Authoress's Notes: Here I am. WOOT WOOT. I want to get this ficcie done soon. Whaddya think? Around thirty chapters, I think. Like, really awesome Hikari Nanase story length. Hm? Yeah, she r0x3rs your b0x3rs!! But she doesn't do anything anymore. *is sad* Anyway, I also most certainly recommend Ciu Sune's fics!! Our relationship started when I told her I loved her for reviewing all my fics! Good times, good times...
Actually, still good times. What the hell am I talking about?
Anyway, I should probably get on with the fic now, because I notice nobody ever reads this, so I have to put it in the end authoress' notes because nobody pays attention to up HERE!!! Sure, only read down THERE, as if up HERE isn't good enough for you!!!!
*mutters viciously*
~A Red Rose in the Darkness~
Chapter Nineteen
"So, Hiei, what are you doing today?" Kurama asked Hiei, who was seated across from him at their tiny kitchen table.
After chewing a pancake that he shoveled into his mouth and swallowing it whole, he replied with a sarcastic, "I'll laze around and pretend I know what I should be doing."
Kurama stared at him a moment. Hiei was acting more...casual this morning. It was then the fox noticed Hiei's tiny feet propped up on the table beside him.
The fox clicked his tongue, shaking his finger. "Hiei, feet off the table."
Hiei looked at his feet a moment, then swung them off of the table.
"Hiei," Kurama decided to slowly slip into a conversation, "Are you okay?"
The fire demon snorted in response. Good answer. Kurama was on the right track. The goal was to get Hiei feeling as concerned as possible and then ask him how he felt about it all. The fox is very devious.
"Why do you ask?" Hiei reluctantly asked.
"Oh, no reason that I'm happy enough to tell you about..."
Hiei sat up straight, fully aware of his lover now. "You aren't happy?"
Kurama sighed in response, altering his brow just enough to seem depressed about something. He said nothing. No denial, no agreement, just to rack Hiei's brain until he comes out with the one question. Right about...now.
"What's wrong?" Hiei asked, trying to stare into Kurama's eyes.
The fox turned away, as if forsaken enough to not be able to look into those eyes.
"Fox, I want you to tell me now. What is wrong?" Hiei asked sternly.
"N-nothing..." Kurama said, pretend studdering.
"Kurama."
"I"m sorry, Hiei..."
"If you still think that your step-father's death was your fault, I told you before. It was self-defense. Clearly you had the right to protect...yourself," Hiei paused. How very un-Hiei-like.
Kurama knew what that pause was about. It wasn't himself that Kurama was protecting, it was Hiei. The fire demon didn't want to admit it, but he probably thought that he was weak. Kurama felt sorry for leading him on like this. He leaned over the table to be closer to Hiei.
"Hiei, you know very well who I was protecting."
His head snapped up to meet Kurama's gaze. "Stop. I don't like feeling so weak. Do not remind me."
Kurama decided to quote Hiei on something he had said to him the morning before. "You need to face the reality someday, Hiei."
A glare was set his way. Kurama hadn't seen that glare in a while. Hiei wasn't one to enjoy when his own advice was sent his way. No doubt on the inside Hiei felt exactly how he made Kurama feel that morning. Like crap, to put it in understandable terms. Kurama regretted saying that, but it was true, and they had both better face the truth before it was too late.
Hiei realised that the fox might seem offended, and he softened his gaze. "I will see you when you come home. I am going to visit the Kuwabara household and do the 'babysitting' of Rei."
Kurama leaned back in his chair. "Yes..."
He was about to say more, but the phone by his side rang. He picked it up. "Hagiri? Hello."
Hiei stood, pulling his trademark black cloak over his head, and picking up his sword.
"What!? Touya was sick and you didn't even tell us? You know I could've made some herbal remedies to easily cure him," Kurama said, pulling his medicine out from under the sink, a better place than in the bathroom.
"Of course it wouldn't taste bad, I'm not that cruel...what are you talking about? It wouldn't inconvenience me at all...ah, Hiei. I'll check."
Kurama, mixing his plants together, held the phone to his shoulder. "Hiei, on your way to the Kuwabaras' could you drop off this medicine for Touya? Jin would come had he not gone back to the Makai..."
Ah, the Makai. Hiei remembered it well. It was where he belonged. Where none remained not stained in blood. Although, the thought of belonging still made him itch inside, with the name he had given up. The Forbidden Child. It stuck with him no matter what he did, no matter who told him he belonged with them. He even sometimes thought of giving Kurama up and go back to his former way of life, not caring about anyone, not even himself.
But of course, he knew that he couldn't ever leave Kurama, no matter what came up. And, now that Yukina stayed here in the Ningenkai as well, Hiei also felt obligated to her. Then there was Rei...one of the few he knew that wasn't stained in blood that he cared about.
"Hiei?" Kurama asked again, breaking his thoughts.
"As you wish," Hiei replied, simply.
For some reason, that hit Kurama in the chest like a knife twisting through his heart. Hiei constantly listened and obeyed every word that came out of Kurama's mouth, and Kurama was starting to get tired of it, though some people would use that to their advantage, Kurama wasn't one of them.
Hiei was hopelessly loyal and devoted to those he cared about or respected. Not many on those lists, but Hiei was strange. Kuwabara was even on those lists, shocking enough. The three at the top of the list were Kurama, Yukina, and Rei, whom Hiei hadn't seen in a while and felt the need to go see the child. The child that was more than likely causing trouble. After all, his father WAS Yusuke Urameshi who attracted trouble in pathetically large portions.
Kurama handed him the bottle, and he flitzed away.
The fox stared after him a moment, with a sad glance. He couldn't keep the fire demon cooped up forever...
It seemed he got to Sniper's apartment to quickly because he had no time to think about anything. He knocked on the window of Hagiri and Touya's bedroom. The ice master stood from the bed and opened the window. Hiei made a quick observation. "You seem well. In need of rest, but well, nonetheless."
"Kurama made this for any after-effects," Touya explained, rubbing his temples.
"Where is Sniper?" Hiei asked out of curiosity.
"He left already."
"So you get left behind as well..." Hiei muttered to himself.
"Not at all. Hagiri is always eager to see me after school and work. I can see it in his eyes."
Something clicked in Hiei's mind. He knew what he had to do to help Kurama, because obeying his every command didn't seem to work enough.
"What do you think if...I got a job?" Hiei asked. He wanted to help Kurama in any way he could.
"Well, I..." Touya thought for a moment. "As long as you stay away from flammable items, you would be fine. Also, no killing or flipping over the shoulder. You know, that kind of thing."
"And you're one to talk, right?" asked Hiei, remembering the "movies".
Touya blushed ever so softly. "There's something about a job you would abhor, Hiei."
"And what is that?"
"There are people above you, that will boss you around, get angry with you, and yell at you. I know that you are one who is not used to being looked down upon (pardon the pun), so getting a job would not be something you would enjoy."
Who said he was in it for the pleasure? If he had to be looked down upon, in more ways than one, then so be it. Anything for his fox.
Hieica: WHOA!! Where do you think Hiei could get a job? I have no idea! HELP!!! Anyway, that's chapter nineteen for you. Have fun! ^.^
Swissy: Review!! *brandishes a cucumber* BEWARE THE CUCUMBER!! *martial artist screech*
What are you people waiting for!? REVIEW!!
Actually, still good times. What the hell am I talking about?
Anyway, I should probably get on with the fic now, because I notice nobody ever reads this, so I have to put it in the end authoress' notes because nobody pays attention to up HERE!!! Sure, only read down THERE, as if up HERE isn't good enough for you!!!!
*mutters viciously*
~A Red Rose in the Darkness~
Chapter Nineteen
"So, Hiei, what are you doing today?" Kurama asked Hiei, who was seated across from him at their tiny kitchen table.
After chewing a pancake that he shoveled into his mouth and swallowing it whole, he replied with a sarcastic, "I'll laze around and pretend I know what I should be doing."
Kurama stared at him a moment. Hiei was acting more...casual this morning. It was then the fox noticed Hiei's tiny feet propped up on the table beside him.
The fox clicked his tongue, shaking his finger. "Hiei, feet off the table."
Hiei looked at his feet a moment, then swung them off of the table.
"Hiei," Kurama decided to slowly slip into a conversation, "Are you okay?"
The fire demon snorted in response. Good answer. Kurama was on the right track. The goal was to get Hiei feeling as concerned as possible and then ask him how he felt about it all. The fox is very devious.
"Why do you ask?" Hiei reluctantly asked.
"Oh, no reason that I'm happy enough to tell you about..."
Hiei sat up straight, fully aware of his lover now. "You aren't happy?"
Kurama sighed in response, altering his brow just enough to seem depressed about something. He said nothing. No denial, no agreement, just to rack Hiei's brain until he comes out with the one question. Right about...now.
"What's wrong?" Hiei asked, trying to stare into Kurama's eyes.
The fox turned away, as if forsaken enough to not be able to look into those eyes.
"Fox, I want you to tell me now. What is wrong?" Hiei asked sternly.
"N-nothing..." Kurama said, pretend studdering.
"Kurama."
"I"m sorry, Hiei..."
"If you still think that your step-father's death was your fault, I told you before. It was self-defense. Clearly you had the right to protect...yourself," Hiei paused. How very un-Hiei-like.
Kurama knew what that pause was about. It wasn't himself that Kurama was protecting, it was Hiei. The fire demon didn't want to admit it, but he probably thought that he was weak. Kurama felt sorry for leading him on like this. He leaned over the table to be closer to Hiei.
"Hiei, you know very well who I was protecting."
His head snapped up to meet Kurama's gaze. "Stop. I don't like feeling so weak. Do not remind me."
Kurama decided to quote Hiei on something he had said to him the morning before. "You need to face the reality someday, Hiei."
A glare was set his way. Kurama hadn't seen that glare in a while. Hiei wasn't one to enjoy when his own advice was sent his way. No doubt on the inside Hiei felt exactly how he made Kurama feel that morning. Like crap, to put it in understandable terms. Kurama regretted saying that, but it was true, and they had both better face the truth before it was too late.
Hiei realised that the fox might seem offended, and he softened his gaze. "I will see you when you come home. I am going to visit the Kuwabara household and do the 'babysitting' of Rei."
Kurama leaned back in his chair. "Yes..."
He was about to say more, but the phone by his side rang. He picked it up. "Hagiri? Hello."
Hiei stood, pulling his trademark black cloak over his head, and picking up his sword.
"What!? Touya was sick and you didn't even tell us? You know I could've made some herbal remedies to easily cure him," Kurama said, pulling his medicine out from under the sink, a better place than in the bathroom.
"Of course it wouldn't taste bad, I'm not that cruel...what are you talking about? It wouldn't inconvenience me at all...ah, Hiei. I'll check."
Kurama, mixing his plants together, held the phone to his shoulder. "Hiei, on your way to the Kuwabaras' could you drop off this medicine for Touya? Jin would come had he not gone back to the Makai..."
Ah, the Makai. Hiei remembered it well. It was where he belonged. Where none remained not stained in blood. Although, the thought of belonging still made him itch inside, with the name he had given up. The Forbidden Child. It stuck with him no matter what he did, no matter who told him he belonged with them. He even sometimes thought of giving Kurama up and go back to his former way of life, not caring about anyone, not even himself.
But of course, he knew that he couldn't ever leave Kurama, no matter what came up. And, now that Yukina stayed here in the Ningenkai as well, Hiei also felt obligated to her. Then there was Rei...one of the few he knew that wasn't stained in blood that he cared about.
"Hiei?" Kurama asked again, breaking his thoughts.
"As you wish," Hiei replied, simply.
For some reason, that hit Kurama in the chest like a knife twisting through his heart. Hiei constantly listened and obeyed every word that came out of Kurama's mouth, and Kurama was starting to get tired of it, though some people would use that to their advantage, Kurama wasn't one of them.
Hiei was hopelessly loyal and devoted to those he cared about or respected. Not many on those lists, but Hiei was strange. Kuwabara was even on those lists, shocking enough. The three at the top of the list were Kurama, Yukina, and Rei, whom Hiei hadn't seen in a while and felt the need to go see the child. The child that was more than likely causing trouble. After all, his father WAS Yusuke Urameshi who attracted trouble in pathetically large portions.
Kurama handed him the bottle, and he flitzed away.
The fox stared after him a moment, with a sad glance. He couldn't keep the fire demon cooped up forever...
It seemed he got to Sniper's apartment to quickly because he had no time to think about anything. He knocked on the window of Hagiri and Touya's bedroom. The ice master stood from the bed and opened the window. Hiei made a quick observation. "You seem well. In need of rest, but well, nonetheless."
"Kurama made this for any after-effects," Touya explained, rubbing his temples.
"Where is Sniper?" Hiei asked out of curiosity.
"He left already."
"So you get left behind as well..." Hiei muttered to himself.
"Not at all. Hagiri is always eager to see me after school and work. I can see it in his eyes."
Something clicked in Hiei's mind. He knew what he had to do to help Kurama, because obeying his every command didn't seem to work enough.
"What do you think if...I got a job?" Hiei asked. He wanted to help Kurama in any way he could.
"Well, I..." Touya thought for a moment. "As long as you stay away from flammable items, you would be fine. Also, no killing or flipping over the shoulder. You know, that kind of thing."
"And you're one to talk, right?" asked Hiei, remembering the "movies".
Touya blushed ever so softly. "There's something about a job you would abhor, Hiei."
"And what is that?"
"There are people above you, that will boss you around, get angry with you, and yell at you. I know that you are one who is not used to being looked down upon (pardon the pun), so getting a job would not be something you would enjoy."
Who said he was in it for the pleasure? If he had to be looked down upon, in more ways than one, then so be it. Anything for his fox.
Hieica: WHOA!! Where do you think Hiei could get a job? I have no idea! HELP!!! Anyway, that's chapter nineteen for you. Have fun! ^.^
Swissy: Review!! *brandishes a cucumber* BEWARE THE CUCUMBER!! *martial artist screech*
What are you people waiting for!? REVIEW!!