice: "Yes, I can."

"Sooner or later you'll have to use the bathroom," Kurama reminded him.

"I do that outside all the time."

"Sooner or later you'll have to eat."

"I can find food outside."

"Sooner or later you'll have to give birth to the baby."

"I can do that outside, too."

"What are you going to do once the baby's born, then?" Kurama asked. "Raise it yourself in the woods? Without a house or money?"

"We won't need that stupid ningen stuff."

"Hiei, you're being ridiculous!" Kurama said impatiently. "Mom, don't freak out, but I'm going to have to use my demon powers."

"HEY! DON'T! I'M PREGNANT!" Hiei shouted, jumping down from the tree and landing on his feet. He crossed his arms and glowered at them, but Kurama noticed that his eyes were red and puffy from crying.

"Hiei, please listen to my mom," Kurama pleaded. "She really is sorry, and she has something to make it up to you."

"I don't care," said Hiei, turning his face away.

"It's not just for you, Hiei, but also for the baby," Shiori told him.

Kurama could see a flicker of interest in Hiei's eyes, but he still looked angry.

"If it helps the baby, I'll listen," he said. "But that still doesn't mean I forgive you."

"I know, and I don't expect you to." Shiori nodded. "But…how far along are you in your pregnancy?"

"I'm in my fourteenth week."

"Perfect," said Shiori. "You see, around this time in pregnancy, Japanese human mothers will go to a special shrine to pray for a safe childbirth and a healthy baby. I did it when I was pregnant with Shuichi, and maybe I can take you there, too."

"Did it…did it work?" Hiei asked.

"I would say so," Shiori replied. "I was in labor with Shuichi for only seven hours, and his birth went very smoothly indeed."

"Only seven," Hiei repeated in a small voice. "As…as opposed to what?"

"The length of labor is different for everyone," Shiori told him. "But the average is eight. And it can take much shorter or longer than that."

"I…I…I can't do it!" Hiei wailed, and promptly burst into tears once more. Kurama wanted to comfort his husband, of course, but his mom beat him to it. Even so, he allowed it, since he realized how important it was for Hiei to have someone who could relate. Sure, Touya was pregnant too, but due to his constant giddiness and apparent lack of complaints, he would likely be little more than an annoyance to Hiei.

"Trust me, honey, most of us are nervous about childbirth," said Shiori, holding Hiei close as he cried, his shoulders shaking. "But I know you can do it."

"She's right, Hiei, you're strong," Kurama added encouragingly, joining them to make it a group hug. Finally, Hiei pulled away and sat down on the ground, still wiping tears. During the second trimester, he was hardly as moody as he had been in his first trimester, but that didn't mean he was never emotional, and he was certainly more expressive. The good side of this was that he was more affectionate, too. Kurama sat down next to Hiei and put an arm around him.

"I'll go to the shrine," Hiei said shakily. "And I accept your apology. I could use a mom right now."

"May I come to the shrine, too?" Kurama asked hopefully. "I mean, it's my baby, too, isn't it?"

"Well, I think you'll have to come," Hiei declared, and they hugged.

…

Hiei had taken to learning more about his baby's progress on the computer, so the next day, Monday, when Kurama was at work, he found out that the baby was apparently the size of a peach, that it was growing hair, and that it was already practicing facial expressions. Wow! Not only that, but apparently it was already moving, even though it was still too small for Hiei to feel the movements. Feeling the baby's movements was what Hiei was looking forward to the most, even though he learned he might not feel them until he was 26 weeks along.

By now, he didn't have to pee quite as frequently, though it still seemed to be more frequent than his pre-baby "schedule." Those cramps were still present, but he was getting used to them, and his chest region was less sore. Instead of being constantly sick, he was constantly hungry, though he could only stomach certain foods, mostly salty ones.

While he was browsing the Internet, Hiei found a video of a baby's growth, from conception to birth, although he turned the video off just before the baby was born. Even after Shiori's words, he was still a little nervous about that.

The most amazing thing was that when Hiei pressed gently on his belly in a certain place, he could feel the ninshinsu, and he spent more time with his hands on his belly, imagining the baby kicking away in there. It seemed like just yesterday that the only way the little one made itself known was by making Hiei miserable, but now it was doing all kinds of things. Interacting with his baby bump was soothing, too. So far, he hadn't asked Kurama to rub it, but maybe he would soon. Best of all, Hiei got to be with the baby every step of the way as it grew.

"I think you're too small to hear me yet, so don't tell anyone I'm talking to you," Hiei was saying to the baby one day as he sat on the couch, one hand in a bag of potato chips, the other on his belly. He couldn't explain it, but when he spoke to the baby, he felt closer to it, and there was no harm in pretending it was listening. "Your daddy is at work now. So it's just you and me, and we can eat all the potato chips we want, plus Daddy is bringing us French fries tonight, because apparently you really like salt."

The baby also liked meat, or so it had seemed recently. Not as much as salt, but just the thought of hearty beef made Hiei's mouth water. He continued munching on the chips as he walked into the kitchen, and he found what he was looking for quickly. Last night, Kurama had cooked two hamburgers for him—one to eat for dinner, and one to microwave for lunch tomorrow. At least Hiei had mastered the microwave. Once the burger was cooked, Hiei sprinkled some salt on it and ate it in two bites.

When Kurama came home that evening with French fries, a double bacon-burger, and an order of hash browns, plus some extra salt packets, Hiei was all over him. The food came first, naturally, but after that, they had wonderful sex, as they did at least once a day, often twice. Hiei was getting into athletic positions recently.

"That was great," Hiei said, still naked, in their post-coital cuddling session. "You were great."

"Not as great as you," Kurama whispered, sans clothes as well. "You're no dead fish in bed, you know. And like I said, you seem so happy with yourself lately."

"That's 'cause I am." Hiei cuddled into Kurama's chest and smiled, sinking into a dreamless sleep.