3. He Meets Obstacles
Kurama was on his hands and knees in a small flowerbed towards the back of the courtyard in which Kuwabara had found him playing chess with Yukina. The knees of his faded jeans were smudged with the rich soil, and his hair was tied back in a loose ponytail. He sat back for a moment, taking in the earthy scent of the courtyard and savoring the rare feeling of cool breeze against the back of his neck.
He was planting tulips, some of his favorite flowers. Admittedly, they didn't make as useful weapons as roses did, but they were still very pretty. And though they normally wouldn't bloom until next spring, he was sure that putting a little of his own ki into them would not only be harmless, but it would also let Yukina and him to enjoy tulip flowers year round . . .
In the midst of giving some ki to what he was sure would be a fine pink-and-white specimen, Kurama detected a foreign ki signature. He grinned.
"Hiei, how long have you been there?"
Hiei jumped off the wall and landed gracefully on the stone paving surrounding Kurama's flowerbed.
"About two minutes."
"Well, then my reflexes must be getting slower." He stood up, dusting off his jeans.
"I wouldn't say that," Hiei snorted. "You were just too absorbed in your little flowers."
"Does it amuse you to watch me secretly and see how long it takes me to realize that you're there?"
"No, I was just trying to figure out what anyone would want with so many weeds."
Kurama laughed. He knew that Hiei knew that insulting his plants was one of the surer ways to annoy him. He wasn't going to let Hiei get the satisfaction of seeing him irritated. Instead, he plucked out one of the tulips he had just buried in the earth, and inserted a little extra ki into it. It immediately burst into a full-fledged tulip blossom, with gorgeous scarlet petals.
"Oh? 'Weeds'?" Kurama handed the tulip to Hiei. "Well, here's one. I'll let you have it. It will stay fresh for a couple of weeks, so you'll have plenty of time to figure out what anyone would want to do with it."
Hiei took it between his fingers and twirled it around idly. "No, thank you," he said at last. "Weeds are only good for mulch."
Kurama took it back, returning Hiei's challenging smile. Two could play this game.
"I'll save it for Yukina, then," he said, and the tulip shrank to become an ugly round bulb. He put it in his pocket.
"Speaking of Yukina," said Hiei in a tone that was too forced to be casual, "where is she?"
"Over at Kuwabara's house," Kurama said with wicked glee at the horror on Hiei's face. "With Shizuru and Keiko," he added.
Hiei glared. "I see."
"I suppose you're here to talk about Yukina?"
"What makes you think that?"
"I can hardly expect that you dropped in to banter about weeds with me."
"As pleasant as it is, I suppose not," Hiei said dryly. Then his manner became businesslike, as if he was getting to the point. "Kurama, I want to ask you – what are the movies?"
Kurama smiled. It was so funny when Hiei, heir of one of the three rulers of Makai, showed up to ask some absurdly simple question about Ningenkai.
"Movies are a story-telling medium," he explained. "Moving pictures on a big screen. There are special buildings just for movies, with lots of big screens, called theatres . . ."
"Oh yes," Hiei said abruptly. "Like television."
"Yes," said Kurama. Hiei was a quick learner, and remarkably familiar with human things for someone who didn't spend any time in Ningenkai when he could avoid it.
"So," Hiei continued, "you wouldn't say there was anything in movies that could hurt or frighten Yukina?"
"Of course not," said Kurama, bemused at the strange direction this conversation was taking.
"Then how do you explain this?" Hiei thrust his hand into the folds of his cloak and brought out an article which appeared to have been torn out of a newspaper.
Kurama took it and skimmed through it. "Dangerous movies . . . corrupting children . . . extreme violence and sexuality . . . controversial issues . . . ah, yes. Hiei, like I said, movies tell stories. All kinds of stories. Some of them are bound to have violence and sex, and other disturbing things in them."
"Do you think I want Kuwabara to expose Yukina to these kinds of things?"
"He won't. Hiei, you may not know a lot more about romance than Yukina does, but I do," and here Kurama was interrupted by Hiei muttering, "Shut up, youko." Kurama allowed himself a predatory grin and went on, "and any kind of really distressing movie isn't conducive to a romantic atmosphere. Kuwabara will know to stay away from an R-rated movie."
"R-rated?"
"Er – well, movies are rated according to how much controversial material they contain . . ."
And that was how Kurama spent his afternoon explaining the fine lines between G and PG, and PG-13 and R, etc. to Hiei.
Friday evening arrived all too soon for Hiei, and not soon enough for Kuwabara.
Hiei showed up promptly at five-twenty.
"Where's Yukina?" he demanded.
"She's still getting ready."
"What? Why isn't she ready yet?"
"She's just putting on a few finishing touches," Kurama said soothingly. "She wants to look her best for Kuwabara."
"Hn," Hiei snorted. Kurama smiled. Perhaps that wasn't the best way to go about soothing a rabidly overprotective brother, but it was certainly more fun.
There was a knock at the front door; at the same time Yukina entered the room. Instead of her usual blue kimono, she was dressed in a ruffled pink skirt and a white blouse, and her hair hung down her back in a single neat braid. She looked absolutely adorable.
Kurama let Kuwabara in, and he gazed admiringly at Yukina, apparently too impressed for words.
"Do you like it?" she asked, giving a little twirl. "Kurama helped me pick out these clothes."
Kuwabara felt a sudden stab of envy. Kurama had taken his Yukina out shopping, and had watched her trying on all sorts of gorgeous outfits?
"Well, Botan and Keiko helped me too," Kurama said modestly.
Hiei was eyeing the skirt. "Doesn't that skirt seem too short?" he asked Kurama pointedly. Actually, the skirt stopped just above her knees and showed barely any thigh.
"I think it looks rather sexy, actually."
All of a sudden Kuwabara wanted nothing more than to knock out Kurama's front teeth. The color drained from Hiei's face. He turned, very slowly, to face Kurama.
"I was just kidding," Kurama pouted one moment later, nursing his black eye and cut lip. For once in his life, Kuwabara was glad that Hiei existed.
"Hn. I'll make it up to you."
"Kurama, are you all right?" Yukina raised her healing hands to his face.
"He'll be fine," Hiei said brusquely. "Let's go."
"Have a good time!" Kurama called cheerily after them, blood still trickling from his lip.
Hiei and Kuwabara ignored him, but Yukina turned back and waved with equal happiness. "We will!"
Next to her, Hiei snorted.
The three of them hurried down the temple steps to the front, where Kuwabara's car was parked. Kuwabara went around to the driver's seat and got in. On the other side of the car, Hiei held the passenger door open for Yukina before getting in the back. Kuwabara smacked himself mentally. Why hadn't he thought of that?
Yukina didn't seem to notice, though. She beamed at Kuwabara. "So, Kazuma, where are we eating?"
Hiei poked his head out from the rear seats, ostensibly to hear better, but really to serve as a barrier between Kuwabara and Yukina.
Kuwabara spoke over Hiei's head, as if he weren't there. "It's this really nice Western restaurant close to the movie theatre . . ."
"Hn," Hiei scoffed. "Western food."
"I'm sure I'll like it," Yukina said brightly.
"I hope you will." It was a rather upper-class restaurant; Kuwabara had wanted to impress Yukina. If Hiei wasn't going to eat anything, so much the better. The prices there were high.
Following that, Kuwabara tried to make light conversation with Yukina, but it was hard with Hiei's head protruding between them. He was relieved, therefore, when they pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant.
"It looks very nice," Yukina said, looking at the glittering façade of the restaurant.
When they got inside, Kuwabara confirmed his reservation, and a waiter ushered them to a cozy table in a corner. They each picked up their menus.
"I think I'll order the chicken cordon bleu," Kuwabara said, perusing his menu.
"I want the salmon," said Yukina.
"I'll take the steak," Hiei said finally.
"So we're all ready to order . . . while I call over a waiter, you guys can look at the desserts and drinks." Kuwabara hailed a passing waiter with a pencil mustache.
He ordered the chicken, his drink, and a slice of cheesecake as dessert. Yukina placed her order once he was done. Hiei looked up from his menu last and said, "I want this steak, this wine, and this sundae." He pointed at each item as he named them.
Kuwabara swallowed. Hiei had ordered the most expensive thing in each category. But it would be too embarrassing to say anything, especially in Yukina's presence.
"Very good," said the waiter, jotting everything down and then leaving.
"Tell me," Hiei said to Kuwabara, "how long is this movie we're going to see?"
"An hour and a half. It starts at six-thirty."
"So we'll be on our way home by eight. Good." Hiei seemed satisfied. Then he addressed Yukina. "When you went shopping with Kurama, did Keiko and Botan really go along?"
"Yes."
"Good," Hiei said again. "Listen to me, Yukina: on no account are you ever to go shopping with Kurama alone."
Yukina laughed. "Hiei, I spend most of my time alone with him in Genkai's temple."
Hiei seemed struck by that thought. "That's right," he muttered. "Maybe it's time to change that."
"That's not a bad idea," said Kuwabara, who didn't want to be left out of the conversation.
Hiei eyed him strangely. "I suppose you want her to move in with you."
"No – not that," Kuwabara said hastily. "Of course, I don't mean that I don't like the idea," he assured Yukina, "but, um -,"
"Why don't you just keep your mouth shut instead of putting your foot in it every time you open it?" Hiei said coldly.
"Hiei!" Yukina protested.
"Hn."
There was a long, uncomfortable silence after that, broken only by the arrival of the waiter, bearing their dishes and beverages.
Hiei picked at his steak moodily. "This is too dry," he declared, setting his fork down.
"It looks fine," Kuwabara said angrily.
"I'm not eating it."
"Why you - ," he half-stood. Hiei smirked, as if to say Go ahead. Kuwabara sat, closed his eyes and breathed deeply to calm himself. He was seeing red. That was sixteen dollars down the drain.
"Aren't you going to be hungry?" Yukina asked.
"No."
There was another stiff silence as Hiei and Kuwabara stared at each other hostilely.
"I like my fish," Yukina said helpfully.
Kuwabara smiled gratefully at her. Hiei only said darkly, "If it starts to taste funny, spit it out and don't eat any more."
It was a strained affair after that. When their desserts arrived, Kuwabara stared at Hiei's enormous ice cream sundae and wondered two things: whether he was going to proclaim it fit for ingestion, and how much it cost.
His first worry was resolved when Hiei took up his spoon and began digging enthusiastically into a vanilla scoop covered with chopped nuts and chocolate syrup.
His second worry was completely realized when he received the bill and saw that the sundae cost nine dollars. The entire bill came to about seventy dollars. Thanking whatever gods had helped Kurama convince Hiei to let him date Yukina, Kuwabara paid for it with his credit card. If he'd forgotten to bring that little piece of plastic, he would have been screwed.
All in all, he couldn't have been happier when dinner was over.
Kuwabara noticed Yukina shivering once they stepped out of a restaurant. Remembering how Hiei had stolen the opportunity to act chivalrous when they were getting into the car, Kuwabara didn't lose a second in gallantly saying, "You look cold, Yukina. Let me give you my jacket."
She smiled gratefully at him. "Yes, it is a little cold. It's funny, too, wouldn't you think, that a Koorime can feel cold?" Her words were punctuated by a sneeze that could only be described as cute.
Only Yukina could sneeze cutely, Kuwabara thought, in the middle of taking his jacket off. Hiei was quicker though. In one swift motion, he threw off his black cloak and draped it around Yukina's shoulders.
"Don't bother, Kuwabara," he said smugly.
Yukina blinked. Kuwabara really couldn't blame her. If she didn't understand what love was, how must it look to her, two men fighting for the right to give their jackets to her? He glared at Hiei, thinking You may have gotten the best of me these first two times. Never again.
Hiei continued smirking.
When they got into the movie theatre, he asked, "What movie are we seeing, then?"
"It's a romantic comedy. Uh . . . that one." Kuwabara pointed at one of the posters adorning the walls.
Hiei squinted at it. "Rated PG-13 . . . for nudity and sexual innuendo?" He turned to Kuwabara. "Explain yourself."
Kuwabara rolled his eyes. "It's PG-13. We're all older than thirteen."
"Speak for yourself –," Hiei was interrupted by Yukina, who placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay, Hiei. I'm sure I can handle it."
Hiei's jaw worked furiously, but it seemed as though he had nothing further to say, so Kuwabara bought their tickets. They walked towards the center of the lobby.
"Do you guys want any snacks?" Kuwabara only asked out of courtesy. He didn't expect them to want anything to eat after they had just had a seventy-dollar dinner.
"Yes."
He'd forgotten about Hiei.
"Okay . . . what do you want?"
Hiei walked over to the glass-topped freezers. "This . . . this . . . and this."
A vein pulsed on the side of Kuwabara's neck. "Okay," he said through gritted teeth. He paid for them. "Is there anything else I can get you, Hiei-san?"
Yukina smiled, apparently under the impression that her brother and suitor were starting to get along. Hiei simply looked at Kuwabara strangely.
"No, let's go."
They settled into middle seats with the best view. Hiei restrained himself from plunking down right between Yukina and Kuwabara, but he perched threateningly in the seat to Kuwabara's left.
The movie started quickly, to Kuwabara's relief. There's no one you can't deal with – not even Hiei – in the middle of a darkened theatre. Though the slurping sounds he was making as he ate his ice creams were annoying . . .
The movie itself wasn't an Oscar-candidate, but it was pretty funny and fluffy. Kuwabara decided to try slipping his arm casually around Yukina.
What – OH! Sudden pain in his chest! Sudden, freezing, wet pain – Kuwabara's arm dropped, and he brought up both of his hands to feel his shirt. It was all . . . wet, sticky, and cold. It was . . . ice cream. Hiei's ice cream!
He looked around wildly at Hiei. "Hiei! Bas -," he said in a strangled tone.
Hiei smirked. "Keep your hands off Yukina."
Yukina detected the disturbance and, blinking, looked at Kuwabara. "Kazuma? What is it?"
"Uh . . . nothing," said Kuwabara, surreptitiously trying to wipe and lick the praline pecan off his clothes. He would have gone to the bathroom to wash it off, but he didn't doubt that the first step he took, Hiei would whisk Yukina off so that Kuwabara would come back to three empty seats.
It was lucky, really, that he hadn't given his jacket to Yukina. In the end, he simply zipped it up over his shirt to hide the stains.
In the car, once the movie was over, he asked Yukina hopefully, "Do you have more of an idea what love is now?"
Yukina bit her lip, thinking. "According to this movie, it involves mating, lobsters, and lots of tissues."
"Okay," he said slowly. "Maybe not."
"Hn. What did you expect from a movie called 40 Men in 40 Nights? It was nothing but frenzied dry-humping and angst."
Kuwabara wanted to bang his head against the dashboard in despair. How much money had he wasted tonight?
Evidently Yukina sensed his gloom, for she said, "I know love is something different . . . something more . . ."
But she still didn't know what it was.
The return drive to Genkai's temple was as uncomfortable as the first drive. This time, Yukina was the one trying to make conversation. Kuwabara answered in monosyllables, Hiei with thinly veiled jibes at Kuwabara.
At the door, Kurama greeted them. "You and Hiei go on in," he told Yukina. "I want to talk to Kuwabara."
"Okay," said Yukina. She went inside with Hiei, still chattering in an attempt to coax forth conversation.
"How was it?" asked Kurama, leaning on the doorframe.
"It was completely awful," Kuwabara moaned, breaking down the second Hiei and Yukina left.
Kurama raised an eyebrow.
"I don't want to talk about it anymore." Kuwabara said, waving his hands hopelessly.
"Well, if it was that bad . . . in future, you can always come to me for advice," Kurama said compassionately.
"Okay . . . thanks," Kuwabara mumbled. "I'm going home now. 'Night." He staggered to his car.
"Goodnight," said Kurama, with concern. He shook his head. What exactly had happened?
Inside, Yukina was still talking with Hiei, who had his cloak back. "Kazuma certainly seems determined to show me what love is. Hiei – oniichan – can you tell me what love is?"
Conflicting emotions could be seen warring across Hiei's features. "No," he said gruffly.
Yukina looked surprised.
"You have to find out what it is for yourself," he said softly over his shoulder. He exited the room.
Yukina's confused eyes followed him on the way out.
A/N: The made-up movie 40 Men in 40 Nights is a corruption of the real movie called 40 Days and 40 Nights. Teehee. Blame it on perverted me.
To Psycho 24: Of course Yukina isn't Hiei's slave! He's just overprotective of her because, well, all older brothers are overprotective of their sisters, and looking at the circumstances (Yukina was kidnapped and tortured for what, two years? They were separated nearly all their lives, etc.) it isn't surprising. Plus, you can't deny he detests Kuwabara.
Thanks to everyone else for their reviews, and keep them coming!
