Let me assure you all that this story is far from over. There are still six months to go and a lot of ground to cover. And don't forget Anei the mysterious shadow (although he might not cause any more trouble just yet hint hint). This is a filler chapter I guess, not much action but a lot of other stuff. I hope you all enjoy it. ON WITH THE FIC!
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Kurama smiled, watching the half-Koorime in his arms sleep. Hiei had been home for a week now and still Kurama couldn't find the will to let the fire demon slip from his sight for a moment. He had spent just about every moment with Hiei since he had woken up and he could imagine it was beginning to annoy the little demon, but the fox suspected Hiei enjoyed the attention too. Even after a week it was still hard, adjusting to the rhythm of life.
At first Hiei had eaten sparingly, despite Kurama's constant urgings. Hiei would not forget so soon the reasons why he had gone to the Makai in the first place and refused to squander their money once more. Kurama had tried several times to convince Hiei it was all right but the half-Koorime was as stubborn as ever. On the third day of this Kurama was seriously concerned that Hiei wasn't gaining back any of the weight he had lost while with the Koorime.
"Hiei," Kurama had sighed, having sat the fire demon at the kitchen table, giving him a level and slightly stern look. "You HAVE to eat. This isn't good for you or the baby." Hiei hadn't answered but averted his eyes, staring at the far wall expressionlessly.
Kurama sighed again, trying to make his petite lover understand. "You don't have to worry about money, Hiei." Hiei's head shot around.
"What are you talking about? You don't even have a job anymore, fox!" Kurama had begun to laugh pleasantly, earning a glare from the confused fire demon.
"What's so funny?" Kurama managed to stifle the laughter, smiling and shaking his head.
"You don't remember do you?" Kurama smiled. Hiei's brow furrowed.
"Remember what?"
"You had a bag of teargems on you when I found you." The redhead received a blank stare and smiled wider. "Hiei, Hiruseki stones are very valuable here in Ningenkai. Granted they must be sold on the Black Market to keep suspicion from arising, but valuable all the same. Hiei," laughter danced in emerald depths, "with those stones we don't have to worry about money anymore. Once they're sold we'll have a small fortune."
Hiei had just continued to stare for a moment, before a small smile graced his lips.
After that Hiei had finally begun to eat normally again. He was still a few pounds underweight but Kurama wasn't worried. One arm unwound itself from around the small form he was holding, the hand slipping between them to caress the half-Koorime's expanding abdomen. The slightest of bulges had begun to form and Kurama took every opportunity to give it attention. A wide yawn distracted him and he turned to meet sleepy rubies.
"What time is it?" Hiei yawned again. Kurama smiled at how adorable it made the half-Koorime look.
"Around nine-thirty," Kurama answered, kissing the tip of the fire demon's nose. Still half asleep, Hiei wrinkled his nose in surprise. Kurama chuckled lightly. "Actually I was going to wake you up in a few minutes," Kurama confessed.
"Why?"
"We agreed to go to Genkai's today, remember?" Hiei didn't answer but Kurama saw the recognition in his eyes. A few days ago they had agreed to break the news to everyone. They would go to Genkai's temple to discuss what she was to do when the time came. Yusuke and Kuwabara had been asked to meet them there about an hour or so later. Koenma, who would not be attending, was to inform Botan at some point today as well and Shiori had agreed to tell Kazuya and Suichi soon too.
Mukuro, too, would be receiving a message from Hiei within the next few days (when the half-Koorime got around to writing it and arranging a messenger to take it). He had been on leave to see the fox, but that leave had ended nearly a month and a half ago. He had no idea why she hadn't contacted him, or if she had tried and been unable to. He would go to her himself, but he had promised not only the fox but himself NOT to venture into the Makai again until the baby was born. This time he meant to keep that promise.
"It seems 'our little secret' won't be a secret for much longer," Kurama murmured, rubbing his lover's stomach once more.
"So it seems," Hiei agreed, his own hand covering Kurama's. The fire demon fell silent. Kurama looked up at him after a moment to find him in what appeared to be deep thought. He seemed to be contemplating something, Kurama could only guess what. After a few minutes of this Kurama reached up his other hand and caressed the half-Koorime's cheek. Crimson orbs swiveled to him.
"What is it?" Kurama asked gently, searching Hiei's face. Hiei's expression was unreadable but in the ruby depths of his eyes Kurama could clearly see some sort of emotional turmoil taking place.
"Do you remember," Hiei began slowly, dropping his eyes, "that day, two months ago, when I tried to ask you something before you left for work?"
Kurama did remember. He also remembered how cold he had been to Hiei that morning.
"Yes," Kurama nodded, "I remember."
"And then, a few days later, you asked what I wanted to say and I said it wasn't important." Kurama nodded again.
"Well…it was important," Hiei looked up as he said this, meeting Kurama's gaze. Crimson depths flickered with uncertainty and fear. Kurama hadn't abandoned him, even after he had betrayed him, but there was still the fear of rejection. It was uncontrollable, an impulse programmed into his mind after a lifetime of stabs in the back. The paranoia associated was involuntary at his point. Kurama's fingers brushed his cheek again.
"What is it, Quickfire?" Kurama asked. He saw the fear all too clearly. "Whatever it is, you can tell me." Hiei locked eyes with him for a long moment before sitting up. He did it perhaps a little too quickly and nearly fell back onto the bed, spots swimming before his eyes. He blinked them away, trying to concentrate.
"I…I wanted to ask you…" he clenched his fists. He was starting to sound like the fox. Wasting time stuttering. Never just to the point. Why was it so hard to say?
"Hiei?" Kurama sat up as well, watching his lover with puzzled eyes. Hiei drew a deep breath, staring at his lap with hard, determined eyes.
"Would you…" The old paranoia was back, telling him he wasn't good enough, telling him the fox would never accept.
'Why would he want to be the mate of the Forbidden Child?' a voice chided him in the back of his head.
'I'm carrying his child,' he reasoned.
'Not because he wants you to. It was an accident. He didn't impregnate you on purpose.'
"Hiei," Kurama's voice broke through the troubled thoughts.
'No one wants you. No one has ever wanted you. Why should he be any different?'
'He loves me!' Hiei argued back hotly.
'He says he does. But why should he? No one has ever loved you before. The Koorime, the bandits, your numerous partners in crime; all of them turned their backs on you given time. What makes him so special?'
"Hiei!" Hiei was literally jerked back to reality, the fox shaking his shoulders gently but firmly. He blinked, staring at the redhead. Worry was written all over Kurama's face. Hiei clenched his fists again.
'He IS special,' he thought back to the voice of his fears. 'He worries about me. It's true no one has ever loved me, but no one has ever worried about me either. Kurama's different. He doesn't try to trick me or use me. He never has and he never will. Even when I did so to him, stealing the whereabouts of my katana from his mind, he forgave me. No one has ever forgiven me before, but he did.' The voice was silent.
"I love you, Kurama," Hiei said with renewed confidence, looking his lover in the eye. "So much and I…I want you to be the one to complete me. I want you to be my mate." Kurama looked surprised for a moment and then it was replaced with a wide smile. He took Hiei's hands in his own, squeezing gently.
"Hiei, I'd be honored," Kurama breathed, pulling Hiei forward into a deep kiss.
(xxx)
A permanent smile was plastered on Kurama's face as he and Hiei climbed the steps before Genkai's temple, hands entwined between them. The side of his neck stung with the fresh mark (identical to the one that now adorned Hiei's neck), but it was a pleasant sting, reminding him with each throb of exactly what it stood for.
They reached the top of the steps and made their way towards the training room, where Genkai would most likely be meditating. It was a little after noon. Yusuke and Kuwabara would arrive at one-thirty.
"Genkai?" Kurama called as he slid the door opened. Just as he had predicted the aged psychic sat in the middle of the room. She cracked one eye opened, half glaring at the intruders into her meditation. She took a deep, cleansing breath before opening both her eyes and inviting them to come in. They did, sitting across from her. Genkai raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. She would have expected Hiei to skulk off to the corner, not sit down before her.
"What brings you here? Surely you have something better to do then bother me?" she wondered. The words may have sounded rude to others but both demons knew Genkai wasn't bothered by their visit.
"Actually, there's something we've been meaning to discuss with you," Kurama began. Taking Hiei's hand in his Kurama told the old woman of his and Hiei's relationship. Genkai smirked when he was through.
"Big surprise," she commented, taking a sip of the tea she had sitting next to her.
"Hn," Hiei grunted. Kurama just smiled.
"I take it there's more to this story somewhere?" Genkai asked, knowing they wouldn't have come all this way just to tell her that. Kurama nodded.
"Yes, you see, it appears that Hiei, with his Koorime heritage, is capable of carrying a child," Kurama explained with as little stuttering and pauses as he could manage. Genkai's eyes got slightly wider, but the smug smile remained on her wrinkled face.
"Don't tell me," she muttered in amazement, "you two are going to be Daddies?"
"Hn," Hiei repeated. Kurama's smile widened, if possible.
"How long before the little bundle of joy arrives?" Genkai asked, taking another sip of tea.
"About six more months, give or take," Kurama answered.
"You're telling me all this because you want me to play the role of midwife I presume?" she stated. Kurama nodded. She eyed Hiei for a moment.
"How is he going to give birth?" she asked. Hiei flushed slightly, he hated discussing this subject.
"We're not sure yet," Kurama answered. "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see how things turn out. It would probably be best to be ready for a cesarean just in case." Genkai nodded thoughtfully.
"Have you told the others yet?"
"Actually, Yusuke and Kuwabara are meeting us here later today for just that reason. Besides yourself, Koenma and my mother are the only others who know."
"What are you going to tell Kuwabara?" Genkai asked, fully aware that Kuwabara knew nothing of Hiei's Koorime blood.
Kurama sighed. "The truth, what else can we say? We'll just have to trust he won't tell her." By 'her' he obviously meant Yukina.
"Speaking of which, are you going to inform her? She not that naive, you know. She can put two and two together and get brother."
Kurama nodded and Hiei glanced away, glaring at the ground.
"For now we aren't going to tell her. If she does find out, well, we'll deal with it then," the redhead explained. Genkai raised an eyebrow.
"Do you think it's wise to trust Kuwabara with two big secrets like this? I don't doubt he has good intentions and would never tell her on purpose if you didn't want him to, but you know what he's like around her. He's barely aware of what he's saying. He's bound to say something he shouldn't."
Kurama sighed. "Yes I know." He side glanced at Hiei. "Perhaps if she could find out in a more direct way…" A ruby glare cut him off. Kurama sighed again. "In any case, she doesn't need to know just yet." Genkai nodded, lifting her tea to drink once more. Silence filled the room. She set the tea down again and fixed the two demons across from her with a studious stare.
"What of your apartment? Last I heard you were having money troubles. Of course, that was just the dimwit's report from over a month ago."
"That's all taken care of now," Kurama smiled. "We're hoping to move from the apartment into a bigger house by the time the baby arrives." Genkai smiled, almost wickedly.
"Part Youko Kurama, part Forbidden Child, this kid will be more of hell raiser than Yusuke." Kurama beamed. Hiei looked down, hiding the smile that had spread to his own face.
(xxx)
"Damn!" Yusuke gasped as he and Kuwabara finally reached the top of the stairs. "I'm telling you, Baasan had better put in an escalator or something. That's ridiculous!"
"Out of shape, Yusuke?"
A head of slicked back raven hair shot up, seeing the redhead smiling at him with Hiei standing beside him, his usual look of bored sullenness on his face.
"Oi fox-boy! Long time no see!" Yusuke rushed to greet his friend, Kuwabara right behind.
"Hey Kurama," Kuwabara smiled, pointedly ignoring the short fire demon glaring at him.
"Hey Hiei!" Yusuke patted the half-Koorime on the shoulder, smiling widely. "The last time I saw you, you were…" he paused thinking of the right word. Then he smirked. "Taller!" he cried. "I think your shrinking, buddy." This earned snickers from Kurama and Kuwabara and a death glare from Hiei. Yusuke laughed good-naturedly.
"Why don't we go inside?" Kurama suggested. Yusuke and Kuwabara nodded in agreement, both asking why Kurama had wanted to see them. The fox promised to explain inside.
Together they entered the room where the two demons had talked to Genkai not long ago. Tea was already prepaired for the four of them, four steaming cups set in the center of the room. They sat down in a small circle, Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara discussing recent goings on while Hiei remained silent.
"But seriously," Yusuke asked after they had successfully caught up, "what did you ask us here for?"
"Well," Kurama began slowly, throwing a secretive smile at Hiei, "Hiei and I have something we'd like to share with you."
"Don't tell me, you two are an item, right?" Yusuke joked, taking a large sip of tea. Silence filled the room.
"How'd you know?" Kurama asked, perfectly aware that Yusuke hadn't been serious. Yusuke choked on his tea.
"W-what?" he sputtered, coughing. Kuwabara had gone quiet, just staring. "D-dude! I was joking!" Kurama smiled.
"I know. Nonetheless, you hit the proverbial nail on the head, Yusuke." Yusuke blinked for a moment, and then a smile spread across his boyish face.
"Well as long as you're happy. That's great then!" Kuwabara blinked slowly several times.
"So…you're…gay?" he put the words together slowly.
"Bi actually, if you must give it a label," Kurama corrected. Kuwabara got a slightly unnerved look on his face. Just as he was about to say something else, however, a fist drove itself into the back of his head.
"Urameshi!" Kuwabara jumped up, fists raised, ready for a fight.
"You deserved it. What kind of look was that?" Yusuke shot back.
"What are you talking about?" Kuwabara screeched.
"It was rude!" Yusuke insisted. "I know this isn't usually accepted by ningen standards, but think about youkai standards for a minute, Kuwabara. Don't you remember Itsuki?"
Kuwabara quieted, slowly lowering his fists. Finally he grudging sat down again, muttering under his breath. Yusuke elbowed him in the ribs.
"Ow! What!" Kuwabara glared at him. Yusuke smiled innocently.
"Don't you have something to say to the happy couple?" he asked, nodding towards Hiei and Kurama. They both watched him with unreadable expressions. Kuwabara sighed.
"Yeah, sorry guys. Guess I just got kinda shocked there." He smiled, giving them a thumbs up. "Congrats. May you both have many happy years together…and…um…all that other junk."
Hiei remained impassive but Kurama smiled. "Thank you, Kuwabara."
Yusuke smirked slightly. "While we're on the subject…"
"Oh yeah!" Kuwabara cried. "Show them, Urameshi!" Yusuke reached into his jacket pocket and removed a small velvet box.
"The ramen shop's going good, I had to get a second job to afford this but we're reasonably well off, and we're getting a new apartment soon too. I figured now was as good a time as any to pop the question." He smiled and opened the box, revealing a diamond ring with a gold band. It was plain but still had an air of exquisiteness to it in the way the god curved around the diamond.
"Real diamond too," Yusuke gloated. "No cubic zirconium for me!" Kurama chuckled lightly.
"It's beautiful, Yusuke. I'm sure Keiko will love it."
"Yeah, I hope so," Yusuke said, returning the box to his pocket. As he did he peaked at his watch.
"Hey, I don't mean to run out on you guys or anything," he said almost apologetically, "but I gotta go soon if I'm gonna get to work on time." He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with one hand. "I'm kinda trying to keep Keiko in a good mood tonight, you know. Being late is not going to score me any points."
"Of course, Yusuke," Kurama smiled. "There's just one more thing you need to know before you go."
"Oh yeah, what's that?" Yusuke asked. Kuwabara looked curious as well. Kurama turned to Hiei, as though asking for permission to continue. Hiei watched Kuwabara for a moment before sighing.
"Go on," he acquiesced. "You've been dying to tell them since they got here. Just get it over with already." Kurama smiled for the millionth time that day.
(xxx)
Kurama stared out the window of the train, watching the scenery fly past in a whirl of color. He smiled as the body next to him shifted, turning in his seat so that his head rested against Kurama's shoulder. Hiei had fallen asleep not long after the train had left the station. He hadn't liked the idea of ningen transportation, but Kurama wouldn't let him leave his side. Eventually Hiei had given in, though he had done so grudgingly.
Kurama gazed at his lover…no his mate lovingly, forcing himself to refrain from kissing or any of the like in such a public place. It was no wonder Hiei had fallen asleep. It had been a very busy day.
Yusuke and Kuwabara had both stared at him blankly when he announced Hiei's pregnancy. Then they had erupted in a torrent of questions. Yusuke had seemed almost accepting of it, asking questions mainly along the lines of how long they had known and if they knew if it would be boy or a girl. Kuwabara, on the other hand, had been completely stupefied by the knowledge. It simply defied logic in his mind. It had taken nearly an hour to get him to calm down enough to explain about Hiei's Koorime heritage, after which one could literally see the light bulb go on over Kuwabara's head as he made the connection between Hiei and Yukina. This had been followed by several death threats by Hiei, reinforcing as fiercely as possible that the carrot top was NOT to tell his sister of his relationship to her under ANY circumstances.
Once both Yusuke and Kuwabara fully understood how this had happened they wasted no time in congratulating both demons enthusiastically. Hiei had gotten rather fed up with it after a while, but even he had liked it at first. Kurama had just beamed the entire time, thanking Yusuke and Kuwabara for all their praise and encouragement. Finally, when Hiei had begun to grow tired, his mood swings taking a violent turn, they all decided they had kept each other long enough. They said goodbye, Kurama and Hiei staying to finalize a few things with Genkai before leaving. Yusuke had no doubt been late to work. Kurama hoped he wouldn't get in too much trouble with Keiko.
Hiei slept through the entire train ride back to the city, Kurama trying his best to stay awake so they wouldn't miss their stop. When it came time for them to get off, he shook the half-Koorime gently. The look at first in those crimson depths promised death to whoever had disturbed him, but it softened when he saw it was Kurama. They walked home from the station in comfortable silence, Hiei never quite shaking off the drowsy look that made it seem as though he would fall asleep any second.
When they entered the apartment, he clumsily toed his boots and dragged himself to the bedroom, collapsing horizontally on the bed. Kurama chuckled at the sight as he followed the fire demon.
"Do you want anything to eat, Quickfire?" Kurama asked gently, concerned at how little Hiei had eaten today. Hiei shook his head, his voice muffled as he refused to even lift his head to talk.
"Not hungry. Tired." Kurama laughed again.
"Alright," he gave in. Gathering the half-Koorime in to his arms, he pulled back the sheets and laid him in the bed properly. Hiei immediately buried himself amidst a sheet cocoon. Kurama smiled, sitting on the bed next to his mate and stroking his soft raven spikes. He wasn't tired enough to go to sleep just yet, but he'd stay until the fire demon fell asleep.
"Today went well, don't you think?" he mused.
"Hn." The reply had none of its usual curt, crispness. All that had been replaced with a sleepy, mumbled tone.
"Which would you rather," the redhead asked suddenly, remember one of Yusuke's questions, "a son or a daughter?" Hiei growled.
"Fox, just shut up and let me sleep." Why did Kurama insist on doing this constantly, asking him ridiculous questions when he was half asleep? Kurama laughed.
"Well, I don't care. Either one, a girl or a boy, will be just as strong and just as loved." Hiei sighed. He thought about the question for a moment. Before, in the Koorime dungeon (or wherever he had been held), he had prayed for a girl. Now no immediate preference came to mind.
"I suppose I feel the same. Do you want to know before the birth?" Hiei asked. He was sure he could get a picture with his Jagan the way those ningen machines did. The redhead shook his head.
"No, I'd rather be surprised." Hiei smiled. That was Kurama for you. He never wanted a premature answer to anything. Everything would be revealed in its own proper time. He yawned snuggling further into the sheets and feeling a low hum like purr start up in the depths of his throat as Kurama continued to stroke his hair. Perfect, everything was perfect. If only it could stay this way forever. He fell quietly into a dreamless sleep.
(xxx)
"No!" Anei stared in disbelieve at the head he had retrieved from its hiding place. He had left it there for a week, since Kurama had brought it too him, and only now gone back to retrieve it. At first he had thought it had merely decayed fast for some odd reason, but that wasn't it. The skin was pealing back to reveal dried, brown leaves. LEAVES!
It was a fake. He had been duped. He growled throwing the head and watching it explode into a cloud of torn pseudo-flesh and dead leaves. He clenched his fists, breathing hard. After a moment he regained his composure and turned his back on the remains of the head, leaving the tavern.
This wasn't over, not by a long shot. He would have his revenge, but revenge was a dish best served cold. A good, satisfying revenge took time and planning. He could wait, centuries in fact if he had too. Ah, yes, he would have his revenge and when he did it would indeed be sweet. Until then, he had business to attend to.