Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from the Yu Yu Hakusho series. I do own the storyline and the few original characters within. Now the title of this chapter is kind of self explanatory so I am going to keep this brief, Kurama and Hiei have just mated, and as described in previous chapter, Fire Demon mating are rough, so let's see how Kurama explains the bruises that he has all of a sudden. I give you Chapter Eight: Discoveries.

))_))_

Kurama smiled lightly as he kissed Hiei on the forehead as they heard the door unlock from the other side. Kurama winced as he turned and took a step forward, but Hiei stopped him, wrapping his arms around his waist, whispering that he was sorry that he had hurt him. Kurama shook his head and said that it was a good kind of hurt, and that he was willing to take it over and over again if it meant that Hiei wouldn't blame himself.

"I told you, Hiei, there is nothing that you could possibly do that would change the way I feel about you," he said gently as the door opened. "I will see you next time."

Kurama walked out of the door, Granger actually looking at him strangely as he did. Granger turned to the fire demon prisoner and chuckled lightly. "I take it the meeting went well."

Hiei frowned at the perverted warden. "Shut up."

Granger laughed as he cuffed Hiei and took him back to his cell, excusing the fire demon for he knew that Hiei was just being protective of his personal business. But hey, and old man had to try. Granger walked to the cell with Hiei in tow and told him that his file was going to be up for review in the next three months. "We should know whether or not the parole board will hear your case or not in as little as four maybe five months. But you are going to be under close watch until then, so..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Hiei said sarcastically. "Behave myself. But as I told you before, Chief, how is one supposed to get into trouble around here, when I am never near anyone else?"

Granger smiled. "Exactly."

))_))_

Kurama groaned lightly as he leaned against the front door of his house. He was thrilled that Hiei had mated him, promised to love him forever, but damn he wasn't prepared at all for that type of a mating. Even the fox within was cringing with each step he took. He was going to have to heal himself before his mother noticed anything off. He already knew that there were going to be bruises, but the bite marks would be harder to explain. He would have to heal those. Kurama seen his mother's car in the driveway and sighed lightly. He braced himself and walked into the house. Shiori smiled up at him from the couch, and Kurama inwardly cringed, hoping that she hadn't heard him lean against the door outside.

"Hello, mother," he said with a bright smile.

"Hello, Shuiichi," she said and turned back to her magazine. "How was your visit with Hiei?"

Kurama smiled lightly and hoped that his cheeks weren't growing red with the thought of what had just taken place. "It was good, we played chess and talked."

She smiled and breathed out. "Sure ya did."

Kurama sighed lightly and sat down on the couch. "What is it that you think happened, mother?"

Shiori sat her magazine to the side and looked at her son dead in the eye. "Do you really want to know, son?"

Kurama nodded, hoping that he didn't regret his choice. "Yes, I do. I want to see if you are anywhere close."

She smiled and crossed her arms. "I know how close I am to the truth. The blush on your cheeks, tells me that I am right. You do like him in more ways than just a friend."

Kurama blinked as he looked at his mother. "How could you possibly know that?"

She smiled. "Mother's intuition. Besides, I know my son. You have been up to see him more than any of your other friends, and your letters have become more and more frequent with him. There can't be all that much for him to talk about, I mean I never really heard him say more than a sentence or two. There is only one thing that the two of you could possibly be writing to each other... promises of the future when he gets out. And I suspect that on his first extended visit, some of the things that were promised have already come true."

Kurama gaped at his mother. What the hell? How had she... He shook his head. "What makes you think that, mother?"

"That shocked expression on your face, and the fact that I can see a hickey on your neck," she said with a smile. "I can see you care about him, Shuiichi. It is a life choice that you have to make on your own. I cannot make that choice for you, and no one else can either. If you care about him, then you care about him. As your mother, I can only sit back and wish you luck with him."

Kurama's hand flew to his neck, a tender spot that Hiei had left there... Hiei had given him a hickey!? That's why Granger was looking at him like that when he left! He sighed lightly and figured there was no point in hiding the truth, since she already seemed to know the truth.

"Alright, mother," he said and leaned forward, wincing slightly. "It's true. I do care about him, more than you think. It wasn't until you said something about it before I came to realize how right you were about us. I did want more than a friendship with him, and it is true that some things were promised in our letters."

She smiled, glad that her son was finally telling her the truth. She had known for a long time already, she could always see a smile on his face when he was writing a letter to his "friend" and it wasn't a friends' smile that was shown. It was one of more than was had. It was one of love and longing. Of wishing.

"I know, son," she said lightly and sipped her tea. "I am just glad that you are willing to finally admit it to me."

Kurama sighed lightly. "I'm sorry I hid the truth from you. I didn't want to disappoint you. I know that you want grandchildren... and being gay... it would rob you of that. I would love to give you the grandchildren that you want... but... I..."

"I would rather see you happy, Shuiichi," she said softly. "If you and Hiei being together keeps that smile on your face, then I will be happy. I love you, son. There is nothing that you could do that would disappoint me. And besides, if there was a possibility of grandchildren, then there is always adoption. There are millions of children out there that need a loving family to take care of them."

Kurama blinked. She was still gonna push the grandchildren, even if he WAS gay? Wow... that was a shock. Even if they didn't share here genes, she would still love them as though they were her own. That was an interesting fact, he would have to talk to Hiei about that. He winced as he took a deep breath, the activities of earlier starting to catch up to him. He knew that he was still bleeding from some of his wounds, and that is why he didn't want to lean back against the couch, for the fabric was white. He glanced at the clock on the wall, sighing lightly. He only had a few hours before he had to go to Koenma's office. Yusuke and Kuwabara was working right now and they would get off about thirty minutes after he go there. He shook his head and looked at his mother. "I have to get ready for work."

"Alright," she said lightly. "I will be sure to save you some dinner for later."

He shook his head as he got up cautiously. "No need, mother. I will be working late tonight, visiting Hiei cut into my work hours today..."

"So you have to make them up tonight," she nodded and looked at her magazine. "I've been there, darling. I know what that means too. You are probably not going to want to join me for breakfast tomorrow morning."

He winced at that. "I'm sorry mother, I will try to be up for it. But you have worked nights and know what its like when you get home."

She nodded with a smile. "Yes, I do. All you want to do is sleep."

He smiled lightly. "I will see you later though, I promise."

She smiled again as he placed a kiss on her cheek. He stood up and walked up the stairs. She smirked, Hiei must be good because she knew that walk WAY too well. She was young once, therefore she knew what it was like to have a wicked good time. She shook her head and picked up her magazine.

))_))_

Kurama sighed heavily as he looked into the mirror. He groaned as he looked at the marks that were already visible. A HICKEY! That little shit had given him a hickey! But the mark that really caught his eye was the one that was on the other side of his neck. On the left side of his neck, there was a red rose being licked by flames. Hiei had left his mated mark on him. The thought made him smile. He leaned closer to the mirror and examined it closer. It was beautiful, and it actually had bright colors, almost as if it was a tattoo. His fingers traced the mark, pulling away when the pain shot through his neck at the simple touch.

"Ouch..." he winced as his shoulder shot pain through his back. He sighed heavily. He was really gonna be sore tomorrow. He turned in the mirror. "Damn!"

There were dark red scratches down his back and across his shoulders. He hadn't felt all that. He smirked, he was going to have to return the favor the next time they got together. He was going to mate Hiei the next time, and he wasn't going to let up, not until the little fire demon was begging for him to stop, and still he wouldn't stop. He knew that was going to be cruel and unusual punishment for him, but after the markings left all over his body was going to make up for that. He shook his head and stepped into the shower. He had to get ready, but first, he was going to have to make himself something to dull the pain, because he couldn't help but wince with every slight move.

))_))_

Kurama sighed heavily as he sat in his chair at Koenma's office. Yusuke and Kuwabara were in the middle of a discussion about a file that they were both hovering over. Kurama figured they were going to find out about this, but he wasn't expecting their actual reaction.

"What the hell happened to you?!" they both said as they came to stand over him.

Yusuke lifted the collar of his shirt and examined the bruises that surrounded the puncture marks in the center. "Did Hiei do this?"

Kurama shrugged his shirt free from Yusuke's grasp and shook his head. "It's not what you think, Yusuke."

"He hit you?!" Kuwabara asked seeing a bruise on his arm. "I'll kill him!"

Kurama sighed heavily and stood up, wincing harshly, sucking breath in through clench teeth and shook his head to the two detectives. "You can't blame him for this!"

Yusuke stepped back and looked at him. "What the hell happened, Kurama? You said that you two were dating? Why would he hurt you like this? I can see that you are in pain."

"Koenma! Help me out here, please!" Kurama protested as the toddler was standing there behind them all. "Tell them that its not what it seems!"

Kuwabara and Yusuke turned to see that Koenma was actually chuckling lightly. "You two are human, therefore, seeing something like this would naturally concern you."

"Thank you!" Kurama said as he sat back down, groaning lightly as his ass was still sore from that afternoon. "I told you guys, it's not what it seems!"

Yusuke glanced back to Kurama and then turned back to the toddler. "What is going on here, Koenma? What do you know that we don't?"

Kurama sighed and figured his day of confessions wasn't over. "It's not the same, when humans sleep together. Demons, we are naturally rough in everything we do, why wouldn't we be when WE sleep together?"

Kuwabara gaped. "He gave you those marks while you two were having sex?"

Kurama groaned and shook his head. "I told you, it's not what you think. Things are different with our kind."

Koenma cleared his throat and stood up on his desk. "I think I can explain a little bit easier. When Humans fall in love, they get married and go on their honeymoon, right. Well with Demons, Kurama is right, it is very different. There isn't a ceremony with friends and loved ones to proclaim their love to each other. It is done with a ritual called a Mating. Now each demon mating ritual is different. Fox demons and Fire demons are two of the types that do have a rough and almost brutal mating ritual, but their matings are the purest. It is a bond that is created not only out of love, but of PURE and unmatched trust. Bonds of that type are the rarest and the purest. They are forever, and once mated, no one can lay a hand on the other without the mate flipping out and going ballistic on them."

Kurama nodded and sighed lightly. "You see, it isn't what you thought. I told you that I was okay."

Koenma looked at him and smiled. "To tell you the truth... I am surprised that you are able to walk after a mating with a fire demon. Their rituals are extremely tough, but can only be done if the partner is more than willing to suffer through the pain to be mated to them. I am surprised that you were willing to go through it in Human form."

Kurama groaned and laid his head on his desk, now Koenma was going to turn on him. "Please... just drop it."

Koenma shook his head. "I can't, Kurama. I want to see it."

Kurama growled lightly and turned his head to the side, pulling his collar down to reveal the mark that Hiei had left on him. Koenma smiled as he walked over and took a closer look. Most fox demons had a flower or something of the sorts as their Kin Marks. And Fire demons had flames of some type. He smiled as he looked at the mark, surprised to see it so clearly.

"Do you know why the marking is so dark, Kurama?" Koenma asked as he stepped back.

Kurama shook his head. "I was kind of wondering why."

Koenma smiled. He wanted to tell him, but he turned and Yusuke and Kuwabara were leaning towards him to listen in. He frowned and turned to them. "Beat it!"

Yusuke and Kuwabara jumped and took several steps back. They didn't leave though. Koenma sighed and turned back to Kurama. "I will email you."

"Just say it," Kurama said. "They know everything already. They might as well know this."

Koenma sighed lightly. "The darker the mark, the stronger the bond. When the mark is so dark, it has a second meaning. The meaning can be interpreted in many ways but there is only one true reason for the mark to be so dark. It means that the mated pairing is the one that was built for each other. Each person on the planet is paired with one other. If they come together and they mate, their mark will be clear. But also, it means that no one will dare interfere with the relationship. Every other demon will fear the mark, something about it will simply warn them away."

Kurama blinked. "What do you mean?"

Koenma smiled. "You know how you fear Karasu... he wont be able to lay a hand on you ever again. Even if he wants to. The mark is like a protection barrier. It will stop anyone who tries to lay a hand on you. If he bears the same mark, no one can touch him either. Your bond will be sacred, one that is untouchable. One that cannot be broken, even by death."

"Immortality?" Kurama breathed. "Impossible."

Koenma smiled lightly. The meaning behind his smile was going to blow his mind. "Actually, you are correct. When soul mates come together, the gods can grant them with immortality. But to tell you the truth, you and Hiei have been immortal for some time now. Even before your mating and even before your relationship even began. Your harbored feelings for each other was enough to get that immortality before a mating ever took place. That is why your wounds healed so quick. How you are able to stand here before me after mating just a few hours ago."

Kurama blinked... immortal? He had longed for it when he was Youko Kurama. He had fought to stay alive, wishing that he could live forever... but now... as a human, he was granted the very thing he wanted. That meant... Hiei was immortal as well. The thought made him smile, no matter what they faced in the future... they would always be together. Koenma left his desk with a satisfied smile on his face. He left Kurama to stare into space and process all that he was told and the new things that he had just discovered. He smirked... for a fox demon, he was quite naive about the most important things in this life.

))_))_

Hiei smiled as he read the letter from Kurama.

Dear, Hiei, my love.

You little SHIT! How dare you give me a hickey! My mother was the one to point it out to me! You know what that did to me? I had no choice but to tell her about us, and surprisingly, she is supportive of us. But the real kicker to this rant is this, Yusuke and Kuwabara know as well! Everyone knows already, and it is all because of the gosh darn hickey that you left on my neck... and the mating mark that rests on the other side.

I learned something new today. Something that you might find interesting. Do you know why a demon's markings can get so dark? If not, I will tell you. The darker the mark, the stronger the bond. However, my mark is as clear as the words that I am writing to you now. Which means only one thing... we were destined to be together, we are soul mates and the moment that I mate you, our lives will go on for a LONG, LONG time. For soul mates that find each other on their own, like us, turn immortal if the gods believe it is worth the effort.

Nothing can hurt us in the future, Hiei. Not Karasu, not Bui, not even time can hurt us. That is something that I have always dreamed of. To find one that I can spend the rest of my life with, no matter how short. But we will live on, longer than we normally would and we will always be together. I love you, Hiei. I want to be with you forever. And I will never change my mind. I can't, not now. Not after you marked me the way you did. Not after you showed me and the Youko the real meaning of love.

I am warning you now... the bites and marks on my body will fade by the time we see each other again, but I will be sure to return the favor to you. You will know the way I felt, for the next time, I will mate you myself, and I will be sure that EVERYONE there knows it. For you are MY fire demon. I will be damned if anyone tries to take you from me. The light in your eyes will belong to me in a short week, and I promise you that it will be forever, for I love you Hiei. I will never tire of saying that. No matter what you do, no matter what you say, you belong to me as much as I belong to you.

I love you, Hiei. Forever yours, Kurama.

Hiei smiled lightly as finished the letter. Immortal huh, that was an interesting thought. But the thing that struck him the most, was Kurama's possessiveness already. He had mated the fox, not the other way around. And the thought made him smile. He knew about the Fox demon mating ritual, he was curious if the vines used in the ritual fed the sexuality of the fox, or helped add to his own. He was only concerned about one thing, Fox demon's mating ritual meant that the vines got to play with him FIRST. That wasn't fair, he wanted the fox to have him first. But then again... the thought of Kurama's vines wrapped around him, playing with him was strangely erotic. He was looking forward to the encounter that was promised in the letter. Hiei sat back on the bed and smiled as he waited for the day to come.

))_))_

The End of Chapter Eight: Discoveries. I hope you enjoyed, it was short and sweet but it gets a lot of information to you about what is to come, but still read for the next few chapters will leave you on the edge of your seats. For only Kurama is under the protection of the mark, not Hiei. Until next time, leave your comments, reviews, and requests and I will get to them soon. Ta ta for now.