Um...it's normal for me to post daily...and I didn't post yesterday, so I'm making up for it with both chapter six and seven! Well, they're both kinda short, so it works out...well, you caught me. I just wanted to post just to post! He he he! But if you're enjoying my story so far, it's to your benefit!

Disclaim...oh screw it. It's chapter seven already!

Prelude to Christmas

-Hiei-

"Kitsune?" Hiei asked, watching Kurama working on a jigsaw puzzle intently. It was nice just to watch him, but something wasn't right and Hiei wasn't comfortable with it.

"Yes, Hiei?" Hiei shifted at his seat on the coffee table.

"Should I go?" he asked uneasily.

"Are you bored watching me do this?" Kurama asked with a chuckle. Hiei shook his head. "Well, why do you ask?"

"I don't know...you're acting different." Kurama sat up, facing Hiei as he turned all his attention on him.

"Different how?"

"Just different. A little nervous."

"Oh...I uh...I have to go visit my mom soon. I'm so anxious, it's eating me up inside." Hiei nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Didn't think to." Kurama moved some hair from his face.

"Well, think to next time," Hiei said. Kurama smirked at him.

"I will... Okay, I lied. I did want to tell you, but just not yet. I won't be until close to Christmas." Hiei nodded again.

"That's better," he said. He got off of the coffee table and sat down next to Kurama. Kurama reached out a hand to him, but Hiei grabbed it and lowered it, not letting Kurama do whatever he was about to do. "Don't you have a date tonight?" Kurama looked a little surprised.

"If you were there, why didn't you stop in for a little bit?" he asked, looking up at him. "Everyone was asking for you." Hiei bit at him. Kurama chuckled.

"Take a guess, baka kitsune," he said, his voice a little softer at hearing Kurama's chuckle. He let go of Kurama's hand. Kurama looked at Hiei's forehead. He could probably see the Jagan lighting up. He was using it unconsciously again.

"Yukina?" Kurama asked. Hiei nodded.

"I have to go." Kurama nodded.

"Send my regards, won't you?" he asked Hiei. "She'll come for Christmas, won't she?"

"Hai." Hiei kissed Kurama's forehead and stood, going over to the window. "It won't be but a few days," he said, removing his bandana. "See you, then."

"Yes, Hiei," Kurama said. Hiei braced himself to leave, but then turned back to Kurama.

"Have fun with your ningen female," he teased, flashing Kurama a grin before disappearing into the night.

- Later that evening -

-Kurama-

"Hey!" Meara exclaimed, coming up to Kurama's table. Kurama stood up. "Yeah, it's definitely you," she said, stopping in front of him with a big grin. He smiled at her.

"Good evening, Meara," he said as politely as he could. Although he knew the date wouldn't be that bad, he really didn't want to go through it.

"Botan was right about you," she said, taking it upon herself to seat herself. "Whew! It's a little chilly out." Kurama sat back down.

"Yes," he said simply, wondering what Botan was right about.

"So are we going to eat, or just see the movie?" she asked.

"It depends," Kurama said. "Do you want snacks while at the theater? We'll be full if we eat now."

"Well, ya know...we're already here and um, yeah...I'm hungry. The prices at the theater are too high, anyway." Kurama nodded in agreement.

"Yes, they are, aren't they?" Meara lifted her arm and snapped her finger. Kurama watched her, his eyebrows lowering. She saw him and lowered her hand.

"I've been here plenty of times before and the service is terrible. Gotta be aggressive." Kurama nodded.

"Is that why no one's waited on me, yet?" She gave him a look that showed her annoyance with the service and that also told Kurama that that was exactly the reason. Kurama chuckled lowly.

They eventually received their food, Meara ravenously tearing into and finishing her bacon double cheeseburger before Kurama could get through half of his calm chowder. They talked meanwhile, getting two milkshakes to go when they were done and drinking them as they walked to the theater. Kurama wasn't sure why she insisted on getting such a cold drink when the weather was so chilly, but the milkshake was very good. He didn't complain.

Kurama found Meara to be very nice, but not at all quiet like Keiko mentioned. She was an attractive girl with long sandy brown hair and light brown eyes. She kept talking during the movie, which Kurama didn't really mind because the movie was awful, but he came to see that they had nothing in common.

She was great company, but friendship seemed to be the only thing to come from their first meeting. The feeling was mutual, she assured him, and Kurama felt better about the whole situation. Returning home that night, Kurama feel straight to sleep. It was the weekend before the last week of school before Christmas vacation.

-Kurama-

That Friday, Teito stopped by Kurama's apartment. Kurama had just gone out to get a small Christmas tree from the store near his apartment and already had a few gifts for his friends underneath. He set it up with silver garland and ornaments, and tinsel was laden all over his apartment. In the spirit of the season, he'd hung mistletoe over his apartment door. Teito took the liberty of being the first to utilize it.

Pulling away from the lingered kiss, Kurama smiled at him.

"Qu'est-ce que tu veux?" he asked Teito. Teito stepped into the apartment, closing the door behind him.

"Toi," he said, flashing Kurama a mischievous look. He was holding something behind his back.

"Ne, uh, qu'est-ce que tu as?"

"Un cadeau, pour ton arbre." Kurama smiled wider.

"Oh, you shouldn't have," he said, taking his first Christmas present from Teito. He went over to the tree.

"I've got something else for you, too."

"Teito!" Kurama said. "Really now, one was enough."

"Well, the other isn't something that can go under a tree." Kurama adjusted an ornament on the tree before taking a seat on the couch.

"Is it that big?" Kurama asked, giving Teito a questioning look. Teito sat next to him, very close to him and snaked his arm around his waist.

"You could say that..." he whispered, leaning in to kiss Kurama again. Kurama let him, but didn't kiss him back.

"Teito..." he began when Teito pulled away.

"I know, I know. You don't think us getting together is a good idea..."

"But...you understand, right?" Kurama asked.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm happy with it." Kurama sighed.

"Well, I need to get you a present. What could I get you that will make up for what happened that night?"

"Rien," Teito said with a pout. "Mais...toi...toi dans un grand gâteau. Et tu dois être nu."

"Seul dans les rêves," Kurama said, mussing Teito's hair playfully. Teito leaned closer to him.

"You're not helping, you know?" he said.

"I trust you can subdue your impulses." Teito quickly nipped Kurama's cheek with his nose.

"Wouldn't you know it," he said, taking in a whiff of Kurama's hair. "I seemed to have left the ability to do that at home." He leaned in for another kiss and Kurama pressed his hand to Teito's face, gently pushing him away.

"Arrête," he said slowly, not being able to pretend wanting Teito to stop. But ever since his skirmish with Hiei, Kurama felt uneasy when in these situations with Teito. Not to say that Teito's actions were lost on him, though. He just couldn't stop thinking about Hiei, and it made him feel guilty when he did while with Teito. "Well, what can I get you that I'll actually be able to get you?"

"I'll make up a list and you pick one thing on the list to get me so that I'll be surprised."

"That sounds perfect." Teito quickly stole another kiss before standing and going over to the door. Kurama playfully rolled his eyes at him as he followed him. Teito opened the door and stood underneath the mistletoe hesitantly. He cleared his throat and looked up.

"Now you have to plant one on me," he said with a grin. Kurama shook his head and looked away, then looked back at Teito.

"Fine," he said, leaning towards him. Just then, the bedroom door opened. Kurama pulled away from Teito, turning his attention to Hiei as soon as he saw him. "You're back!" he said. Hiei flashed Teito a look of death, and Teito stood there looking confused. "Give me a minute," Kurama said to Hiei and stepped out of the apartment. He closed the door behind him.

"You didn't tell me there was someone else," Teito said, sadness clear on his face and in his voice. "I mean, I would have understood."

"I train with him, he's like my partner in crime," Kurama said. Teito nodded, looking distant already, but then looking as if he suddenly remembered something.

"Don't forget...you said you'd come with me to the gym on the 22nd." Kurama nodded. "I'll come pick you up." Kurama nodded again. Teito gave him another quick kiss. "See you later, Shuuichi-kun."

"Goodbye, Teito." Once Teito was out of Kurama's sight, Kurama returned to the apartment. Hiei was sitting on the window sill in the living room. "How was she?" Kurama asked.

"Same as always, just a little knee scrape." Hiei looked up at him. He sighed. "It's that time of year again, huh?" Kurama nodded. "Good thing it's only once." Kurama went over to him, smiling.

"I've got a present for you already. I had to go get it while I knew you were away." Hiei shrugged.

"I don't want it." Kurama nodded.

"Yes you do," he told him. Hiei flashed him a grin.

"I'll accept it if you stop letting him in." Kurama scrunched his face suddenly.

"I know you're not trying to scheme me," he said with a smirk. Hiei hopped off the window, looking up at Kurama suspiciously, circling him once as he did so with his arms behind his back. "What?" Kurama asked, letting out a light chuckle. Hiei didn't say a word; he just went over to the dining table and sat down.

"Feed me," he demanded, poking the table with his index finger. Kurama scoffed, putting his hands on his hips.

"Well, look what we have here. The little fire demon's making demands." Using his unsurpassable speed, Hiei went over to Kurama, stopping once he was in front of him. Kurama almost toppled over.

"What was that?" Hiei asked, his eyes not showing the anger his voice was filled with. Kurama saw this and laughed, figuring the demon knew he was only playing around. "You'd better watch it," Hiei said, poking Kurama in the chest. "I will kill you."

"But then who'll make your dinner?" Kurama teased, leaning down to him. He patted him on the head. "Now be a good little demon and help Youko fix your meal." Hiei raised an eyebrow, then relaxed his face, turning away from Kurama as if he was trying to hide the fact that he was smiling. But Kurama saw it.

"Just cook, kitsune," he said with what Kurama perceived to be a chuckle. He went towards the kitchenette with Kurama following closely behind him.

Naturally, I just had to sneak a little something something in there to confuse anyone who's not familiar with French. It's payback for the many times I've had to sit through a fan fic with a bunch of Japanese words that I'm not familiar with. Hah! Well...it's not really your fault is it...? Well, ok...you've convinced me. Here's the convo...oh and by the way. If anyone who's truly French out there reads this and is confused, sorry if I butchered your beautiful language! I'm not really French...I just took it in high school...he he he.

Qu'est-ce que tu veux? - What do you want?

Toi. - You

Qu'est-ce que tu as? - What do you have?

Un cadeau, pour ton arbre. - A present, for your tree.

Rien. - Nothing

Mais...toi...toi dans un grand gâteau. Et tu dois être nu. - But...you...you in a big cake. And you have to be naked.

Seul dans les rêves. - Only in your dreams.

Arrête. - Stop

Please review!

J3