Once again, no homework today! You all should love me right about now. Anyway, I left a couple unexplained loopholes in the last chapter, and I apologize for that. I'll try to amend that this time around. I was having trouble concentrating last chappy. I've been sick since Sunday plus I was brainstorming about the sequel to this fic before I wrote the last chapter. I guess I just wasn't really paying attention to what I was writing. :P Like I said, I'll fix it now. BTW, congrats to all you who correctly guessed who the baddies were. Didn't I tell you it would be obvious? Oh well, enjoy. ON WITH THE FIC!
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Hiei lay quietly on the bed, pretending to take a nap. Kurama was in the kitchen going over the bills, as had become his normal Sunday routine. Conversation between them had all but ceased completely after Hiei had decided he must leave for the Makai, now three days ago. Tempers were stretched to their max and one of them was going to snap soon.
Hiei had given up being in the fox's company at all when he could help it. If he got up when the fox did, he got yelled at for not sleeping enough and if he stayed in bed the fox was angry he wasn't getting up. The situation was much the same with his eating habits. If he tried to cut back on his food consumption, thus saving the fox some money, he was reprimanded for not eating enough, and when he ate normally he was reminded of their diminishing budget. He had never seen Kurama this high strung, it was sickening.
The half-Koorime's stomach growled, the sensation almost painful. He'd waited too long to eat again. Sighing, he debated whether or not to brave the kitchen where the stressed fox sat, ready to pounce. His stomach growled again, again borderline painful, and he forced himself to get up.
As quietly as he could he entered the kitchen. The fox didn't look up from the papers scattered across the table and that was fine with Hiei. He all but tiptoed across the linoleum, trying desperately not to draw attention to himself. He felt emerald eyes flick to him for a moment as he opened the fridge and felt guilty again. Guilty was all he seemed to be feeling lately. Taking a single pickle from the almost empty jar, he closed the fridge and had to stop himself from simply running from the room.
He was almost out of the kitchen when he stopped. He really didn't want to make the fox angry, and when he was going over bills was the peak time for that event to occur, but tomorrow was Monday…he'd be leaving. Hiei bit his lip, debating whether or not he dared to ask the fox now or wait unit later. He definitely wasn't going to go to the Makai without asking, that was for sure. He wouldn't leave unless he had to.
"Fox?" he asked hesitantly, pivoting to face the redhead. Kurama grunted a response, a sound that was all too close to Hiei's usual 'hn's. Hiei suddenly found himself wishing Kurama would call him 'Quickfire'. The fox hadn't used the nickname since nearly three weeks ago, when everything started to fall apart.
"C-couldn't we…get money from…somewhere else?" Hiei asked softly, looking down at the pickle in his hand.
"I've already borrowed from my mother," Kurama said lowly, almost a growl. Hiei looked up, startled. Kurama had never growled at him before. The redhead had yet to take his eyes off the papers before him.
"No, not her," Hiei quickly assured the fox.
"Then who would you suggest, Hiei?" Kurama finally looked up, fixing Hiei with a frustrated steely glare.
"Well, Koenma could pitch in. It's the least he could do after all the times we've put our asses on the line for him," Hiei said quietly, in the soft, unsure voice a child uses when they are afraid their answer is wrong.
"Don't you think that's the first place I went?" Kurama half-yelled, startling Hiei again. Apparently he was in a jumpy mood…damn mood swings.
"Well you never told me that!" Hiei shouted in his defense. Kurama seemed to calm slightly.
"I didn't?" Hiei shook his head. Kurama sighed and rubbed his temples tiredly.
"Gomen…I thought I told you…"
"What sorry excuse did he give to get out of it?" Hiei asked quietly. Though he hid it, he was actually rather relieved at the fox's reaction. It was the first time he'd acted apologetic in weeks.
"At that time, we hadn't discussed whether or not to tell the others and so I didn't tell him. He said he couldn't requisition a loan without a reason and when I couldn't give him one, well, that was that," Kurama explained. He looked up at Hiei and flashed him a wry smile. "Besides, both you and I know our prides would never allow us to take money from anyone, even as a gift. Steal it maybe," he added, the smile broadening, "but not except it when it was given. Even if we did get money from Koenma, it would just be another debt to pay off." Hiei nodded.
"What about…our money?" Hiei said after a moment. Kurama sighed, annoyance slipping into his voice again.
"Hiei, if we had money we wouldn't have a problem."
"That's not what I mean," Hiei replied, finally taking a bit from the pickle he had been holding. "I have some gold coins in the Makai. I'm sure you must have a few things of value stashed away somewhere as well." Kurama looked almost shocked.
"That thought never crossed my mind," the redhead mused quietly to himself. He was silent for a moment, contemplating, Hiei taking the moment of peace to finish his pickle.
"No," Kurama's firm statement split the silence.
"What?" Hiei asked, frozen halfway through the process of licking pickle juice off his hand.
"No, it's out of the question," Kurama replied.
"Why?" Hiei asked stubbornly. This was his last chance. If Kurama didn't agree, then he'd have to go himself.
"For starters, I will not have you in the Makai while you're pregnant," Kurama answered. Hiei opened his mouth to protest but Kurama interrupted, shaking his head.
"No, Hiei," he repeated. "It's too dangerous. I won't let you put yourself and our child at risk."
"Then you go!" Hiei cried. Again Kurama shook his head.
"I can't."
"What are you talking about?" Hiei demanded, eyes narrowing in anger. Kurama kept his cool under the glare, a surprising feat given the current circumstances of their relationship.
"Hiei, I made peace with my past, with the Youko and everything affiliated with him. That includes the Makai. I won't go back. Not as long as I still have a life as Shuichi Minamino…maybe not even after that." Hiei blinked. He hadn't even considered that. Slowly, his shoulders sagged in defeat. He'd have to leave, there was no other option. Half sighing, he decided that he had better sleep unit his fox left for work tomorrow morning, he'd need all his strength to face the Makai.
"I'm going to bed," he announced. The slight slump of his shoulders and the deep, almost-sigh exhale of breath had not gone unnoticed by Kurama.
"Hiei is something wrong?" he asked quietly, tenderly. Hiei felt tears brimming in his eyes and stubbornly forced them back. The fox hadn't used that tone of voice in so long, too long.
"No, nothing's wrong, fox," he muttered, shaking his head and briskly leaving the room. Once in the bedroom he promptly laid down and willed himself to sleep. This would all go much smoother if he didn't see his fox again until morning. He still had to find out where his katana was, but couldn't bring himself to do now, not after his fox had just spoken to him so sweetly. He sniffed loudly, forcing the last of tears away, and fell into a dreamless sleep.
(xxx)
Hiei was startled awake as he felt warm arms wrapped around him. He half expected to wake up in the Makai and find himself being smothered by some youkai or another. He was almost surprised to realize he was in the fox's apartment…his home.
"Gomen. I didn't mean to wake you," a soft alto whispered in his ear, making him shiver.
"Hn," he grunted simply. His fox was pressed against his back, arms encircling his waist and hands resting on his stomach.
"Quickfire," Kurama gently nuzzled the back of Hiei's neck. The fire demon's heart melted at the use of the long forgotten pet name. "I'm sorry about the way I've been acting these last few weeks."
'Don't do this fox,' Hiei pleaded silently, eyes moist once again. 'Not now! Please…don't make this any harder then it has to be. Please!'
"Forget about it," he managed to say. It took all his willpower to keep his voice from cracking.
"No, it was horrible of me to be so short with you," Kurama kissed his ear. "I shouldn't have worried so over these…these stupid bills." He paused, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to remain calm. "Things will be better from now on, I promise. We'll get through this."
Hiei wanted to cry. His resolve was slowly crumbling.
'Stop it, please! It won't get better, not until we have the money to make it better. You know that. Stop lying to make me feel better……you're only making it worse.'
"You wanted to ask me something the other morning," Kurama mused. "And I brushed you off," he added guiltily. "What was it?"
"It was nothing," Hiei answered quickly. 'Don't do this now!'
"Hiei…"
"It was nothing, fox! Nothing important. Go to sleep." Hiei prayed Kurama would let it drop. Kurama's hold on him tightened.
"Alright," the fox said gently. "If you don't want to tell me, I won't push you." There was silence, broken only by a wide yawn from Kurama.
"Hn. You're tired, fox," Hiei mumbled, trying to feign his normal behavior, a hard task when all he wanted to do was break down and cry. A chuckle sounded from behind him.
"Goodnight, Quickfire." He kissed the ear again. "I love you."
Hiei waited until the redhead's breath on his neck had evened out in sleep before allowing a single drop of moisture to roll down his cheek, becoming a midnight black pearl as it hit the pillow. "I love you too, fox."
Being careful not to wake the fox, he turned in Kurama's embrace until he was facing the redhead. He almost let another tear fall at the peaceful look on his love's face. Fisting his hands in determination, he pulled the ward from his forehead. His Jagan opened and Hiei felt sick at the tough of the betrayal he was about to commit. Forcing the sick feeling back, he intruded into his lover's mind.
The first thing he was aware of was the fox's dream. The redhead was sitting under a sakura tree. In his arm was a much rounder Hiei, his stomach having grown to many times its current size. The half-Koorime was sitting in the fox's lap, dozing as Kurama gazed at him lovingly, his hands roaming up and down Hiei's swollen abdomen.
Hiei watched the scene for a few minutes longer, wondering if he would really look like that in a few months. Finally he tore his eyes away, he needed to get out of his lover's mind. Every second spent here was another second of betrayal.
Pushing past the dream he began to search through Kurama's subconscious, shifting through memories for the one he wanted. Then, suddenly, he had it. His katana. It was hidden under a blanket in the trunk of Kurama's car. Hiei mentally slapped himself for not thinking to check the annoying Ningen contraption. Taking one last look at the calm dream, Hiei pulled out of the fox's mind.
Sadly, he replaced the ward over the Jagan. Sitting back, he surveyed the fox's serene features. His heart clenched. He had planned on leaving tomorrow, but he couldn't do that anymore. If he stayed until the fox awoke any and all resolve he had left would leave him. He had to go tonight. He gave a shuttering sigh, holding back more tears.
"Kurama, forgive me," he whispered brokenly, placing a gentle kiss on the fox's brow. Sliding completely from Kurama's arms, he took the teargem and left the bedroom. Stopping in the kitchen to gather food and leave his love a parting note, he sped outside to retrieve his katana and left, forcing himself not to look back.
(xxx)
The shadow watched intently as the black blur flitted from rooftop to rooftop, searching for a secluded place to cross the divide into the Makai. Perhaps the Elders would have their chance sooner then they had expected. It sniggered to itself. This was going to be fun.