Moderate amount of homework this weekend, but I have time for an update now and then probably not again until Wednesday or Thursday next week. I'm so happy. I got over 100 on my Japan test in Geography. Yatta! I was going to be really mad at myself if I hadn't done well on the test for that unit. I was also playing around with the radio on Windows Media Player and I found a JPop station. I'm in heaven! It's awesome. So yeah, I'm in a good mood and I thought I'd put you in one too by writing the next chapter, so here ya go. ON WITH THE FIC!
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"What did you call this?" Hiei asked. He was reclining in the black leather chair, watching snow fall outside. It was a surprisingly heavy snowfall for March.
"It's called a Baby Shower, Hiei," Kurama replied, looking up for the book he was reading on the couch. They were waiting for Yukina and Shiori to arrive. It was they who had insisted on having a Baby Shower. Ever antisocial and even more so now, Hiei had tried to reject the idea but had finally been forced to agree.
Kurama smiled as he took in his mate, placing the bookmark between the pages and closing the book. It was March fourteenth, just a handful of days left before Hiei's due date. Kurama loved the appearance of his mate now, full with child in every sense of the phrase. Hiei, however, was anything but content. His back hurt him constantly and his fingers and ankles had swollen. Besides that, and much to his embarrassment, he had begun to lactate as Genkai had warned. It was…odd and he wasn't particularly found of it. He hardly slept at all anymore. It was impossible to get comfortable anywhere in any position. He still held a fear deep in his heart over what would happen during the birth of the child, but he was more then ready for it to just happen and let all of this be over and done with.
There was a knock on the door and Kurama got up to answer it. Moving about, especially up and down from chairs, had become rather difficult and humiliating so Hiei stayed where he was.
"Hello Mother, Yukina," Kurama greeted the women as he opened the door. Both came in brushing snow off themselves.
"Hello, Kurama," Yukina smiled back, a bag held in one hand.
"The weather is just awful," Shiori commented, kissing her son on the cheek. "It's become a blizzard out there. If it gets any worse, we might be snowed in."
"Well, even if it comes to that, you're more then welcome here, Mother. The same goes for you, Yukina," Kurama assured them, returning his mother's kiss. He took their coats to hang them up as the two women showed themselves to the living room.
"Oniisan," Yukina went to her brother's side, kissing him on the cheek. Hiei seemed uncomfortable with the action but accepted it, as he always did when a female offered him such a gesture. "How are you?"
"I've been better," he answered truthfully. Shiori giggled as she took a seat on the couch.
"Ah, yes. I remember the last month. Not much fun is it?" she smiled at him gently. He couldn't help but smile slightly back. Her smile always had that affect on him.
"Would you ladies like something to eat or something perhaps hot to drink?" Kurama offered, entering the room.
"No, no. We're fine, musuko-chan. Sit down." Shiori patted the spot on the couch next to her. Kurama nodded, sitting beside her. Yukina sat in the other chair, across from Hiei's. Hiei looked at them all uncertainly for a moment before addressing Kurama.
"So, what happens now?" he asked. Kurama giggled and Shiori and Yukina looked at him questioningly.
"Hiei still doesn't understand the concept of a Baby Shower," Kurama explained. Shiori smiled, turning back to the half-Koorime.
"It's really just an excuse to have a party, I suppose," she admitted. He was watching her closely, taking in her words carefully. "Think of it as a…pre-birthday party for your baby. In fact, that's probably the best description since there are presents." Hiei still looked skeptical. Kurama smiled at his bewildered mate.
"It's a silly ningen custom, I suppose," he admitted. "The point of the presents is really just to save the expecting couple some money by giving them things they need mostly clothes and toys." Hiei continued to stare for another moment before shrugging.
"Whatever," he sighed, sitting back in his chair. He glanced at the snow once more and quickly looked away as thoughts of Rui came to him once more. He refused to let his regrets ruin this…celebration or whatever it was.
Hiei opened the gifts presented to him almost mechanically. His mind seemed elsewhere. The others tried their best to keep the mood light. Kurama enthusiastically thanked both women for their gifts, Yukina tried to keep her brother engaged in conversation most of the time, and Shiori helped as well, smiling at Hiei and saying whatever kind words she could think of.
Most of the gifts were clothing, although there was a very beautiful rattle from Yukina. It was made from Makain Ore that sparkled magnificently in the light and sounded like a bell, though not quite. The clothes included everything from hats to socks to pajamas. They were all red, green, blue, or dark purple. Both women knew that even if the child was a girl Hiei would never dress his baby in pink. However, they had also both agreed that black was no color for a baby to be wearing and so had strictly avoided that color, to Hiei's slight disappointment.
It had grown dark and the snow hadn't let up when the four found themselves drinking hot chocolate and talking idly. Well, three of them were talking anyway. Hiei was staring out the window again even though it was now too dark to see anything but a reflection of the room. His bad mood had grown to a feeling of foreboding.
"So," Shiori's voice brought him from his thoughts and he turned to find her regarding him calmly. "Have you thought of any names yet?"
"We have," Kurama answered, knowing Hiei wasn't going to, "but it's a surprise. You'll just have to wait." Shiori laughed slightly and placed her empty cup on the table.
"Very well, keep your secrets. I think it's time Yukina and I got going. I have to take her back to Genkai's and if I wait much longer the road will be impassible."
"It was very nice to visit with you, Oniisan. I enjoyed it very much." Yukina rose from her seat and kissed her brother's cheek once more in farewell. "Have a good night, Oniisan."
"And you too," he muttered, unsure if it was the right thing to say. Apparently it was because she beamed at him. Yukina headed to the door to retrieve her shoes and Kurama followed her to get her coat. Shiori rose from her seat and approached Hiei. She ruffled his hair affectionately.
"It's not all that scary, I promise," she said. Hiei's eyes widened. Surely Kurama hadn't told her? No, he could see it in her eyes. He hadn't told her, she had known…the way she always knew. He allowed a smile to slip onto his face and she smiled back. Leaning down, she kissed his forehead before joining her son and Yukina at the door. Hiei stared after her for a moment before struggling out of the chair for the first time that night. Nature called.
Shiori was buttoning up her jacket when Yukina opened the door.
"Oh my!" the Koorime exclaimed, taking a step back as two feet of snow tumbled into the entryway. Shiori blinked peering around the girl to try and see the street. Her car was a white mound.
"I think perhaps your earlier prediction was correct, Mother," Kurama said, surveying the street as well.
"So it appears," Shiori answered, still gazing outside.
"It's no problem, really," Kurama assured her, looking at the snow in the entryway and trying to remember where he had put the mop.
"I'm sure it's not as bad as it looks," she said, though she sounded more like she was saying it to be polite then because she believed it.
"No, I insist," Kurama turned to her with a stern gaze. "It's too dangerous to go out there in this weather, especially to Genkai's. Let's just—" Whatever Kurama was about to suggest was suddenly cut off by a scream.
"KURAMA!" All three jumped, turning to look down the hall to the bathroom where the scream had come from. It was then that Kurama noticed the fire demon wasn't in his chair anymore.
"Hiei…" he breathed, fear quickly gripping him. Forgetting the presents of the women entirely he sprinted down the hall, throwing opened the bathroom door. Hiei stood in the center of the room in a puddle. He looked up at Kurama, crimson orbs wide with fear and confusion.
"What…what is this?" he asked shakily. Before Kurama could answer, however, pain gripped his abdomen. Crying out, Hiei partially doubled over, leaning on the wall for support. He squeezed his eyes shut. He'd never experienced pain like this before. The only thing that came close was the implantation of the Jagan. Kurama was suddenly at his side, supporting him. He clung to the redhead, grunting in pain. He was surprised when it suddenly stopped, fading as though it had never been.
Kurama held his panting mate, smoothing back his hair and trying to sooth him. Sweat was already beginning to form on the half-Koorime's brow and Kurama gently wiped it away. When Hiei had somewhat caught his breath he looked up, the fear in his eyes intensified.
"What's…happening?" he gasped. Kurama looked away for a moment, ashamed. He had thought they still had a few days. He had thought they still had time. He hadn't warned the fire demon about this, any of this. He hadn't wanted to scare his mate anymore then Hiei was already scaring himself. He sighed and looked back at his mate. His heart clenched when he realized the fire demon was trembling.
"Your water broke," he said quietly. Confusion flared in crimson depths once more but the fear quickly smothered it again at Kurama's next words. "You're going into labor."