Dictionary:
Futon: the traditional bed that Japanese people sleep in. Like a mattress on a floor but not quite.
Hai: an affirmative answer in Japanese.
I'm Going to Get You by rebecca85
Chapter 3: Rumours
He was really tired. The fight had been a close one, and in the end he didn't even know if they had won or not, because somewhere in the middle he had lost his consciousness after a hard blow. He was exhausted now, for he had used most of his youki to give the enemy at least a few blows. He really didn't know what had happened to the others. As he surfaced from the darkness he felt very warm. Too warm, in fact. But he felt comfortable in the dry heat.
"Kurama," said a deep voice somewhere. So Hiei had survived. Good. Maybe he could save the others too. He himself settled back in to the darkness; now he knew he could relax. He was just barely conscious and laid with closed eyes, too tired to open them, and went back to the blessed sleep that would heal him.
"Kurama!" Hiei's voice insisted again, little anxious. But Kurama really didn't want to wake up. He needed this sleep. Surely the fire demon could see that.
"Kurama! Wake up!" the half-koorime shook him a little. Kurama could feel the hand but just frowned and mumbled something like 'I need to sleep', and tried to turn away. Then he felt hot lips on his own. Hiei was kissing him! No way! He snapped his eyes open and the shorter boy drew back a little.
"That did the trick," he was smirking at the redhead. Kurama stared at him blankly. There was something wrong. Hiei would never kiss him, for starters. Or come as close as he was now, at that matter. What was he doing?
"Snap out of it, fox. You're going to be late for school," Hiei said gruffly and rose from the bed. Kurama blinked a few times. Then it all came back to him.
He glanced at the watch on his night-stand. '7:52' it said. And his school started at 8:30. Oh, no! He really was going to be late!
Kurama gasped out loud and jumped of his bed but stumbled slightly. His feet felt a little wobbly, but it was no time to think that now. He ran to his closet, drew some clothes and rushed to the bathroom. There he took a quick shower, dressed even quicker and brushed his teeth. He came out only 10 minutes later drying his hair. He tossed the towel over his bed and collected his books and papers to his bag. Then he gave a few strokes to his hair with the brush, so it wouldn't be too messy and ran down. His boxed lunch was waiting with a note at the counter, which he grabbed with him and stuffed to his bag before dashing out and running towards his school. But he soon had to slow down. He was still tired and his muscles refused to move faster. He obviously wasn't fully awake yet. After two blocks he had to slow down for walking. He was seriously out of breath.
"Thought you were late," came a silent but deep voice behind him. Kurama spun around and saw Hiei standing on the pavement, his hands in his pockets. Was he expecting to be thanked for the waking? Wake-up kiss. He quickly pushed that amusing idea away.
"I am," Kurama said reservedly. "Or at least I will be..." He muttered to himself before straightening up. The red-head brushed an invisible dust from his black shirt and took a few deep breaths before nodding a goodbye to Hiei and starting to run again. He had run about half of the way, barely managing, when his vision started to blur a little and he shook his head. That didn't work. He halted abruptly to stop the slight spinning and took a deep breath.
"Humans," said a contemned voice again behind him. Hiei is still following me? He knew exactly what was all the meanings behind a sole word; Hiei though that he was out of shape because he was human. That his body was all to blame. I really should've eaten breakfast, the green-eyed beauty though and blinked a few times to get them to focus. Had he really slept that bad last night?
Then he realized what he was doing. Or, more like, not doing. The fox glanced at a clock in a nearby park and gasped. He had only five minutes to get to school!
"I'm going to be late!" The fox-spirited man breathed. It had been awhile since he had to run to school, but he couldn't possibly get there in time, not when he was this out of shape. He could've taken the buss, but since he'd never used it before, he really didn't know what time it came. For all he knew, he could be more than late, if he stayed to wait. Why didn't anyone notice that I was still asleep and woke me up! He thought furiously to himself. He realized immediately how unreasonable that was. He had gotten up to school, usually even before anyone else, by himself for fifteen years. And suddenly his mother would wake him up when he was this one time late? Wishful thinking.
But Hiei had noticed…
Then he felt the ground leaving his feet, the sky was above him and just when he was ready to be hit by the ground he felt the two strong arms, one under his legs and one supporting his back. The view started to go by in a blur. He looked to his side to see Hiei staring past him.
"Hiei! What are you doing! Let me down!" he exclaimed, but did nothing to get off. He wasn't that stupid to try to jump off from a ride that went 20 miles per hour. It would be suicide. Well, at least to his clothes. Hiei turned his gaze to him and smirked.
"I'm faster than you," the fire demon answered simply. Kurama could only marvel on how someone could make bragging to an explanation. But he was also amazed at how easily the spiky-haired boy carried him. Even though the red head was taller, he fit perfectly in Hiei's arms. And Hiei seemed to have no problems carrying him while using his high speed.
"You came back," Kurama said quietly. Hiei shot him a look so he quickly continued. "Last night. You came back last night. I thought you were gone."
"Miss me?" Hiei smiled mischievously. The fox demon lowered quickly his gaze as he felt his cheeks getting coloured.
"No, I didn't miss you," he said harshly, but avoided Hiei's ruby eyes, for he did not know what was imprinted in his emerald ones. "You said you'd be gone that night. But you were back this morning," he ended a little softer.
"I had to," Hiei answered shortly. "Your mother came to check on you before she left. I didn't want to raise suspicions by being absent, since I was supposed to sleep in you room. After that I spend my time watching you sleep." With this 'casual' comment, Hiei stopped abruptly. Kurama noticed just then that they had already arrived to his school and were at the front gate. He hurriedly stood up so that no one would notice how exactly was it that he was there. Then he remembered. His mother left to work at six.
"You watched me sleep for two hours!" Kurama yelled to Hiei. People turned at his voice, interested. The green-eyed beauty ignored them, but repeated in a considerably lower voice.
"Did you watch me sleeping for two hours!" he hissed to the shorter demon. Hiei gave him a sly smile.
"Hurry up or you'll be late," he answered smirking, and vanished. Kurama clenched his fists, made a few curses in his head, counted slowly to ten, and turned to the big building. He walked quickly to his locker and changed into his shoes, before rushing to the classroom. He sat to his place in the back, next to the window and leaned his head to his hands, sighing heavily. So Hiei hadn't left him alone. He was as persistent as always.
As Kurama dwelled in his thoughts, he failed to notice the looks he was getting from everyone and the whispers with pointing gazes directed at him. He only raised his head when the bell rang and the teacher walked in. They rose, bowed, said good morning and sat back, like every time, but when the class started, Kurama realized that he wasn't able to concentrate and sifted his gaze to look outside, lost in his thoughts. They kept repeating last night's events over and over again…
¤-¤-¤ Flashback ¤-¤-¤
His mother had gone to bed early and left Kurama to take care of the dishes, which he did happily for his mother. Shuichi was in his room playing again, after letting his niichan of the hook - for the time being - for the sake of dishes and a guest. Hiei sat at the table, silent. The calm had continued when they got back to the fox demons room. The half-koorime had quickly found his usual place at the windowsill and watched as Kurama took his old futon out and spread it to his floor between his own bed and the window.
"What are you doing?" the shorter boy finally broke the stillness. The red head didn't even bother to turn from his task as he made the bed.
"I'm making myself a bed," he answered.
"Why? You already have one," Hiei frowned. The taller man went to his closet to take fresh set of bed-sheets. Then he started to strip his western-styled bed from its old sheets.
"You are sleeping on this one tonight," Kurama said and threw the sheets away and spread new ones in place.
"No, I'm not," said Hiei. Kurama stilled at his spot and looked at the fire demon.
"Yes you are. You insisted on 'spending the night here' and since we have no room for you yet, you are sleeping in my room, if you don't remember," the fox-spirited man said slightly biting, repeating the promise his mother had made.
"I remember," the black haired man snapped back. "But I'm used to sleeping on trees. Do you really think that I could sleep on your bed? It has a mattress." He almost spat the word 'mattress' from his mouth, like it was something filthy. Probably it was, on Hiei's point of view. Something that made humans even weaker than they already were and thus were disgusting. Kurama hadn't actually thought of it before. He had gotten used to a mattress in the twenty-one years he had spent in the human world.
"I'll take this one," Hiei continued and pointed the futon. The fox demon shrugged and continued his job. He did prefer on sleeping on his own bed, so it was fine with him.
"Why are you still doing that?" the Jagan master asked in his low voice, a little annoyed. Kurama answered him again with a shrug.
"Since I started, might as well change these, so mom doesn't have to," he said just when Hiei thought that he wasn't going to get an answer. Then the fox boy was ready and took the old sheets to the laundry basket.
"You need a pyjama?" The slender beauty asked as he opened one of his drawers. He took himself a pair and tossed them on his bed. Then, when there was no answer, he turned to look at Hiei. The fire demon had come down from the sill and was prodding the pyjama the fox had thrown there.
"One of these?" He sounded disgusted. "I'll pass."
"Then in what are you going to sleep in, exactly?" Kurama asked placing his hands on his hips and tilting his head to his side slightly. When he saw the look on Hiei's face, he rethought his request.
"No, don't tell me," he raised his hands on the air. "I don't think I want to know how you've slept on the same clothes what you usually wear for the past two days. And without a bath." Kurama shuddered.
"But," he shrugged. "Suit your self." He then took his pyjama and went to the bathroom.
"Where are you going?" Hiei said loudly. Kurama stopped in his tracks and turned to give the boy a stern look.
"To change," he said. "Don't you go thinking that I'm going to give you any performances." With that he slipped through the door and the distinct sound of door getting locked could be heard.
Kurama lay awake trying to get sleep. He stared at his closet, curled under the blanket as he listened to Hiei's even breath, coming from the other side of the bed. Kurama knew Hiei wasn't sleeping yet.
The redhead really made an effort to forget his unsettled thoughts. But it still bothered him. How could've Hiei abandon their friendship? He really needed to know. But… was he just going to ask? Well, he had to. Other wise he'd never know. It wasn't like the black haired demon would spill his beans on his own. Things weren't that convenient in real life.
"Hiei?" the green-eyed beauty whispered softly to the darkness. He could hear the boy's sheets shift and breathing quieten, but there was no answer. He knew Hiei was listening.
"Why?" Kurama whispered again, sounding almost sad.
"Why what?" the fire demons low voice came so loudly that the fox almost jumped. But he didn't want to turn. He didn't want Hiei to see the hurt in his eyes of his next question.
"Why did you do this? Why couldn't you just let us be friends?"
There was a long silence between them. Kurama feared the answer and was nearly holding his breath. Just when he was sure he wasn't going to get an explanation, he heard the half-koorime to take a deep breath.
"I didn't want to be away from you," he finally said. The redhead was a little taken aback. Was it really Hiei saying this? So… filled with emotion… so… sad? Kurama turned to his window and looked on the floor. The spiky haired boy was laying on the futon in his blue sleeveless shirt, hands behind his head and staring at him.
"You wouldn't have had to be away from me. We were friends," the fox demon said back and waited for the real explanation. Or at least something more that would clarify the reasons. Hiei's gaze shifted to the window and his brow creased slightly.
"Think about it fox. It was either this or staying away until my… feelings, were gone. Since I didn't want to be separated from you… I chose this." The ruby red eyes turned to look at him so intensely that Kurama could feel his cheeks getting slightly flushed. He averted his gaze and retreated deeper in his bead, so that he wasn't in eye contact anymore. He raised a hand to his forehead and did what Hiei had told him to do: Think.
He had to admit that the feisty fire demon had a point. If he was in love - totally theoretically, of course - he couldn't keep his feeling inside so that the friendship would continue. Or maybe he could. He was master at lying and probably could live in a lie for a lifetime. Hell, he had done so already. But then again, would he really want to? If he really would find love, true love, would he want to pretend that it didn't exist? And to keep away from the person he so deeply felt? He had been once ready to throw his own life away for a person he cared deeply; his mother. But then it was only to repay a debt. His mother had taken care of him and then it was his turn to take care of her. Right? He sighed deeply and closed his emerald eyes.
"I understand," the red head said finally, giving up. Because he really did understand, somewhere deep down he had learned to call his heart.
"You do?" came a deep voice above him. And quite close. Kurama opened his eyes and was startled to see Hiei merely inches away.
"What are you doing?" the wide-eyed beauty asked hurriedly and grabbed his sheets for protection. The half-koorime's frown changed into a mischievous smile.
"Don't I get a goodnight-kiss?" he smirked. The fox-spirited man tightened his grip.
"No!" he almost yelled in answer. But Hiei was too fast and planted his lips lightly on Kurama's. The redhead went rigid and stared at the closed eyes of the spiky haired boy. Then Hiei drew back slightly and looked straight to the shocked green pools in front of him. So he could kiss lightly too, big deal. But when was Kurama going to give in? Even though there was a mattress on the bed, it looked very appealing to him when a certain fox was occupying it. But Keiko had warned him from getting too aggressive. Kurama's like and tolerance could easily turn into hatred if he pushed too much. So he just stood up again and lied down on his own bed, on the floor, by the window. He had gotten in to the house and that was sufficient enough, for now. The man on the bigger bed seemed even more startled.
Half an hour went by. Then Hiei stood up again. He felt how Kurama stiffened immediately. He mentally rolled his eyes. All three of them.
"I'm going out," the fire demon stated and opened the window. He heard how the man spoken to turned in the bed.
"Where?" Kurama asked more out of habit than any other reason.
"No where," Hiei answered. "But you aren't getting any sleep when I'm here." Then he stepped on the sill, slid the window back on its place and flitted away. The green-eyed beauty sighed deeply and settled in the covers. It was weird to think that Hiei possessed any emotions towards others, such as consideration, under that harsh exterior of his.
But Hiei was right. Soon after he had gone, Kurama slipped in to a heavy sleep. But his night was restless and he saw strange dreams all night.
¤-¤-¤ End of flashback ¤-¤-¤
Kurama snapped back to reality when the bells rang again. Oh, no! He had been daydreaming for his whole class!
After promptly making himself notes on what he should revise on at home for the missed class, he gathered his books and replaced them with the next subject's. In his university they had certain studies in certain classes and he luckily had both in the classroom in question. But since most of the students - like him - stayed in the class for the brake, he opened the window next to him to get some fresh air.
It was a highly respected university that every one wanted in and only few did. The classes were advanced but unlike he had expected the atmosphere was nice and he had actually made a few friends. Even though they all competed against each others, they made it a friendly way.
"Oi, Minamino!" he heard a man's voice shout at him. He turned away from the window and smiled at the three boys and two girls that were advancing to his direction. He settled at his table and the gang gathered around. It was a perfect place and since it was secluded from others, they usually gathered around Kurama.
"What's up?" he asked casually. He really didn't expect them to exchange meaningful looks between each others. He looked questioning the boys, but it was Hiroko that answered.
"Are you really taken, Shuichi-kun?" she finally breathed out impatiently. Kurama was slightly taken aback.
"What are you—?" he started. Didn't get that far.
"We know of your little 'episode' yesterday, Minamino," Taikan interrupted like it was explaining it all. Kurama just looked at him, puzzled.
"My little episode? What do you—?"
"Your little encounter with your fans at the gate and the heroic save from a wandering black knight in shining armour, so to speak, that claimed that you belonged to him," Masato ended dramatically. Then he looked at Taikan innocently wondering, totally ignoring the horror on Kurama's face. "His name was beginning with an 'H', I'm sure…" Taikan also started to 'think' with Kohei.
"Yes I'm sure you're right. Something like Heei, was it?"
"No, more like Hai-- no that's just stupid..." Kohei answered.
"Could it be Hugh? Like those American names?" said Masato.
"Can't be. I'm sure it was somehow related to Japan... That's how all those girls remembered it," Taikan corrected.
"Hiei?" Kurama asked in a faint voice. They turned their full attention to him again.
"Yes, him," Kohei's voice was suddenly stern. "'Hiei' is the hottest word at the moment and your little love-scene is going around the school like wild-fire. So would you please explain us what is going on? Like for starters, who the hell is he and why haven't you told us you've started dating!" he asked enthusiastically. Hiroko and Kiomi looked keenly at Kurama for the real story behind the scoop. The red head raised a hand to his eyes. He felt like he needed a seat. Thankfully he was seated already.
"Inari-sama. I knew this was going to happen," he sighed to himself. Then gave a stern look at Kohei.
"For starters, Iwasaki-kun, I'm not dating. And Hiei is not my boyfriend, no matter how he claims it to be true. I'm still single," he told this to the girls. They breathed out mockingly exaggerated like they were really holding for breath and then giggled to each others.
"No, honestly Shuichi," said Kiomi. "You really should start seeing someone. Wanna go out sometime?" she winked at him. "No, wait." She looked thoughtful. "Maybe not. After all, Hiei might kill me." This was very funny to all of them and they laughed at the joke. Everyone, except Kurama. She isn't even aware how close to the truth that is. He grimaced in his thoughts. Hiei actually might kill someone that he considered as a threat. Kurama had this creepy feeling that Kiomi was frightfully right. Human or no human, they would die.
"So, Minamino," Masato started. "Who is he actually? You seem to at least know him."
"Yes. He's a colleague of mine," Kurama answered the info-hungry audience.
"So you have to see him at work only, huh?" Taikan asked.
"Yes, but I'm not working that much anymore, so not that often. At least," he continued bitterly, more to himself than to his friends, "that's what I thought, until he moved in last night." They all looked at him in amused disbelief. Since it looked like he was telling the truth, Kohei started laughing, soon followed by the other guys. The girls giggled together.
"How on earth did he manage to move in to your house?" Masato howled.
"I have no idea," Kurama grumbled just when the bells rang again. Others had to leave for their own class, but since Taikan had the same subject, he just seated himself next to Kurama.
"So," he started with a whisper when the teacher came in. "Are you gay, then?"
"What?" Kurama was startled at the question but composed his facial features as he turned to look at Taikan for an explanation. The man just shrugged and whispered back.
"Well, he's managed to get famous at your school, stays at your house and you just get redder in the minute as we talk about him. In one day. It's obvious you like him. Otherwise this would have never reached publicity." Taikan gave him a knowing look and turned to his papers and the class. Unlike some dreamers, he was going to attend to the lesson and learn while he was at it.
Kurama was once again lost in his thoughts. So the whole school knew. Great. Just great. Hiei was famous and everyone thought that he was ... gay? He had actually never given it a thought. It came naturally to him that love is love no matter of the sex or species. He hadn't remembered the humans' way of thinking about this kind of relationship.
But that wasn't actually worrying him the most: Taikan was said to be very insightful. Sometimes even annoyingly perspective, knowing things beforehand just by observing. What if he was right about this time as well?
Kurama's rest of the school day went in a haze. Since his school was a strict one and the pressure was high, everyone was trying to make the best of the worst. Meaning the gossip was too juicy to anyone to let go. So the redhead soon got used to the looks he was receiving, and thankful to his friend, he knew why he got them. He'd never thought it would be such a popular gossip, but since he was, why wouldn't his personal business be?
He barely noticed when the classes ended and walked slowly out of the building. His friends were used to his 'antisocial-after-school' -exterior. They were never invited to the beauty's place, so they never expected it. Even his fans had gotten the scare, or just staying away for some other reasons. Kurama walked out of the gates alone.
But he wasn't alone for long. As the green-eyed beauty had expected, Hiei soon appeared walking beside him. Kurama was just pondering how he didn't sense the fire demon at all, when he felt slightly light-headed. He raised a hand to his forehead to steady his vision, when he lost his balance. He fell with a soft yelp of the sudden tumble. And instead of painful solid earth his body met a pair of strong arms under him. Yet again. This is the second time in a day. It's almost getting a habit. He grimaced to himself at his lame joke, but the fact that he was still in Hiei's arms didn't go away.
"Sorry," Kurama muttered and looked up to Hiei. The half-Koorime was smirking at him with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. The fox was really too tired to get up, but this gave him some boost. He tried to get off, but wasn't receiving any help. Actually, Hiei just wasn't letting him.
"What now, Hiei?" he asked, sighing, from the shorter boy.
"I can carry you again," the spiky haired demon said and added, "koi."
Kurama looked at him in the eye surprised and then lowered his gaze. Soon he started shaking slightly and Hiei was puzzled. Was the red haired demon that angry of the name? But soon the fire demon got his answer when Kurama first chuckled and the out right busted laughing. The Jagan master frowned. What the hell was going on?
"What are you laughing at?" Hiei asked sounding almost dangerous. When the fox-spirited man had finally gotten his act together that much that he could speak, he looked at Hiei.
"It's just that... That sounded very funny, coming from you," he finally got to say, still stifling his laugh slightly. The three-eyed demon looked even more dangerous when his frown deepened.
"It's not to offend you," Kurama added quickly. "But it's really not you to call me with pet-names. And I think I prefer the old Hiei," he said in the end, quietly.
"But now," the slender man continued more briskly. "Could you put me down? I just slipped; you don't have to carry me all the way," Kurama said pointedly. Hiei seemed to be deep in thoughts but slowly settled him down. The fox thanked politely and they walked the rest of the way home. Hiei never called him nick-names again.
The following three days went uneventfully by. Hiei occasionally insisted on carrying Kurama to school and the latter had few objections. He had gotten very tired and it was fun riding the way in the half-koorime's lap. Besides, the school wasn't any obstacle anyway. Everyone 'knew' of their little affair and Kurama had given up on explaining the real side of the story. Bright-sides were that he was less harassed and more given time of his own.
At home he would make his homework and the usual chores, exception that Hiei was with him all the time. And I mean all the time. The only privacy that Kurama had managed to negotiate to himself was the time he was in the bathroom. At night Hiei of course went to his own room, but the redhead could've sworn that he didn't stay there for long. Any other time the fire demon was always present; coming and going the way he pleased, and still working occasionally the taller man's personal alarm clock.
Hiei wasn't that aggressive any more but insisted on being close to Kurama. The fox started to think this as some lame 'stray puppy' -scheme. If he would be followed long enough, he would eventually take fancy to him and carry him home. Like hell he was going to. Still, a few kisses were changed, or rather, stolen. This soon came more of a game to Kurama than any other. He tried to prevent any situations that kissing was dangerously close and Hiei tried to contribute them.
Then the monotonous week ended when something sudden happed. Kurama was just massaging his, yet again aching temples - the headache was getting worse every day -, and leaning over his homework, when he heard a tap on the window. He raised warily his head and looked out to see who it was. It couldn't be Hiei, he was sitting on the bed, but then who? Who was coming out through the window? And then he caught glimpse of the blue hair swaying in the wind and breathed sounding slightly surprised.
"Botan?"