And I'm back people, presenting another chapter of The Warmth of Heart. After this there will only be one more chapter, and I assure it will be the best and most special. And you know what? I've decided to make the undertone of this piece shonen ai between Kurama and Hiei, but nothing will ever happen. So those of you who don't like that couple, don't fret: nothing will happen, not even kissing, and never the word 'love' in that context. So don't worry!
Disclaimer: I unfortunately don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, its characters, or any storyline in it what so ever. They belong to Yoshihiro Togashi, FUNimation, and the works. I do, however, own this fanfic. I also don't own Dr. Suesse's The Grinch.
Warning: Again, this story is a Christmas one, which means no Hanukah or Kwanza or any other religion except the Catholic (and any other religion that celebrates Christmas). I'm sorry about that, but it isn't the religion of the holiday that matters. The message is most important, which is what I'm trying to get across to everyone.
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The Warmth of Heart
By Pixie Ayanami
Chapter 2: There's Something about Christmas Time
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About a week later, December 13th, Kurama surprised himself by almost having all of his shopping done. His house was all set and decorated in sparkles and shines. As he walked into the house and unbundled himself from all the clothes on to brave the cold (it was snowed pretty badly the previous night and was still coming down), he mused over all the wondrous buys he managed.
For his mother he bought a nice button-up jade green sweater. His mother didn't want very much. She usually never wore the jewelry he gave her in the past. A couple years before, he bought her a different sweater like the jade green one, and she loved it. However, Kurama accidentally shrunk it in the laundry after about a year, where it could only fit him and not his mother. Shiori didn't mind, but Kurama knew she loved that sweater…
He bought Yusuke and Kuwabara the same thing, like he did with the girls. They would receive a leather bound watch with quartz inside. The metal was silver (or at least it looked like it), and the watches over all had a look to them that the two boys would hopefully like. Now Hiei, Genkai, and a couple other people were all that were left.
As Kurama lifted the scarf from his shoulders, he smiled happily at the faint American Christmas music that played in the background. He kicked off his shoes and then carried his bags up the steps to his room, where he's been keeping his presents. No matter what, Kurama was going to make this the best Christmas ever.
"Shuichi? Is that you?" Kurama heard his mother call from the kitchen. He replied with some sort of greeting and she said, "Your friends Yusuke and Kuwabara are here, they want to see you."
"Ah?! Keep them right there, I'll be right back!" Kurama called back in a slight panic, quickly picking up his shopping bags and bolting up the stairs. They can't see their presents, it's a surprise!
Once he set those presents down in his bedroom, he stepped back downstairs to the kitchen. Taking a good look at his friends, he made the assumption that the two of them had entered the house not too long ago, for their hair was still wet with melted snowflakes. Smiling at the two boys, he said, "Yusuke, Kuwabara, it's nice to see you. What brings you here?"
Yusuke laughed a bit towards him and commented, "It's amazing how quickly you regain your composure after bolting up a set of stairs, Kur- um… Shuichi." Kurama thanked the gods that Yusuke didn't say his real name out loud in front of his mother and sweat-dropped at his statement.
"So why are you here again?" Kurama asked, mocking a tone of annoyance. Yusuke leaned backwards in his chair uncomfortably and Kuwabara ate a ginger bread cookie in just the same way. Kurama stared at them, attempting to figure out what was wrong, and then realized his mother was still in the room. He asked her to leave, and she did, of course, in her nice motherly manner and placed more ginger bread cookies on the table, along with refilling the boy's hot chocolate before she left. Once she was gone, Kurama looked back to the boys expectantly, both of which breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's a little embarrassing you see…" Kuwabara started, biting off the head of a gingerbread man he was holding. Kurama stared at the two intently, urging them to go on.
"See…" Yusuke began, picking out his words, "Er…. We don't know what to get our girlfriends for Christmas."
Kurama blinked, smile coming to his face. "Oh, is that all?" she asked, some giggles making their way out of his mouth.
Kuwabara growled, "Hey, it's not that simple! It's just that… well Keiko and Yukina are girls and we're not so um…"
"What stupid is trying to say is that we can't get them footballs for Christmas and expect them to enjoy them," Yusuke said with a turn of his head, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Kurama sat down and picked up a cookie.
"So…. You're saying that you don't know what to get them for presents," Kurama asked. The two boys nodded. Kurama smiled. "How about we go back out shopping later? I know what you could get the two of them."
"Not the same present right? Because I don't want to get the same thing dorkstar over there is getting Yukina," Yusuke said.
"Will you stop calling me names for just 5 minutes, Urameshi?!" Kuwabara asked the other boy who just shrugged.
"Whatever, stupid."
"Alright, enough of that," Kurama interrupted before a fought broke out in his house. "It won't be the same present, and they will be equally nice. You just have to know what the two of them like. Like Yukina, I've noticed that she takes care of her hair especially well, and almost seems proud of it."
"Oh, so a hairbrush would be good, right?" Kuwabara asked, smiling at his own intelligence.
Kurama sweat-dropped again. "Uh… well no. That's too… ordinary and such. It has to be special, like all presents." Kuwabara, though embarrassed at his stupid suggestion nodded in response. "Let's go out again when the snow calms down, ok? We can go into town, there are some nice shops there. You both have a good amount of money on you, right?"
"I don't know, I was thinking about getting Keiko something at the dollar store," Yusuke said, sarcasm kicking in again.
Kurama rolled his eyes. "Very classy. I'm sure whatever comes out of there will please her incredibly," he responded, equal amount of sarcasm in his voice.
"It's the thought that counts, ain't it?" Yusuke returned. A large smirk crossed his face as he found himself to be very clever.
"Stop being so silly, Yusuke. Have you decided to get Genkai anything?" Kurama asked, now making small talk.
"Yeah, a couple of good ol' punches should make the old hag very happy."
Kurama sighed, but smiled. It was friends like this he was grateful for. Which reminded him. "Would you two like to come over for Christmas? Atsuko and Shizuru can come too, of course. We're having a family get together, and I'm sure my mother wouldn't mind a few of my friends to come, too."
Kuwabara seemed to perk up. "Really? Shizuru and I rarely get to do anything on Christmas anymore! Count us in!" he excitingly stated.
"I dunno about Atsuko coming," Yusuke mused, "You know how she is around eggnog."
"We'll make sure it's non-alcoholic," Kurama said, thoughtfully. Yusuke muttered something about her finding a way to get drunk any how. Kurama chose to ignore that comment and thought of something they could do pass the time. "Do you guys want to watch some movies?"
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By time the boys were finished with watching movies, the snow stopped and the clouds actually parted in some places to show a deep blue color. It was only 4:30 p.m. but the sky was already becoming extremely dark. Kurama mentioned that they better go before it becomes too late.
On the ride to town (they were taking Kurama's car, since the other two boys not only did not have their driver's license but also didn't own one), as Yusuke and Kuwabara bickered over meaningless things, Kurama mused over the movies they watched. One of them was How the Grinch Stole Christmas, as Kurama insisted on watching it. The cold mean heart of the Grinch is disgusted with the Whos down in Whoville, and decides to make them all as miserable as he is by stealing their Christmas. By the end, though, he is overcome with compassion for the Who's when they still go on with their Christmas, even without presents, and does the right thing in the end. Kurama thought of how much the Grinch was like a certain friend of his. Cold and heartless, but is really good deep down under. Maybe if he showed this movie to Hiei, he'd think differently…. Or he'd just say it was stupid.
Already the streets were lit brightly with the beautiful flashing lights of Christmas. They pierced through the darkness, as if every bulb of light shown through with rays of hope and joy. The sidewalks were now busy with the people who crept out of their homes when the storm ceased and were going back to their own Christmas shopping. Jingle bells could be heard in the distance, whether it is the notion that store doors were opening or some person collecting money for the greater good.
There was only really one store Kurama had to show Yusuke and Kuwabara. It was the same store he always went to when buying his mother the jewelry she never wore. The inside was decorated with garland and other ornaments of green, red, and gold, while the items within the glass cases twinkled and shimmered with their own brilliance. Kurama brought them to a jewelry store.
Yusuke breathed in sharply. "This is going to be expensive, isn't it," he stated, sounding very uncomfortable.
"Well, I'm sure you think Keiko and Yukina are worth it, right?" Kurama asked, taking Kuwabara by the arm and dragging him somewhere else.
Kuwabara snorted. "Gee, Kurama, I don't think Yukina would wear any of this stuff….." she commented. She wasn't the type of girl who would go around boasting a 14 karat gold necklace studded with diamonds or anything.
Kurama shook his head and turned his attention to a pair of silver hair sticks that had fancy engravings of flowers on them. On the top they were studded with a tear like shape. Kuwabara awed at them and Kurama smiled triumphantly. "I told you before, Yukina takes extra care with her hair," he reminded, "I'm sure she'd love a pair of those."
"Yeah she would! And not bad for 50 dollars…." Kuwabara mused, taking out his wallet. Luckily he just received his paycheck, and could afford this expensive gift.
"Well now that Kuwabara's all set, what about me?" Yusuke asked, putting his hands in his pockets and looking at all the expensive stuff from the door.
"A ring," Kurama joked, laughter behind his voice. Yusuke scoffed.
"Don't even joke about that," he responded defensively, a deep blush forming around his face. After some deliberation, Kurama convinced the boy to buy Keiko a beautiful cross pendent. The two boys paid for their purchases, and then the three of them left. Kuwabara and Yusuke became distracted over a game store, however, and accidentally left Kurama. Kurama decided just to wait for them, because they would need rides home and he was a good friend.
From his spot on the sidewalk, he viewed all the people who passed him by. Some had little children who pointed to things in the window displays and telling their mothers that they needed it. Other people where calling family members on their cell phones frantically asking who wanted what for Christmas. Others he didn't know about, they just seemed to be going by with the crowd. Everyone, however, seemed happy beyond words. There was something about Christmas that made even the coldest of hearts warm. Except maybe one…
"Fox," came a voice from beside Kurama. At first the demon fox thought it was only his imagination, since he was thinking about that particular demon at that moment. But when he looked over, he saw the fire demon standing a few feet away from him. "What are you doing out here in the cold?"
"I'm just waiting for Yusuke and Kuwabara, I'm giving them rides home," Kurama responded with a smile. Hiei merely glared a little and took a few steps closer.
"Why are all these ningens running around like a chicken with its head cut off?" Hiei asked nodding to the people passing them by.
"They're just really into getting people gifts for Christmas," Kurama responded, "It's part of the holiday, since most of these people probably haven't seen their family for a good part of the year."
Hiei stared as if he was calculating what Kurama had just said. "So you mean to tell me that Christmas is a superficial holiday where people give each other presents to make up for all the unpaid visits over the year? I understand now."
"Well… no, Hiei, it's not that. It's the thought of giving that spreads joy into people's hearts," Kurama tried to explain again. Hiei jerked his head to the side and made some disappointed sound. "In fact, Hiei, would you like to spend Christmas with my family? We're having a party on Christmas Eve, and everyone's going to be there. So if you want you can come too and stay the night."
"But I don't have anything to give anybody," Hiei said, looking back at Kurama.
Kurama sighed. "Christmas isn't about what you give someone. It's about being with your loved ones. Presents are just something extra," Kurama said, moving closer to the little demon, "It's about the feeling you get in here." He pointed to the little demon's chest, where his supposed heart lay. Hiei's eyes widened a bit at the gesture but then hardened again as he stepped backwards.
"That's absolutely stupid. Christmas… What a pathetic excuse for a holiday." And with that the fire demon flitted off into nothing.
As Kurama stared at where his friend was standing, Yusuke called from behind him, "Hey, Kurama! Let's get going!" Staring into the crowd silently for a few more moment, Kurama seemed to not have heard him. Then he turned and nodded, bringing himself to the car and turning it on.
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We waited all through the year
for the day to appear
when we could be together in harmony
You know the time will come
peace on earth for everyone
and we can live forever in a world where we are free
let it shine for you and me
There's something about Christmas time
something about Christmas time
that makes you wish it was Christmas everyday
--Bryan Adams
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Thanks for the two people that reviewed this story. : Hopefully more people will read this, it is a very special fanfiction!
Oh and here's a thought: Hiei does act a lot like the Grinch, doesn't he? XD My friend said he wanted to write a fanfic like that, I wonder if he'll actually go through with it. Oo
I'll see you all next time! Please read and review, reviews make me happy and will bring a joyous Christmas! :D