When Kurama woke up, Hiei was gone.
At first, he thought that the demon had simply vanished to wherever he goes. It was only when he heard Hiei's voice coming from downstars that he started and when he heard his mother's voice replying he thought his heart would stop.
He jumped for the door, and bound over the stairs.
Breathing hard in the doorway to the kitchen, two pairs of eyes settled on him.
"Shuiichi?" His mother said, setting down a tea-cup. The smile she had faltered for a moment. "Shuiichi, are you alright?"
"Yes, 'Shuiichi', what's wrong?" Hiei replied. He sat behind his mother so the woman didn't see that the concerned voice and the sneering face didn't match.
"Hiei?" Kurama started.
"Kurama." Hiei said and the look on his face truly was demonic. What was he doing?
"Are you boys hungry?" Kurama's mother asked.
"No." Answered Kurama.
"Yes." Answered Hiei.
Kurama stared at Hiei like a drowning man while the look Hiei gave Kurama could best be described by that of the cat who had just caught the canary and was slowly pulling out its feathers one by one.
Kurama sighed and walked over to his mother and kissed her on the cheek. "Good morning, mother." he said.
"Good morning, Shuiichi. You must have been tired to have slept so late."
Kurama just smiled.
As his mother set about cooking breakfast, Kurama sat next to Hiei and hissed in a soft voice. "What are you doing, Hiei?"
"Nothing, 'Shuiichi'. Merely getting to know your mother a little better." Hiei wasn't even trying to keep his voice down. "After all, I have heard so much about her."
"Good things, I hope." Kurama's mother laughed.
"That is all I have heard." Hiei said.
Kurama searched Hiei's face. Perhaps the little demon was just curious. Perhaps he was just evil. In any case, he wasn't really doing anything and Kurama was releaved to see that the bandana over his jagan was firmly in place. Kurama let himself relax-minuetly.
"Do you and Shuiichi have many classes together?" Kurama's mother asked. She was putting a pan on the stove now. Her back was to the boys. Hiei looked at Kurama and Kurama shrugged.
"No." Hiei answered.
"Which ones do you have together?"
Hiei thought for a moment. "Fighting." he answered.
Kurama sighed. "He means P.E., mother."
Kurama's mother laughed. "So, what is my Shuiichi like at school, Hiei?"
Hiei grinned using all his teeth. "He's..." His eyes settled on Kurama. "Different."
"Oh?"
"Hiei..." Kurama said and his eyes lit in warning.
"Yes. Different. Does that suprise you?" said Hiei and didn't wait for her answer. "He's not the same human you see now when he not here. There is something that changes in him. Like he is a wholey different creature. Does that frighten you?"
Kurama looked stricken. "What are you doing?" he mouthed.
"Hn." Hiei said.
However, the two demons were so caught up in their glaring contest they didn't notice the human woman at all, but soon enough the did. After all, it was hard to miss all that laughing.
"What's so amusing?" Hiei said.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Kurama's mother managed, her face bright. "You speak very strangely."
"What's so amusing about the way I speak?" Hiei growled.
"You make Shuiichi sound almost...not human!" She was laughing so hard that she didn't even notice Kurama, but Hiei did. He sat on his stool with a perfectly schooled expession on his face. "People are always different, Hiei, depending on where they are, but they are also the same, too." She said as the laughter faded into a small smile.
"Hn." Hiei said.
"Breakfast is almost ready. Shuiichi?" She had turned to Kurama and saw the look on his face that was too forced. "Are you alright, Shuiichi?"
"Yes, mother." he said, but he couldn't bring himself to smile back at her.
...to be continued...