At this time of the year the park was brimming with the sweet scent of cherry blossoms. Each flower looked like the blushing cheek of someone in love. Small birds were a flight in the air, dipping and diving as they played with the wind. People on their springtime outings could be seen strolling casually, their children frolicking amongst the shallow puddles from the prior night's drizzling rain. The sun shone down illuminating the entire park adding a pink tint to those people wearing white as the rays went through the flower petals. The temperature was too hot to wear a coat, but not warm enough to wear less than a tank top or skirt. The trees in full bloom were bustling with creatures who could hide amongst the foliage…including one fire demon, more than obliged to scare away even the most adorable squirrel.
Hiei had hidden himself amongst the pink flora and was at the moment practicing his fighting stances; anything more vigorous and he might have set the tree on fire…which might have drawn attention and ended the lives of many an unknowingly human. He had been in this tree since day break and the intensity of holding his poses had left the fire demon more than a little drenched in sweat, so he now practiced in his tank top and black trousers…the shirt laid to the side out of the way. He was finishing another set of positions and was about to be done with his training for the moment when his concentration was interrupted.
'Harder…faster…keep-going…ignore the little goblin…don't…let it…DAMN!!' Hiei ceased his vigorous training to glare, hatefully down through the branches of his tree. His garnet eyes narrowed at the form of what he considered to be yet another spoiled ningen, as Hiei called them, infant crying for its mother. He had considered himself to be blissfully alone, with most of the humans staying near the ponds edge and away from the more dense parts of the small man made forest. He was mistaken however and not two minutes ago a human family had settled itself down for an indeterminate amount of time. It was not specifically the human adults but the infant in particular who had ruined his otherwise stoically silent exercise. Hiei, with an astonishing amount of initial patience, had managed to keep training through the incessant mewling of the infant…at least until the mewling became screeching!
"WAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Another morning of persistent training obliterated by ningen interference. If there was one thing Hiei had always shied away from besides grown ningen creatures, it was the miniature version. Whether it was from the sheer shrill annoyance of an infant's cries or the thought of being close to something so…reviled and burdensome, in Hiei's mind, he could not tell. For that is what children were to him…burdens on not only the general populace but also upon the parents. Hiei clenched his teeth and seethed inwardly…he hated being stopped so close to ending his set and now the momentum of his exercise was gone. Hiei would have to do yet another set later on to make up for the one lost. He slid his katana back into its sheath and grabbed his outerwear angrily from the branch, scaring some birds off in the process.
"Hn! Stupid ningen swine, bringing their offspring to such a secluded place as this only to have it disturb what ever peace I could find on such a wretched plane of existence! Might as well be torturing a cat to get the same affect!" Hiei exclaimed in an unusual display of emotion. It was not that Hiei lacked emotions or feelings, but he felt most were not to be trusted with such information about himself. A potential enemy lay in everyone he saw, or possibly was unable to see. When it came to the beings he actually held in some respect Hiei had always kept the emotions covered up like a thin cloth hung over a piano…a shape could be made out when it came to what the fire demon felt but one could not determine the details, at least…most who knew Hiei could not discern what he felt.
"Now Hiei I know you do not entirely mean that, do you?" came a calm, yet humored voice from below the tree branch. Hiei did not even need to peer below to know who that voice belonged to.
"Hn. Fox, you of all beings should be the one to complain of such a racket. Your ears are far more sensitive than my own…or has that trait dissipated along with your other demonic qualities, due to your transformation?" Hiei snidely replied. Kurama chuckled to himself and shook his head, running a hand absentmindedly through his think mane of red hair. He realized Hiei was just trying to rile him a bit due to his present…crankiness at being disturbed not once, but twice this evening (once by the human and second by the fox). Kurama also knew that as rude as Hiei appeared when referring to the plant manipulator's status as a human, he half-heartedly meant anything by it. This was more a display of Hiei's disdain for humans, not for Kurama himself.
"And yes of course I mean it! If I were as cold blooded as I should be, an urge to silence that vile creature would have over come my better judgment." And there it was again, Kurama thought, Hiei trying to cover up his decency with excuses. 'Like hiding an elephant under sheets of gauze…seeing right through to the bigger picture.'
"Hiei the baby can not help it. You know as well as I that even demonic offspring need to find ways to get attention when they have needs yet to be met. The only difference is a demon child would most likely singe your hair rather than make your ears twitch." Hiei made no response to this because, like always, Kurama was right, especially when it came to humans. Though Hiei would never let him know that.
"Out of curiosity my friend why does that brand of human bother you so much? They are harmless creatures and in my humble opinion, they can be rather endearing once you get used to them." Kurama smiled pleasantly at his fond memories.
"Hn. Fox you play too often with that ningen brat at Yusuke's. It is making you even softer than usual…just don't go reminiscing about the past joys around potential enemies; it would be both embarrassing and unfortunate…for you." Hiei replied, referring to Haru, Yusuke's toddler cousin.
Kurama frowned slightly and his eyes gleamed with sorrow…as time had progressed after his mother had healed past her illness, the former fox demon had made an effort to remember the man his mother had married…the one who was technically Kurama's human father. He often found himself swimming in a collage of old memories from his days as a demon and more recent memories of being an infant, a child far too cruel to deserve a mother so loving as Shiori. Kurama would then lose track of different memories and find his mind wandering through the forests of the Makai, far from any memories of the second father he never had; the fox demon was almost ashamed to admit…he had no idea what the man's name was, and he was certainly not going to upset his mother so soon after recovery with painful questions about the man she once could hold and love. Not long after Kurama's disappointing attempts to remember bits of his human childhood, Yusuke showed up to a detectives meeting in the Reikai holding a rather rambunctious toddler that resembled himself. After numerous strange looks and Kuwabara being punched in the face, for asking how Yusuke could have gotten Keiko pregnant when they were not even datng, Yusuke explained that his aunt had moved into the city and with her new job she had asked Atsuko to babysit…which really meant Yusuke had to watch him while his mother got over her hangovers. Kurama had immediately warmed up to the young boy and rather than pay attention to regal Koenma standing on his desk, the fox had played and talked about nonsensical things with Haru. Noticing that Kurama enjoyed the toddlers company and was in general a little down, Yusuke often had the fox demon come over to look after his cousin with him and of course, when the leading detective felt like goofing off Kurama was always happy to take Haru. Now that Yusuke had gone off to train for many months at Genkai's temple, in preparation for his second mission into the Makai for some kind of tournament, the fox demon often stayed at Atsuko's during the day, exusing himself from school because let's face it Kurama aced most of his classes effortlessly, to watch over the adorable little boy. He especially enjoyed the cute way that Haru called him "kwama" instead of "kurama".
Hiei thought the fox's babysitting was just another excuse for Yusuke to relieve himself of that squirming goblin, but upon seeing Kurama's saddened frown Hiei mentally kicked himself in the head for saying what he had said. As hard-hearted as the fire demon preferred to act around others, Hiei had always possessed a softer spot for his partner in crime; this had proved to be more of an asset than a weakness, and Kurama's friendship was slowly, but surely bringing Hiei out of a very thick, and calloused shell of bitterness.
"…(mumble)..ahri….." Hiei grumbled. Kurama looked back up at the tree branches to see the face of a fire demon peering downward. The fox was more than a little surprised at seeing the flame-like black hair amongst all of that pink fluff, like a fire amongst the blossoms, and quirked his eyebrow, holding in a laugh at the site...for that surely would have sent the fire demon sprinting away in embrassment.
"What was that Hiei?"
"…I am sorry, Fox. I had forgotten why you went to that…child in the first place." Kurama smiled at this uncharacteristic gesture. Despite the rocky beginning surrounding the incident during Yusuke's first real mission, and the fact that Kurama had left the alliance with Gouki and Hiei for personal reasons, the fire demon was still the honorable individual Kurama had met not long ago. In the time since then Kurama had helped Hiei become more used to the world of the humans, showing him that the forests here, though less treacherous, could be just as calming as those in the Makai. Hiei often felt he owed Kurama for his helpful nature and for the time he had healed the fire demon after their initial meeting; though, Hiei did not feel squelched by this obligation but rather motivated by it to be a better partner. Hiei did not necessarily show it, but he did care about Kurama as his partner and found no honor in causing him further pain simply to prove a point about a useless ningen.
"I accept your apology but…you did not answer my initial question." At that Hiei jumped down to the ground and out of the tree, bring with him a flurry of petals and annoyed chirping birds.
"Well where do I begin? Correct me if I am mistaken but they appear to be nothing except weights sitting upon their caregivers' shoulders and bothersome to others with whom they make contact. I see those ningen parents walking their brats around this city allowing themselves to be taken advantage of by a creature that is basically an external parasite!" Kurama's eyes widened slightly as he looked down at the fire demon as he pulled on his cloak. The fox had no idea Hiei was so heated when it came to this subject.
"But Hiei those parents put up with the difficulties of raising children because they love their children…much in the same way a friend would be patient with another friend. I am sure you have patience with me when I do something not entirely to your liking." Hiei twitched at this…Kurama had a point, and certainly the fox had put up with some things that he had pulled in the past…hmm like attacking the fox when they first met.
"Hn, perhaps. However, I read the minds of those parents daily and have seen what some really feel in the pits of their festering souls. Not all of them even wanted their children to begin with; accidents waiting to happen…but I do not think I have ever wanted to rid myself of you in any way…nor you me." Kurama furrowed his brows slightly and watched Hiei's face with intent. It was contorted only at the corners of his eyes and mouth, so nearly indistinguishable that any stranger would not have noticed the change, but Hiei seemed stuck in some past painful memory. That tone of voice was not one of the usually heated debater…but of the same lost soul Kurama had first seen in Hiei. His face was now completely impassive but the meaning of his statement was clear…he had been thinking of himself as an infant, unwanted by both parents and an entire culture no less. He felt himself to be an accident…the forbidden child they called him. Perhaps he could not understand why these parents should be any different from his own.
Was he…was Hiei jealous? Jealous of those infants whose cries were answered when his were left to the wind? Envious of the childhood he never had, squandered on trying to survive alone? Or simply unwilling to show any affection toward such infants, because he believed his parents were justified in finding a child unworthy of care? Kurama's heart ached at these thoughts and hoped that he was wrong on all accounts, but he knew better; he knew it was all of those reasons rolled into one, for Hiei was not a simple-minded being. He was as complex and had as many emotions as any other person. Kurama just happened to be the one to see through his protective façade of apathy.
'Why do I hate them so much? In truth these…smaller creatures have never touched me…but they ask for so much,' Hiei pondered the possibility that he wanted what they had but was not the one willing to give it. Kurama stepped forward and placed his hand on Hiei's shoulder…receiving the response he expected.
"Fox what in the hells of the Makai do you think you are doing?" Hiei asked both puzzled and uncomfortable with the contact.
"Nothing Hiei. Simply my way of saying, no…I have never wanted to be rid of you and I never will my friend." Hiei smirked at this…still the same old dependable Kurama, his only friend. It still amazed Hiei that he was even allowing himself to call another being HIS friend…and in so short a time after meeting the fox. He had submitted to opening himself to his partner and Kurama never held back with his own feelings, always patient and letting Hiei adjust at his own pace to this concept of being a close friend.
"Oh that reminds me of the official reason I came to find you here. Koenma, unfortunately has a job for just the two of us and requests both our presences in Reikai immediately." Hiei's frustration vein twitched and Kurama backed up a pace giving Hiei's steam some room to diffuse. Naturally, Hiei recomposed himself from a murderous look to an emotionless one.
"Damn that royal pain in my ass. Hn, if we must I have nothing better to do now that these ningen have trampled upon my solitude." At that he blurred off unnoticed by the slowly sensed humans, and fully aware that Kurama was able to and did follow him at a matching speed to a portal for the Reikai.
TBC…..this story has been completely reconstructed with a new plot and newly designed supporting characters though the same basic principles…..please give it another chance…I know it was horrible before! HD