Disclaimer: I don't own YYH, or its characters, nor ABBA, or any of their songs.

Further Reprieve

-Kurama-

Kurama woke up more tired than usual that morning, turning over and shifting comfortably beneath his sheets. He noticed Hiei wasn't in the bed as he stretched out his limbs, digging his face deeper into his pillow.

"Five more minutes, kitsune," Hiei said teasingly. Kurama lifted his head and looked over to the foot of the bed. Hiei was standing there watching him with his hands in his pockets. Kurama smiled as he stretched again. He sat up.

"What are you doing up so early?" he asked.

"Don't act too happy to see me," Hiei said, walking out of the room. Kurama scooted forward and scratched his cheek before sliding off of the bed and walking out of the room. He looked into the living room and saw that Hiei was watching television. He went into the bathroom and prepared for his day.

He'd just stepped out of the shower when Hiei poked his head in.

"Kuwabara's here," he said. "He's on his way up." Kurama nodded at him.

"Thanks, Hiei," he said. Hiei hesitated in the doorway, looking down for a moment and then returning his eyes to Kurama, watching him as he dried himself off.

"Kurama...?"

"Yes, Hiei?"

"Come kiss me." Kurama wrapped his towel around his waist and went over to Hiei, kissing him on the side of his mouth. Hiei looked satisfied at that and turned to go back into the living room. Kurama went into his bedroom to dress.

He only had time to pull on his slacks before Kuwabara knocked on the door. He went over and opened it, letting him in.

"Morning, Kuwabara," Kurama said, resuming his morning routine. "You're early."

"Yeah," Kuwabara said as he went over to Kurama's bed. He sat down on the edge of it, looking a little down.

"Are you alright?" Kurama asked.

"Yeah...probably coming down with something," he muttered.

"I hope not..." Kurama said. "Though the weather has been unusually rough this winter." Kuwabara nodded, and looked up as Kurama went by him. "Geez, Kurama what happened to your back?" Kurama stopped for a moment, looking at him, confused.

"My...back...?" he asked, going over to the closet mirror. He turned around, pulled his hair over one shoulder and looked, instantly blushing at what he saw. "Oh, that...?" he murmured, reaching back to feel along the many welts that had developed there. He admired them for a moment before answering. "They're just...a little souvenir from some...youkai activity."

"Oh," Kuwabara said slowly looking down. Then he looked back up quickly. "You mean to tell me you went off fighting without me?" he asked.

"Yes," Kurama said, pulling himself away from the mirror. "Fighting." Of course, fighting wasn't the activity Kurama referred to, but instead, a nightly, more pleasurable activity.

"They'll...go away, won't they?" Kuwabara asked. Unfortunately Kurama thought.

"In time," he said aloud. Kuwabara nodded.

"Good. Shizuru said you'd better make something chocolate, or else she won't let you in." Kurama shook his head with a chuckle.

"She'll deal with what I'm making, whether she likes it or not."

"Make a cake, though," Kuwabara said, holding his stomach. "Your cakes always taste good. Like birthday cake." Kurama tilted his head in thought.

"I'm not telling what I'm making," he said. "But you'll get a clue since you're taking me to pick up the ingredients." He slid his shirt on and shook his hair out before brushing it.

"I'm hungry..." Kuwabara said. "Let's get something to eat first."

-Hiei-

Later that evening, Hiei was sitting on the couch watching television, tired from a day of training. Kurama was making something that smelled good and he wondered what it was. He was also dressed nicely, prepared to go to Shizuru and Kuwabara's New Year's Eve party.

When he came out of the living room again to go to the bedroom, Hiei stood up and followed him, reaching for his hand and stopping him before he could get to the hall. Kurama turned around. Hiei grabbed him by his side strands and pulled him down to him. He kissed him on the lips and then grinned at him.

"You look good," he said. Kurama smiled.

"Thanks. I wish you were coming."

"I'll be there..."

"Outside?" Hiei nodded and kissed him again, sliding his arms around him and pressing his face up close to him. Kurama's shirt was a nice fabric...very smooth. It was a dark purple dress shirt with long sleeves and a collar. He had on black slacks and dress shoes. Hiei couldn't help but admire him. He looked so...perfect.

"You smell good, too," Hiei said. Kurama pushed him away gently.

"Don't you even try it," he said. "Save it for later." Kurama went into his bedroom and Hiei smirked after him. He was still standing there when Kurama returned.

"What are you making?" he asked.

"Some dessert." Hiei rolled his eyes as Kurama passed him, purposely bumping into him as he did. Hiei smirked at him, still watching him walk away. Man, did he smell good.

Hiei followed him, looking into the kitchen. All he saw were a few bowls and two large round dishes with long stems. He went inside and up to Kurama, who was standing by the oven. He put his arms around him again.

"Mmm..." he murmured. "Kitsune." Kurama chuckled little, leaning to kiss his forehead.

"You make me sound like a candy bar when you say my name like that..." Hiei chuckled and pulled away, sitting down on the frame of the kitchen window. After a short while, Kurama opened the oven door and pulled out the two cakes inside.

"Kurama..." Hiei murmured, leaning over to him. "You made cake...?" Kurama smiled at him. "One is for me, right?"

"No, Hiei. They're both for the party." Hiei folded his arms.

"Oh, I see how that goes," he said. Kurama went over to the fridge and took out a bottle of cream. He opened the freezer and took out a bowl, bringing it over to the counter and setting it inside his mixer. He poured in some cream, sugar and vanilla extract and whipped it up.

Hiei got off of the frame and watched him. Kurama poured half of the whipped cream into one of the bowls on the counter. He opened a cabinet, taking out something small and round with a bunch of holes in the top of it. He turned it over and shook it, cocoa coming out and falling into the bowl.

Hiei licked his lips excitedly. Kurama looked down at him with a smile.

"You're making a trifle, aren't you?" Hiei said.

"What's that?" Kurama asked as if clueless, beginning to fold the mixture with a spatula.

"What you're making," Hiei said. Once the cream became brown with the cocoa, Kurama set both bowls on the side of the counter and turned to Hiei.

"Why don't you go watch TV," he said.

"Don't try to get rid of when the good part's coming up," Hiei said, sitting on the frame again.

-Kurama-

The cakes were still warm from earlier, but that was fine. He popped them out of the spring form pans and rested them on a cookie sheet. He took the two bowls that the desserts were going into and made sure they were clean. Then he went over to the yellow cake.

Using a serrated knife, he cut the cake in half and placed it into to the bottom of the bowl. He took the plain whipped cream and placed some on the cake. He went to the refrigerator and pulled out a few baskets of raspberries. He added whipped cream again over the raspberries, then placed the top layer of cake on top of it. He then added the rest of the whipped cream and decorated the top with the raspberries.

He took the plain whipped cream and placed some on the bottom of one of the bowls. He went to the refrigerator and pulled out a few baskets of raspberries. He layered the cream with the raspberries and then went over to the yellow cake.

Using a serrated knife, he cut the cake in half and placed the bottom layer on top of the raspberries. He added whipped cream again, and then more raspberries, placing the top layer of cake on top of them. He then added the rest of the whipped cream and decorated the top with raspberries.

He put the trifle into the refrigerator and did the same thing with the chocolate cake and cream, replacing the raspberries with nuts. Sitting it in the refrigerator, he looked up at Hiei. Hiei raised an eyebrow.

"You'll save me some...right?" Hiei asked. Kurama shrugged.

"Maybe," he said with a smirk. He cleaned up after himself and then left the kitchen with Hiei, watching television with him until Kuwabara arrived. Kurama wrapped both desserts up tightly, making sure they would withstand the short drive over there and so that no one could see what they were.

Kuwabara left out with the first cake, and Kurama had the second in hand, ready to leave out behind him. Hiei was staring at him from the couch. Kurama went over to him and kissed his cheek.

"I won't be back until very late," he said. Hiei nodded.

"I know." Hiei kissed him on the mouth and then pulled away. "Have fun," he said. Kurama smiled at him.

"See you when I get home."

-Kuwabara-

The party didn't really get lively until around eleven, when the last of the guests began to arrive. Many of them had to work that day and couldn't have made it any earlier. Many people were there: Kuwabara and Shizuru, of course and then Yusuke, Keiko, Kurama and Botan. A load of Shizuru's friends were there, and the friends of others, also. It was often someone turned around and saw a familiar face, but it was just as often that they saw those of people they did not know. That was just how Shizuru wanted it.

The music was playing loudly and people were dancing and singing. Others sat around the room sipping their drinks and eating hors d'oeuvres. Most everyone was talking, but they were a few shy souls who strayed away from the larger groups. One of them being, of course, Kurama.

He was standing out on the back porch, leaning over the railing and looking out into the night. Kuwabara spotted him out there from the kitchen and joined him. He leaned down on the rail and looked up at Kurama.

"It's too cold out here for all that," he said. Kurama smiled at him.

"I'll only be a minute," he said.

"Everyone's asking about what you made. I think someone took a peek, too. The foil's ripped on one of them." Kurama nodded, still smiling. Kuwabara shivered. "Well, come on in when you're ready. It's almost time for song requests."

-Kurama-

Kurama nodded again and watched him make his way inside. He let out a sigh and faced the other way again.

"Shuuichi...?" Kurama turned around in time to see Teito standing at the door.

"Yes, Teito?" Teito came out and went over to him, standing slightly behind him.

"It's a little lonely in there without you," he said, sticking his hands in his pockets and hunching over somewhat.

"You can stay out here if you'd like. I'll only be a moment longer." Teito nodded and looked around, appearing to want to say something. "What is it?"

"It's alright if you're with Hiei, Shuuichi," he said, looking at him again. Kurama looked down, attempting to avoid any hurt Teito might have shown. But when he looked back up, Teito was smiling.

"I'm glad there are no hard feelings." Teito nodded.

"We can still be friends and everything...that was something I hadn't considered before tonight." Kurama smiled at him.

"I feel so relieved."

"Me, too," Teito said, bouncing a little on his heels because of the cold. He chuckled. "Just one thing..." he said.

"What's that?" Kurama asked.

"I still get to draw you every once and a while." Kurama smirked.

"That's alright with me," he said. Teito smiled again and then hugged him before going back inside. Kurama turned around again, looking over the roof tops, and pulled a hand through his hair. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment, popping them open when he heard a familiar song playing inside.

He stepped into the house, making his way back to the living room. Kuwabara was holding a microphone and standing by the stereo watching everyone at the party. Kurama stood in the doorway, listening to the song. It still meant a lot to him, even though he hadn't played it in weeks.

Once the song ended, Kurama stood up straighter, and Shizuru went to play another song. Kuwabara looked around again and pointed at Kurama.

"That song, Soldiers, was anonymously requested by a party go-er in Kurama's honor," he said. "And the request reads... For you, Yasashi Kurama-Kun, my one and only Soldier. Aww..." Kuwabara said teasingly. Kurama's entire face flushed. Some of the guests began to look around, motioning towards others accusingly, trying to figure out who it was from. More than just a few eyes landed on Teito, and he looked confused.

"Don't look at me," he said, holding his hands up. The next song began to play. Kurama, still a little embarrassed by the announcement, went into the kitchen to get some punch.

He drank it down quickly, rinsing his cup out by way of habit when he was done.

-Botan-

Botan was standing there, watching him.

"That wasn't from you, was it?" he asked playfully. She giggled.

"Nope...I was wondering if you knew."

"I have no idea." She nodded at him.

"Well, come on, Kurama, let's go dance." Kurama followed Botan to the living room and danced with her. She tried to move along with him, but the poor thing had no rhythm. He was just kind of moving, nothing too bad, but still awkward for her all the same. She was glad the next song was a slow one. Now that he could do.

Botan rocked back and forward with him, slowly turning around in a circle in their spot on the dance floor. She thought back to previous times of being around Kurama, and how he'd changed since then. He looked more relaxed and that made her relax in knowing that he was okay again.

"You know, Kurama...?" she said, looking up at him. "It's amazing what just a few weeks can do to a person," she said. She rested her head on his cheek. "I'm just glad you're alright." Kurama pressed his chin up to her forehead.

"I never would have gotten there if it weren't for you guys," he said to her. She smiled. When the song changed again, she patted his chest and waltzed away. If Kurama was happy, then so was she. One thing was for sure. She couldn't wait to dig into dessert.

Oh, no! ::cries:: The end is near! No more fun for me, well, not unless you review, of course. Lots and lots of reviews

J3