There I was, Yusuke Urameshi, Spirit Detective of earth, close personal friends with the Grim Reaper herself, and no money for the freaking bus. It had been an hour and I was still trudging through the stupid woods because stupid old hag Genkai held me up for another stupid 10 minutes to get some stupid medicine for stupid Kurama. Ah... What am I saying, Kurama's not stupid, just annoying the heck out of me because I had no idea what was going on!
Guess I shouldn't complain that much... What is it they say, A friend in need is a friend indeed? Well whatever, I just wished I didn't have to walk all the way back to town without a clue what I was going for. Keiko was probably pissed at me too. Can't a guy catch a break?
As I walked though, I wondered what could be wrong with Kurama. He had never been sick before, as far as I knew. Maybe this was some weird demon thing I knew nothing about. Or maybe Hiei finally lost control and let loose his darkness attack during rough sex. Yeah I'm a pervert I know, but it's no secret those two are sleeping together. I found it kind of weird myself... Two of my teammates being bed buddies and all. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just that weird feeling you get when two of your friends start dating, you're happy for them, but it changes things somehow. Of course I never did have many friends, but still.
Reminiscing on my time as a detective and the whole 'two of my best friends are demon lovers' thing, I kind of forgot how pissed I was about the whole situation. In fact, before I knew it, I was halfway through town, almost to Kurama's neighborhood. Hopefully Keiko was there waiting for me and she didn't go all "Yusuke you jerk!" and go home to make a voodoo doll of me or something. Yeah, our relationship is kind of weird... But, I mean, I've known her my whole life, there's something about her... Wait, what the hell am I saying!? I'm getting all lovey dovey romantic like Kuwabara! Thinking like Kuwabara... NOT allowed to happen. I tried to get the Kuwabara vibe out of my head and as far away as possible as I made my way down the sidewalk to Kurama's.
Hiei's POV-
Still no food... I supposed it could be understood though, Kurama was preoccupied. In such an impaired state, he could not even managed to talk his way out of telling those girls his secret. I was sure this would lead to chaos, though no one would believe them if they did tell.
Kurama sat on his bed, quietly thinking to himself, most likely of some way to find a mate, but kitsune are rather hard to come by in the Ningenkai. I hate seeing him like this, and I don't doubt that those ningen girls will tell Kurama's secret. Although the shorter one seemed trustworthy, her sister appeared a bit flighty.
"Hiei? What are you thinking about?" Kurama asked me. I had apparently been staring at the wall, lost in thought even more than he was.
"How well you trust those girls. I think one may keep the secret... but not the other one." I told him. I glared out the window, wondering how far from the house they had gotten. "You must have noticed the way that tall girl stared at you, I have no doubt she will babble the new news of the beautiful Suuichi to all her friends once she gets the chance," I huffed.
He held out his arms to me and I went and sat beside him on the bed. He pulled me onto his lap and buried his face in my back, sighing sadly. I would rather not be babied, but if he finds comfort in cuddling then I have no objections. I rested my hands lightly on his shoulders, staring blankly ahead. I do not enjoy helplessness, but there was nothing I could do.
"Kurama, I'm trying to figure something out for you. I'm just drawing a blank. I wish I could..." I paused, suddenly too disappointed with myself to continue. He sighed again a little sadder than before.
"I'm sorry Hiei," he told me, as if it were his fault that I could not help him.
I turned slightly to look in his emerald eyes.
"Don't be sorry Kurama, I'll find a way to help you somehow...." I told him sadly.
Shiori's POV-
I watched out the window while my son spoke with his two classmates, telling them something that clearly shocked the life out of them. I sighed and turned away, sitting at the table with a cup of tea, though I was not truly interested in drinking any. Apparently those girls had stumbled upon the secret he had gone to such great lengths to hide from me. Could he be doing it to protect me? Was it something that, if I knew, why world would come shattering down around me?
I supposed I could storm upstairs, swing open his bedroom door and demand to know what was going on... But Suuichi doesn't deserve that kind of treatment. He has always been such a good boy, he's never given me a reason not to trust him, and just let things be, even if it pains me to do so. He goes out of his way to be helpful though, as if he is trying to make up for whatever this secret is he cannot tell me.
I mulled things over. It must involve that dark haired boy. Those piercing red eyes... There was simply something about his face that told me he was not human. I had been told many stories when I was a little girl, of imps and demons that lived in another world, and came to earth to cause mischief and chaos. I suddenly believed them all to be true, I had just witness the characters from my childhood bedtime stories materialized and whole in my own living room. Perhaps I was overreacting, letting my imagination run away with me, but in all my life I had never seen a face quite like his...
Kurama's POV-
I sat holding Hiei knowing how much he hated being babied, but he allowed me to do so despite his likely discomfort. I just needed someone to hold.... I continued to sigh and wonder where I could find a mate. The predicament tumbled through my mind and I growled softly, causing Hiei to jump. He turned to look at me.
"Fox, what's wrong?" he asked.
I sighed again and spoke, "I hate mating season, it is getting harder for me to concentrate on my schoolwork and I'm falling way behind. I know mother will be disappointed if I don't bring my grades up soon. Maybe when mating season is over I'll be able to concentrate again..."
Hiei sat and listened to my complaints, stroking one of my side locks gently and never once asking me to cease my babble. He's a demon of few words, but he does know how to listen.
"I'm at a loss and I hate not knowing what to do," I continued. "I need to find a vixen NOW!!!" My outburst startled him slightly, but he only kept stroking my hair gently.
"Damn this mating season... I'm beginning to wish I wasn't a fox.... I wonder how much longer I'll be able to endure this torment."
Hiei shifted and suddenly started kissing me, probing his tongue hungrily into my mouth. I broke the kiss quickly, knowing mother was right downstairs to hear everything if things became out of hand. "Wait Hiei," I said as I stood up. I went over and locked my door and went back to him. As I sat back on the bed Hiei pushed me down on the mattress and started unbuttoning my shirt, immediately grabbing for my pants when he had tossed that aside. He moved his hands over my chest, licking down my torso and before I knew what happened, he had me on my stomach, thrusting into me with no warning and trying to get me to climax with him.
"HIEI!!" I rolled onto my back and pushed him away roughly. He backed off, obviously confused. Though I'm sure he had the best intentions, rough sex was not going to ease my longing...
However, despite my annoyance, the injured look on his little face pained me greatly and I frantically apologized. "H-Hiei, I'm sorry. I-I can't; not while I'm in this state of needing to mate... I'm so sorry, sex alone can't take this urge away," I told him and I looked off into the corner, slightly ashamed that I had rejected his advance.
"Kurama, look at me," he demanded. I slowly turned my head but kept my eyes cast downwards. He climbed back up on the bed and kneeled before me, gently tilting my chin up. "I understand... I was trying to help, I'm sorry I couldn't even do that," He said as he stood. He pulled his pants and tunic back on quickly and was at my window in a second, ready to leave.
"Hiei, where are you going?" I asked him.
"To find you a vixen, so you can start concentrating again..." he said as he left.
Rei's POV-
As Yami and I walked home I noticed she kept shaking her head at what Suuichi had told us. I turned to go into our house, but she kept walking right past it.
"Yami?" I said. No answer. "YAMI!!!" I yelled and she turned around suddenly.
"Huh? Oh, sorry, Rei," she said as she came up on the porch.
"You're still thinking about what Suuichi told us aren't you?" I asked as I unlocked the door and went in with her behind me. She nodded and sat down at the table to try to work on homework. I went into the kitchen and set Tenshi down and washed my hands to prepare supper. I pulled out some soy burgers and cooked them up for Yami and I. While I was cooking Tenshi was at my feet whining that he was hungry.
"Hold on baby, let me make this first and I will get you a bottle," I told him.
I don't really know much about foxes and I wasn't sure what he would need to eat... I should've asked Suuichi while we were at his house. He most likely would have told me milk though, seeing as how Tenshi didn't look more than a month old. Poor little guy, I felt so bad for him. No mother to take care of him and he really wanted to stay with Suuichi for some reason. I don't know what Mrs. Minamino would have said about him having a baby fox in the house, though. I would rather have him stay with me of course. I've overprotective, I know, but I felt like a mother to him already.
I took Yami's dinner to her and went back into the kitchen to warm up a bottle for Tenshi. I carried him into the living room, held him close to me and nuzzled into his fur as he drank his milk. When he finished I put him down and went to the kitchen to wash dishes and eat the burger I had made for myself. As I grabbed my food Tenshi was at the back door whining to go outside. I opened the door and he bolted outside to take care of his business. When he was finished he came back in and followed me around the house. I went upstairs to my bedroom and sat down to start my homework but had to stop when he started whining to get on the bed. I picked him up and set him up on the bed with his own blanket. He licked my hand and fell asleep.
While I watched Tenshi sleep, I wondered how Suuichi was holding up. I had noticed him acting funny lately, but I didn't want to mention it to him... I wouldn't want to cause an uncomfortable situation for either of us. I was also embarrassed by what Yami did while we were at Suuichi's house. She needs to learn to let people have their privacy. One thing came out of it though, we learned a secret about the top student of Meiou High that nobody could ever have imagined. I just hoped Yami could keep it....
Keiko's POV-
Kuwabara stood at my side as we stepped onto the Minamino's front step and I rang the doorbell. Kurama's mother answered. I had never met her before, but I was surprised to see how young and pretty she looked for her age.
"Is Suuichi home?" I asked, remembering to call him by his human name. I don't really know Kurama very well, and I don't think Hiei has ever even said a word to me. From what Yusuke has told me though, they are very much in love, although they keep their relationship fairly private.
"Yes, he's up in his room but he isn't feeling very well right now," Mrs. Minamino told us. "Should I tell him you stopped by?"
"Uh, this is really important though!" Kuwabara butted in, stepping up on the front stoop and nearly knocking me off. I know he means well, but he can be a clumsy person sometimes....
"Well all right, I'll go tell him he has guests. What are your names?" She requested.
"I'm Keiko Ukimura and this is--"
"Kazuma Kuwabara, and it is a pleasure to meet you, ma'am," Kuwabara said, bowing politely to her. She smiled, looking a tiny bit overwhelmed by our orange haired friend. She went into the house and up the stairs, and returned a few minutes with a frazzled looking Kurama by her side.
"I was told this was important," he said. I blinked, Kurama always had such a friendly tone to his voice, but he didn't sound very happy to see us at all.
"Yusuke sent me to see you," I told him. "He's on his way back from Genkai's right now."
"I see, Master Genkai most likely knows of my..." He glanced over at his mother who knowingly smiled and left the room, seeing as she was intruding on the conversation. "My predicament," he finished.
"Predicament, what the heck does that mean?" Kuwabara said, scratching his head through his curly hair.
"Please, join me in my room," Kurama instructed, and walked back up the stairs to his bedroom. He pulled out chairs for Kuwabara and myself, and sat down on his bed, sighing deeply. When he told us exactly what his problem though, I was almost blown away!
Kuwabara's POV-
When Kurama walked downstairs with his mom, a totally wild spirit signal filled the room, something I had never felt before, it was crazy! Something was very wrong. I had to keep from yelling something because his mom was right in the room and I don't think she knows about him being a fox spirit and everything.
He led us upstairs to his room and sat on the bed. This was definitely not the Kurama I was used too, even his hair looked messed up, and usually it's brushed perfectly. He glanced out the window for a second like he was expecting to see something important out there and then turned back.
"This may be difficult for you to grasp, but I am feeling very uncomfortable right now as it is mating season. You most likely sensed the rise in my spirit energy when you came inside, Kuwabara. I'm afraid I cannot control it right now," he told us. His eyes looked so sad....
"Wait, mating season? But I thought only animals had that kind of cycle," Keiko said. She looked really puzzled, and I have to admit, I was kind of confused myself.
"I am an animal spirit after all," Kurama said, smiling slightly. It wasn't really a happy smile though. "The urge to mate is not silenced by my having a human body. It's more powerful this year than it has been any other year since I was reborn." He moved around uncomfortably and pulled a pillow into his lap like he was trying to cover something up.
"So... What does that mean exactly?" Keiko asked shyly, although I think she was getting the same idea I was about the whole thing.
"To put it bluntly, Keiko, I need to find a female fox to have sex with or I will be in this condition for a few more months. I would rather not have to go through with that."
Keiko's whole face turned red when he had finished talking. That's one thing about Kurama, he's always really direct, it's like nothing embarrasses him. He kinda tends to give too much information talking like that, though....
"Happy you decided to come invade my privacy now?" Kurama asked when he saw our reactions. That surprised me even more though, Kurama's never rude!
"Hey, we're just trying to help, you know!" I told him. He brought his hand up to his face and shook his head.
"I'm sorry, please forgive me. I'm feeling very irritable right now, I didn't mean to take it out on the two of you," he said, sighing.
"I'll call Yusuke and tell him not to come," Keiko said, and she pulled her cellphone out of her purse.
"No, it's all right. He deserves to know as well," Kurama said.
Just then the window burst open and there was a flash of black. Before I even knew what was happening, that shrimp Hiei was standing on Kurama's bed glaring at us. He snarled so his creepy little fangs were showing, making Keiko look like she was about to have a heart attack or something.
"What are THEY doing here?" He growled. Something told me we might have picked a bad time to stop by....
