$.$ I feel rich! I want to thank all of you guys for reviewing, and a special thanks to my lucky 21 kikira-san! You guys all rock!! Here's chapter seven!

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH.

- The Discovery -

Kurama wheeled the cart past the crowd of people that stood at the front of the market. Hiei walked alongside him as he moved around, expertly dodging the consumers as he made his way towards the aisles.

Kurama took the list out of his pocket.

"We might as well check and see if we need anything from this aisle, since we're already here..." he said. Hiei leaned against the cart as Kurama looked at the list, surprised when it moved with him. Right...the wheels. Hiei hid his embarrassment. "What...is this?" Kurama asked. Hiei, studying the wheels of the cart, didn't look up at Kurama when he spoke.

"What's what?" Kurama eyebrows nearly met in the center of his forehead as he studied the list.

"Orange jews...banilla cuss?" Hiei looked up at him. "Were you...listening to me when I said this to you?" Kurama's expression was amused and so Hiei smirked.

"I wrote what you said," he said.

"But...Hiei...what's a flute bladder?" Hiei shrugged.

"I wish I knew, Kurama," Hiei said. "Ningens eat weird things, how'm I supposed to know what it is?" Kurama nodded.

"You're right..." he said. "I think we should leave the writing part to me."

"Good idea."

"You just stand there while I try to decipher this list," Kurama said. "Don't wonder off when you see something you like." Hiei nodded, but did just that when he saw the woman at the end of the aisle handing out samples of a new squid snack. He went over to her.

"Come on, get'em while they're hot. Got a lot of rikishis out here and you gotta stay big and strong. I know you want 'em! Get'em while they're hot." Hiei stepped up to the table, barely able to see over it. The woman's ice blue eyes trailed down to him. She gave him an irritating smile.

"Hey, sonny. Want a sample?" She leaned forward, handing Hiei a dried out looking squid on a stick. Hiei reached up, took it and ate it. He nodded.

"Not bad," he said. She took the stick and gave him a slip of paper.

"Half off," she said. "Tell your mom you want them for dinner." Then her attention went to everyone else. "Get'em while they're hot." Hiei looked down at the paper, shrugged and started towards Kurama. He was talking with some guy Hiei didn't recognize. Hiei walked over to them slowly.

"So how about it?" the man was saying.

"I'll have to think about it..." Kurama said, sounding uninterested. His back was to Hiei.

"I know you'll be there," the man said. Hiei didn't like his tone. How dare he tell his fox that?

"Right..." Kurama said, in that 'get real' type of way. The man gave Kurama a look Hiei would have killed him over and walked away.

"Who's the loser?" Hiei asked loud enough for the guy to hear.

"Someone I went to school with..." Kurama said, watching the man walk away. "Some weirdo who wants me to go to this party on Friday. Why...I don't know." Kurama looked down at Hiei. "We never talked in school."

"Usually I don't let people influence the things I do, but I'm sick of people like him and all those girls. You're going out with me as of right now. So stop talking to them." Kurama looked surprised, but didn't oppose. He nodded. Hiei sighed and handed Kurama the slip of paper.

"What's this?" Kurama asked. Hiei pointed to the woman.

"She told me to tell my mother to get them for a half off dinner," Hiei said, going into one of the modes Kurama liked to see best. "So can I have them, mom? Can I, can I, can I?" Kurama laughed a little and began to wheel the cart away.

"Let's go get the orange jews," he said.

After Kurama paid for the groceries and he and Hiei brought them home, he busied himself with putting them away. Hiei sat in the kitchen with him, waiting for him to finish. Though Kurama wasn't necessarily having fun putting oatmeal on a shelf, his expression was one that Hiei was used to. Hiei was therefore at ease.

Kurama finished and made himself a bowl of cereal. He sat down next to Hiei and ate. Hiei looked at him.

"So I guess we're not going to go?" he asked. Kurama shook his head.

"It's getting late and mom will be home soon."

"Oh." Hiei looked away and then back at Kurama. "So tell me...what's the biggest reason why you stay here...?"

"Why I stay here?" Kurama asked, scooping some cereal into his spoon. "This is my home now...didn't we already go over this?"

"But the biggest reason. Think about that one and then ask yourself is it worth it?"

"Of course I think it's worth it," Kurama said. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be here right now."

"But you're still thinking about leaving though, Kurama. So apparently you're not as sure as you think."

"I don't plan to leave my life behind," Kurama said. "I do not. I'm going to live here until I die and that's that." Hiei folded his arms and looked away again.

"Good. I'll only like it here as long as you do and they don't have that 'I scream' stuff like they have here in the makai."

"Ice cream..." Kurama said slowly. "Ice cream. I've got to get you used to saying these things. I still can't get over how you called cheese "sheeze" for the longest time. What is sheeze, anyway?" Hiei shrugged.

"Cheese, sheeze," he said. "It's all the same to me." Kurama nodded.

"I'll have to remember that," he said. "Anyway, are you going to stay the night?"

"Don't I always?"

"You didn't last night."

"That's because you were going through things and I needed some advice. Everybody needs space sometimes."

"I could have used the company..." Kurama said.

"Well, I'm here now, so use it all you like."

"Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Oh." Hiei leaned forward over Kurama's bowl of cereal. He sniffed it, reached inside, and took a piece of fruit out. "I was thinking about fixing dinner," Kurama said. "So if you're hungry, I'm open for suggestions." Hiei shrugged.

"Whatever you make is fine." Kurama nodded and finished off his cereal. He rinsed out the bowl and went over to the refrigerator. He pulled some chicken meat out of the freezer and set it inside the sink.

"Be right back," he said heading for the hallway. "Don't touch the meat, alright?"

"Hn." Kurama went up the stairs to his room. As soon as he entered, he heard it.

'You know, Kurama...? Just a little here and there, it's as simple as that. What would it hurt, Kurama?' Kurama shook his head, but found his eyes drifting over to his pillow.

"I can't..." he told himself.

'Yes, you can. And you will. You'll take it tonight.' Kurama went over to his closet door and opened it. On the floor, tucked away in the corner was a small Benson burner he'd had for years. He kneeled and reached for it.

'It won't be hard. It won't be hard at all. Once Hiei falls asleep, you'll take the first dose, won't you? Then you'll be free again. Just imagine.' Kurama shook his head again.

"I...can't..." he said again.

'But you will.' Kurama stood up and went over to his bed. He reached out and smoothed his hand over his pillow.

'That's right...now get it out and take it. The sooner, the better.' Kurama ran his hand down the pillow and slipped it underneath.

He felt around.

Nothing.

His eyes widened in surprise and he whipped the pillow from the bed. The serum was not there. He remained as calm as he could as he dropped to his knees. He looked under the bed, but didn't see the bottle anywhere.

Where could it have gone? He was sure it put it there the night before—he was positive. What on earth could have happened to it? Kurama sat back on his heels, sighing heavily. He looked over at his drawer and sprang towards it.

He pulled it open and looked inside. Again, there was nothing.

"Inari!" he whispered sharply, digging through the neat stacks of paper inside. He lifted to glance around the room. That was when his eyes met those of the fire demon.

Hiei's expression was hard as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the serum.

"Looking for this?" he asked.

O.O Did...I just leave you guys hanging with a major cliffy? ::grins evilly:: You bet I did. But I'll update soon, I promise! I...think...

And...if you guys are confused about the vials of serum, good. That's exactly how I want you to be right now. But...if you know what's going on...you're awfully perceptive... AnyHOO... Thanks a billion for reading, minna-san! Please review!

J3