Special thanks to my loyal reviewers.
Standard disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho
Chapter 3
Story… Dreams… 'Thoughts'
From the blissful look on my lover's face he must have liked the special way I chose for us to spend our twentieth anniversary. On the outskirts of Gandura there is a little known place that, for a price, will cater to its customer's every desire. And my lover had many desires. The room was perfect. Decorated in rich colors, with bold furniture, there were plush pillows scattered across a large four-poster bed and music softly playing in the background. A small table was set for two, an elegant meal on the side bar, a special wine to quench our thirst. All this, and what drew my lover's attention? All the shiny treasures I had them litter the room with before we arrived. Not one was larger than the palm of his hand. This was so it would be easier for him to sneak them into the overnight bag we had brought, for I knew that is where they would end up. I was right of course. The evening progressed as planned, we ate and tiny, jeweled statues disappeared. We danced and one by one gold and silver baubles were tucked away. Last but not least, as we made our way to the bed for a wild and memorable night of pleasure, small crystal figures found their way into our bag wrapped gently in our traveling clothes. I wonder if I will ever know if the pleasure I see on his face is from sneaking away with all those shiny treasures or from our lovemaking.
Suddenly my lover jumps from the bed, carefully digging in the now overstuffed bag he brings out a small wrapped package. Wearing only the smile I love so much he presents it to me. Inside, nestled in black velvet is a beautiful red pendant. One I had greatly admired on a very large, very powerful demon we had robbed a few months before. It was reported that the demon never took it off, even slept with it. We never found it or him when we robbed him. I don't even want to contemplate how he got it. As he places it around my neck I pull him down to properly thank him for my gift. Later as we drift off into an exhausted sleep the last thing I hear is him sigh… "I love you Kuro."
'The dreams don't startle me anymore' Hiei realized as he woke from yet another one. At first seeing his mate make love and call out another man's name had really disturbed him. It was hard to believe that after only two weeks he had grown accustom to it.
Knowing if he tried to get up he would disturb Kurama, who had become a very light sleeper since the dreams had started, he stayed where he was. Cuddled in his lover's arms, with soft red hair tickling at his nose.
Kurama rarely changed to his softer, human, Shuuichi form since they returned to Makai seventeen years ago. He only changed now at the occasional special request of his mate. After his human mother Shiori died, Kurama walked away from his human life and never looked back. Last night was one of the rare times Hiei had asked for the red head. Hiei had thought that a break from his Youko mate might just quell the dreams of him with his dead lover. It hadn't worked.
As morning came Hiei looked into the deep green eyes he had grown to love so much. "I missed you Fox."
Kurama, sensing that Hiei might still need the patient and compassionate 'Shuuichi' a little longer, had not changed back yet. With a soft smile he brushed his fingers across the fire demon's cheek and lips. "I'll always be right here if you need me Hiei-Koi."
xxxxx
The redhead had patiently waited till early evening trying to draw out whatever might be bothering his husband before giving up and changing back to his demon form. 'If Hiei really needs Shuuichi, he'll ask for him.'
It took Hiei most of the day to work up the courage to ask the silver Youko about Kuronue again. He considered talking to his redheaded fox but decided against it. 'Kuronue was Yoko's lover not Shuuichi's.'
A little while ago Hiei had noticed, it seemed for the first time, small trinkets littering the shelves where some of Kurama's precious pictures were held. Almost seventy years ago when he and Yoko had first lived here there had been no pictures or trinkets, nothing sentimental in the tree house at all. 'It must be a side-effect from his being human for so long.'
The pictures he understood, several were of their friends, or family as they now considered them, from their days as Reiki Tente. One was of Yusuke and Keiko with their son; another was Yukina and Kuwabara with their three girls. A few were of Hiei with a redheaded Kurama and several were of Kurama's family, especially Shiori his human mother. There was even a special one Hiei had needed Koenma's help to get as there were no cameras in Makia; it was of his beautiful Youko taken at the dark tournament.
What he didn't understand were the trinkets, or treasures, as his Youko mate would call them. When he saw them earlier he felt sick. They were just like the treasures from last nights dream. This was the opening he had been waiting for. "Kurama, where did all these little trinkets come from?"
Kurama's answer was casual. "Oh, I had them put away in one of my dens."
'Damn it Fox! I finally want you to talk and that's all I get?' Taking a deep breath he tried again. "But where did you get them? From some job you did?"
With a little chuckle Kurama met his gaze. "So curious these days Hiei. I normally wouldn't want to upset you but since you've asked me to tell you more about Kuro I will. They were a gift from him."
The fox then told him of the special way they had celebrated their anniversary. By the time Kurama finished, Hiei wasn't sure he could breathe. His mate had just described last nights dream, right down to the last detail. Only one thing remained to be seen.
"You told me before that you went back for the pendant, can I see it?" Hiei waited as Kurama hesitated, then went to his treasure box to remove the pendant. The fox held it for a moment, with a distant look in his eyes, before passing it to Hiei.
Now he really couldn't breathe. It was the pendant form the first dream, the one he saw again last night. "Why haven't you ever shown me these things before?"
With a smile Kurama took the pendant and lovingly placed it back in his treasure box. "Well Hiei-Koi, I wasn't sure how you would react, me keeping things from an old lover. It's not like I hid them. My treasures have been on the shelves for several years now, you just never asked where they came from. You're not upset that I kept them are you?"
Hiei thought a moment. No it really didn't upset him. Actually, he kind of liked that Kurama had kept what he was beginning to think of as his pendant. "No fox, keep your 'treasures', they can't hurt us."
Hiei looked away. 'At least I don't think they can.'
