Title: Splinters
Sub-title: Kissing it better
Rating: PG K+
Disclaimer: I do not own Kurama, Hiei, or anything related to Yu Yu Hakusho. I own the plot and ideas; however do not steal them.
Pairings: hints KxH could be seen as brotherly
Summary: The intriguing conversations that come out when you're trying to avoid a question from a curious fox.
A/N: short and fluffy. It was something in my files that I had never finished. Or really started. It just had a title and a few sentences. I was going to make Hiei more OOC and whiny but I couldn't bring myself to it. I'm at least trying to say IC. Generally its fluff.
The tab isn't working. I'm sorry. I am not going to indent it myself either for fear of ruining it. Sorry for other grammatical mistakes too. Any others are probably my fault though heh.
Kurama stretched and then relaxed against the back of his chair. Outside the wind was blowing fiercely and the leaves were swirling around. It was early fall. School would be starting back soon. Too soon. Kurama thought depressed looking out the window.
He watched the trees leaves dying and the trees themselves going into hibernation. He shivered. In the Makai he could travel and stay away from fall seasons.
Kurama was so lost in thought it took two blinks worth of time before he realized that Hiei was sitting on the windowsill blocking his view.
"Good afternoon, Hiei," Kurama greeted warmly. The fire demon made a noise that Kurama took for a good afternoon. "What brings you here?"
"Nothing," Hiei said scowling at the window frame. Kurama raised his eyebrows.
He had known Hiei for a while and he knew that the demon was mostly in a permanent bad mood however Hiei seldom showed up for nothing scowling as he was. Kurama also knew however that Hiei did not like to be rushed into things.
"Any word from Koenma?"
"No."
"I'm afraid I can not go spar with you if that is why you are here, Hiei."
"It's not."
"Are you injured?"
"No," Hiei said glaring at him to accent his irritation.
"Something you'd like to share then?" Kurama requested.
"Since when are you so blunt?"
"Since when have you come here peeling my paint with your glares and sat in the window sill and pouted and sulked like a child, demanding attention but not answering my questions?" Kurama asked. His voice betrayed no irritation and the words were a low blow but when Kurama wanted to know something he'd pull out all the stops.
"I'll leave then," Hiei said calmly turning to jump onto the tree. Only to find that the tree had turned its branches away.
"I'd rather you told me what was wrong," Kurama responded with a hint of concern.
"Why so interested?"
"Friendly concern but I'd doubt you'd appreciate that so we can blame it on foxy curiosity if it suits you better," Kurama said frankly. Hiei gave him an exasperated look.
"Ningien words of ningien sentiments," Hiei huffed.
"I am half ningien," Kurama shrugged.
"You are not. You are Kurama. How much does that ningien body effect you? Really?" Hiei practically snarled.
"The body is mostly a weakness the ningien's mortality, consciences, and soul prove to be rather exasperating and the mind I do believe is less sharp then my demon one," Kurama said starring at the ceiling in the appearance of concentration which was mostly just part of his playful act.
"You annoy me. We both know that consciences are easily overcome. Even demons have them. You stole the body are you telling me then that the soul lives on?" Hiei asked sounding curious about the last part and decidedly aggravated that he was curious.
"A merger, Hiei. The soul is present, tied with Kurama's. If it's easier for you, think of one soul as Shuuichi and one as Youko and the combined package as Kurama," Kurama suggested.
"Then why are you so beholden to that human woman?" Hiei said.
Kurama noticed the lack of malice and mostly generally curiosity with a bit of disgust from Hiei. "True the souls are merged but Shuuchi's soul will never really get a chance to be, his soul is overshadowed by Youko's. In a sense he really never needed to grow up or gain values or anything because Youko's experience was given to him. His soul can only slightly affect the whole more like suggestions," Kurama replied.
"...You didn't answer the question," Hiei said quietly. He had tucked himself comfortably into the corner of the window sill. His eyes no longer conveyed hostility to Kurama or the world in general.
"Neither did you," Kurama reminded Hiei who looked as if he'd generally forgotten the original beginning of the conversation but Kurama was fairly sure he hadn't.
"So?" Hiei said turning his gaze from Kurama. "Tell me why."
"I didn't understand her. At first I did truly wish to leave this body. I wanted out then she saved me. It was something so simple. However, my original mother had never saved me. I was kept for a year then sent out with the pack. I got the bad end of the stick in a particularly gruesome fight and pretty much got sick of it and left. No one cared. But this human woman did. I was under the impression that humans were stupid and weak and nothing I'd seen in the Ningienkai had convinced me otherwise. Except when the woman saved me exhibiting some degree of fearlessness and for someone else. For a son that for all appearances didn't even love her. And I suppose Shuuchi and his be damnable conscience intervened and I grew to care for her and feel bad about the son I'd taken from her. Things are strange like that I suppose."
"That's why Kuwabara and Yusuke's display in Maze castle pleased you so?" Hiei asked after a moment.
"Human's self-sacrificing nature entices me. They are truly very odd creatures once you get to know them," Kurama answered with a shrug. "Did you know Yusuke first died by saving a child he barely knew from getting run over a car?"
"Hn. The child would have had one less bruise if Yusuke hadn't done as he had," Hiei replied with a bit of dark amusement lacing his tone.
"Is that so? And how did you find this out, Jaganshi?" Kurama asked amused.
"Botan. I was in the Reikai and she was leading me to Koenma. She wouldn't stop blathering," Hiei responded scowling at the memory.
"That's because you scare her and she babbles when she's scared."
"Are you suggesting I be nice to her to shut her up?"
"Heavens no. She would either go into shock or talk even more."
"Silly twit," Hiei remarked gazing out of the window. Kurama waited a few moments gazing at the dark form before grinning a bit and shaking his head.
"You never answered the question."
"I answered every questions you've asked. You just didn't like the answer."
"I'll ask again then. What's wrong?"
Hiei's face drew back up into a scowl. "It's really nothing."
"Tell me."
"It's stupid."
"Humor me, anyway."
Hiei let off a sigh still scowling. He turned the scowl onto Kurama who recognized it as a warning scowl. Most likely suggesting he not laugh at what was about to be revealed. Hiei slipped off the window sill and came to stand in front of Kurama who by this time was actually incredibly curious and slightly nervous.
"Well?" Kurama asked.
Hiei sighed once more and broke eye contact before holding up his right hand a few inches from Kurama's face. He unfurled his pointer finger from his fist and pointed it at Kurama.
"Hmm?" Kurama hummed following the path Hiei was pointing trying to find out what he was pointing at. A huff brought him back to look at Hiei who'd flipped his hand so his palm was facing toward the ceiling.
Kurama looked at the hand and noticed a small trickle of blood from Hiei's pointer finger. Taking a hold of Hiei's hand he guided it to where he could see it better. Laughter danced in his eyes.
"Sou ka," Kurama said his laughter badly suppressed. Hiei glared at him a small pink flush lighting his cheekbones.
"I told you it was stupid," Hiei responded tugging at his hand. Kurama kept his grip tight though and smiled up at the Jaganshi.
"It's fine. You can't get it out I take it?" Kurama questioned. Hiei nodded looking off to the side still trying to get his hand out of Kurama's grip. "I'm surprised you told me about it at all. Is it hurting?"
"No, it's irritating," Hiei replied scowling at Kurama's desk.
"It's on your sword hand?"
"Yes."
Kurama stood up keeping his grip on the smaller hand.
"Let's go to the bathroom. The lighting is better in there," Kurama said tugging Hiei into the bathroom connected to his room. "Did you get it from your tree?"
"Hn," Hiei responded irritatedly.
"Maa it's a splinter. It happens sometimes," Kurama said soothingly as he found a pair of tweezers. Kurama hopped up on the counter and patted the spot next to him. Hiei gave him a droll look but obligingly hopped up on the counter next to Kurama. "This might hurt a bit," Kurama warned, but they both knew it'd hurt no more than a bee sting.
"You're pinching skin," Hiei told him watching Kurama who was bent over his finger.
"It is stuck pretty deep. Perhaps I should try a needle," Kurama said fiddling with it some more. "Wait I've got it."
The small offending sliver was extracted from Hiei's finger and set fire to, courtesy of the fire demon himself.
One of Kurama's vines crept down from his hair and around his arm and just a drop of liquid fell from the vine onto Hiei's outstretched finger efficiently warding off any chance of infection. The vine retreated.
"All done," Kurama said still very very amused by the situation. "Want a bandaid?"
"A what?"
"I'll show you," Kurama said, hopping down and retrieving a small bandaid from the medicine cupboard. He opened it and pulled off the tags protecting the sticky edges. Carefully he wound the bandaid around Hiei's finger making sure the gauze was over the almost invisible wound. "There."
Hiei's nose wrinkled and he pulled his finger up to examine the bandaid. "That's pointless."
"Not for humans. They don't heal as fast as we do. This keeps out dirt and other things allowing them to do what they want without risking infection," Kurama explained watching Hiei examine his finger.
"Not necessary for a demon," Hiei concluded looking for the best way to tug the silly contraption off.
"Humans have lots of silly ideas about caring for their wounds," Kurama said leaning against the counter Hiei was still sitting on.
"Humans would."
"Some demons do too. Quit that, it's driving me crazy. If you must get rid of it let me do it," Kurama demanded frustrated. Hiei gave his finger back to the youko who easily undid the bandaid and, in a fit of playfulness and the desire to annoy Hiei, bent and kissed the little digit.
Kurama grinned looking up to see Hiei's reaction. Hiei's brow was furled and his eyes were glaring at the ningien-youko.
"You kissed my finger," Hiei accused him.
"So I did."
"You're lucky I didn't burn you."
"I have always considered myself rather fortunate."
"Why did you kiss my finger?"
"It's a silly ningien custom. They believe that kissing injuries takes away the pain."
"Ridiculous."
"It's mostly what ningien mothers do for their children. It's called 'kissing it better.'"
"You still haven't explained why you kissed my finger."
"I wanted to."
"Hn, annoying youko, stupid human," Hiei remarked jumping down from the counter. Kurama grinned. He was very surprised that Hiei hadn't just darted out of the room the minute the contact was made.
Then again, Kurama thought as he followed Hiei back into his bedroom, why would he? He has somehow managed to degrade himself to the point that he wouldn't even consider the possibility that I made that contact as a flirting gesture because he can't imagine anyone having any interest in him at all. Kurama plopped back into his desk chair wondering. Hiei had taken up residence on the window sill again; however he didn't say anything to Kurama and merely looked out the window.
Has anyone ever touched you as a gesture of comfort or love? Has anyone ever touched you not to heal wounds or to attack? Kurama wondered to himself watching Hiei sit there. He knew that Yusuke and himself had teased the demon a lot. Yusuke would occasionally put a hand on Hiei's shoulder or other small contacts but Kurama himself could probably count the number of times he'd just friendly touched his friend on one hand. How depressing.
Then again it was one of the things that made Hiei so endearing. At least in Kurama's mind. That need for someone and yet the determination to push everyone away. The way he acted better than everyone else but at the same time he really hated himself. The contradictions were such a sweet thing. And Hiei would and should surely kill me if he heard that thought. How utterly disgustingly sappy.
Kurama got up from his seat anyway and walked over to the windowsill wrapping both his arms around Hiei. He looked out the window over Hiei's spiky hair.
"Is this another human curing thing?" Hiei asked looking up at Kurama.
"No," Kurama responded not turning his gaze from the window.
"Why?" Hiei asked, looking back out the window.
"I wanted to."
Gah fluff! It's everywhere! I'm not sure if it's a one shot. I might make it a two-shot. I have an idea for a next chapter but its still formulating.
Sou ka -I see
ningien- human
Ningienkai -human world
Reikai spirit -world
Look for more fluffy Kurama and Hiei one shots. And hopefully one or two multi-chapters before school starts.
As always lufs, comments are appreciated.