Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story. This story is rated M for a variety of reasons, including violence, drama, graphic boy on boy action, and random bouts of bad language.

CHAPTER TEN: MAKING MEMORIES

Hiei lay back on the bed, sweaty and exhausted. "I think… that I need another shower."

Kurama traced patterns on his fire demon's chest with a small smile. "Why bother? I'm just going to get you all dirty again in another hour or so." He smiled and leaned up for a kiss. "I kicked your ass at sparring."

"I let you win," Hiei grumbled. "That new form of yours comes with quite the little power surge at times."

Kurama nuzzled Hiei's bruised neck. "I know. My Yoko form makes the plants in to weapons. The in-between form feeds from the energy of all plant life around me."

"And uses it to heal." Hiei stifled a groan when Kurama licked a bloodied cut on his chest and entwined his fingers in red hair. "You're having too much fun with all this fox. It makes me suspicious of what's to come."

Kurama twitched his tail and one of his ears flicked. Hiei, of course, thought it was adorable and scratched the red ear. Kurama's eyes slipped closed. "Mm… You're right love, you do need a shower. Somebody got their face shoved in the dirt." He laughed and danced away when Hiei swatted at him.

"That was simply unnecessary." Hiei threw his boxers at him when he stripped and sauntered in to the bathroom, shaking his hips in an inviting way. "Keep that up and you don't get to play rough tonight."

A cute pout formed on Kurama's lips before he just smirked and went to follow his love in to the bathroom. Hiei shut and locked the door in his face. "Aw… come on baby…"

"Not until later, I'm sore enough," Hiei called through the door. "Besides, I'd actually like to shower for once, get clean before you soil me again."

Kurama couldn't help but giggle a little. "Hey Dragonfly, do you remember our first time?"

"Yes," Hiei replied as he turned on the water in the bathroom. "It was a few days before your heat. You didn't believe me when I said how fast I could run even with you on my back. So I took you to the ocean."

"And the little foxy got naughty," Kurama teased. "It was romantic under the full moon, on the beach. It was everything I dreamed of, with just who I wanted to be with too."

"Your point?"

"It was the most romantic thing you've ever done for me."

"And you want me to perform another romantic act?"

"It'd be nice."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Getting married." Kurama heard a loud thunk in the bathroom and knew that Hiei had fallen out of surprise. That or slipped on soap. Kurama personally thought it was the first option. "Are you okay?"

"Don't mention such things when I'm shower!" Hiei threw an inanimate object at the door. "Nearly gave me a heart attack. I thought we agreed to wait when we've lived together for a year."

"I don't want to wait."

"Why?"

Kurama pouted softly. "Because I want kids."

Another loud noise. "Kurama!"

"I do!"

"Hardly the point. We've been mated for barely a year and half of that was spent separated. We've only been living together for the past four months." Hiei opened the door in a towel and gazed at Kurama. "The towel stays on. Keep your mind out of the gutter fox."

Kurama shook his head and retreated to the edge of the bed. "I know that time doesn't mean the same thing to you as it does to me, but I live my life on human time. There's only so much time that the people I care about have to see these sorts of things. My mother deserves to see her son married and she most certainly deserves to see the face of her grandchild before she passes away."

"There are going to be many years before your mother passes Kurama."

"Don't lie to me Hiei." Kurama raised his head and gazed up in to concerned crimson eyes. "I saw her at Yukina and Kuwabara's wedding, I could almost sense the illness on her. I feel like she's slipping from my grasp Hiei. I want her to at least see what she dreamed for me become reality."

"Fox…" Hiei drew near and caressed his cheek. "Humans die. It's a part of their natural life. If Shiori was sick, I'm sure she would have mentioned it to you. Perhaps you just smelled the flu or a common cold." He brushed his lips across Kurama's cheek.

"Do you like living here or in Japan better?" Kurama questioned, suddenly changing the subject.

"Japan," came the immediate answer. "That way, you were close to your family and I could keep an eye on the oaf and the idiot, make sure they aren't going and getting themselves killed. Not to mention I loved the house you used to have. Training at the temple was always great too."

Kurama stood up. "Good, then it's settled." He stood up and strode in to the bathroom, shutting and locking the door before Hiei could follow him and patronize him with questions. "Sorry love, I'd actually like to shower for once," came the teasing words from the other side of the door.

"What's settled?" Hiei questioned.

"Moving."

"Back to Japan?"

"Yes."

"Didn't you sell the house before you moved here?"

"Yes."

"Then where the hell are we going to live?"

"In the house." Kurama laughed lightly as he turned on the water. "It turns out that with a little persuasion, the owners moved out. All I had to do was put up the creepy painting I found in the church and employ Sage to help me scare it away. They put up a sale sign within a day."

"And he didn't tell me about it when I met with him?"

"I threatened to wring his little neck, beat him to a blood pulp, burn the broken ruins of his body and then piss on the whole mess if he said a word."

"You certainly got creative with that particular threat."

"It was funny watching his face though."

"You're beginning to take after me."

"Heh, never," Kurama answered. "Anyways, I packed the entire house behind your back and you didn't even notice."

"That's because you enjoy playing housewife too much," Hiei sighed. "You always make all the meals for me, you always place out my clothes on the chair. I hardly ever have to get in to any of the cupboards or closets."

"And you didn't notice large pieces of furniture were beginning to go missing?"

"The only place I've been for the last two days is the bedroom, the kitchen floor, and in the gardens."

"True." Kurama came out and began to dress. "I had a little help in the packing department as well while you went on your daily walks and runs and training exploits in the forest."

"You sneaky little devil."

"Not really," Kurama laughed lightly. "You just aren't as perceptive as you think."

"Hn."

Kurama turned around, his ears and tail no longer there, and his eyes pure emeralds once again. "Let's go home then."

Hiei eyed him but willingly followed him downstairs and outside. "You're going to make me unpack on my birthday? It doesn't seem like you."

"Well, I have to get some use out of you." Kurama teased. "We're hopping portals again. I'll race you." Kurama tripped Hiei and then sprinted off in to the forest.

The fox, of course, won the race and ended up at his old house first. Hiei approached the door, slightly suspicious of the large amount of energy located within the home. Still, knowing the fox was up to something made him want to figure it out. So he stepped inside the darkened lights. The living room came alive in the period of a few seconds. The lights flipped on and all their friends stood in the living room, shouting surprise at him. The fox leaped at him and nearly tackled him to the floor. Hiei caught his lover in his arms with his usual ease.

"Fox, what is all this?"

"I'm proving to you that there are people who are happy you were born and want to celebrate the day with you." Kurama kissed him deeply.

"Ew," Yusuke murmured. "I think I'm going to have to go home and drown myself in dirty magazines." At the glare he received from his very pregnant wife, he just smiled. "Um… Joking honey, joking."

"Gross," Kuwabara shook his head.

"Cute," Yukina smiled.

"They're such a good couple," Keiko commented.

Kurama pulled away from his fire demon with bruised lips and smiled. "Happy birthday Dragonfly." He grabbed Hiei's hand and pulled him to the couch, where he was content to curl up with his head on his fire demon's lap. Hiei ran his fingers through the mess of red hair gently, just smiling down at his fox for a moment.

"Present time," Yusuke exclaimed and began taking the gifts from their various hiding spots. He threw a wrapped box at Hiei first. "It's from Keiko and I."

Hiei opened it. "A new cloak. Thank you." He took it out and examined the quality of the cloth, the superior stitching.

"Yeah, your old one looked like you'd been to hell and back with it." Yusuke smiled and tossed him another package. "That one is from Kuwa and Yukina."

Hiei, less hesitant now, ripped open the package. "A whip? I don't fight with whips." He gazed up to see Kuwabara gape at his wife with an open mouth and a face as bright as his hair.

Kurama lifted his head from Hiei's lap and rested his head on his love's shoulder instead. "Love," he whispered. "That isn't for fighting. That's for the bedroom."

Hiei's cheeks stained crimson for a brief moment. "Who's going to feel it first?"

"It's your birthday," Kurama laughed quietly. "I'll let you decide."

Hiei dug deeper in the box and came out with a pair of fuzzy handcuffs with a flame design decorating them. "Thank you for the very creative gifts."

Yukina smiled softly. "Every mating pair needs a little spice once in awhile. You and Kurama have been together for years now, and we can't have the two of you getting bored with each other."

"The fox doesn't need much help getting creative in that department," Hiei commented dryly. He received a rather hard punch in the shoulder for that one.

"I'll be right back," Kurama murmured. "Everyone stay put. I hid my gift in the bedroom."

Kurama came downstairs with Hiei's sword. "I took your original one and replaced it with a copy that could withhold abuse should you need to use it." He threw Hiei his sword. "I upgraded your old one."

Hiei threw the fox the imitation and took his out to examine it. "What do you mean?"

Kurama sat beside him. "I had the steel reforged and fortified with the extract of a very special plant I know of. The metal is still very breakable but it's resistant to high temperatures and it channels energy more effectively. With this sword, it recycles the energy used so you end up with more endurance. The steel will also last longer without holding a mark on it, even from slicing through bone."

"Nice," Hiei muttered as he gazed at it. "That will be useful."

"The hilt has also been fortified so that you can use it as a temporary shield. The metal is meant to be able to hold up to extremely powerful blows." Kurama smiled softly. "It's the same old sword you've always had… just better."

"Thank you."

Kurama moved from his perch at the edge of his couch and pounced on Hiei's lap. It was then Hiei noticed his ears and tail back out.

"Kurama," Keiko crooned and nearly tackled the fox. "You look adorable? Can I scratch your ears? Pretty please?"

Kurama nodded and tilted his head towards her. When Keiko reached out and touched him, Hiei growled low in his throat and pushed her hand away. "You don't know what that does to him. It's like giving a cat a large amount of catnip."

Kurama pouted. "Hiei! You weren't supposed to tell them that! I love having my ears scratched."

"What would Yoko do?" Hiei questioned, pretending to be serious.

"Be stoic and calm and arrogant and not let anyone scratch his ears." Kurama's ears and tail drooped. "Meanie."

The cake was brought out soon after and cut in to pieces. Hiei perched his plate precariously close to his face to sniff it for a moment, just to decide the type of custard in the middle. Kurama couldn't resist. He shoved the plate up and the cake right in to Hiei's face.

Hiei looked at Kurama with death written on his face despite the chocolate frosting that also graced it. "FOX!!!"

Kurama ran.

The rest of the group followed, also armed with cake. It became war until everyone collapsed on the front lawn covered in cake and frosting, laughing. Even Hiei laughed. It caused everyone to turn dead quiet and stare at him. Then burst in to laughter once again. The snow that covered the ground didn't seem to matter. That soon became arsenal as well. When everyone trudged in to the kitchen, Kurama went through the motions of making hot cocoa.

"So, when are the two of you getting hitched?" Yusuke finally questioned.

Kurama gazed at Hiei with a questioning look.

"Spring," Hiei answered for both of them. "When our sakura tree comes in to bloom. We'll get married where our relationship first started."

"Sounds like a date," Kurama smiled.

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

Yay! Another update today has occurred. I think I deserve cookies and reviews. I'll give up the cookies for review. As long as I get one cookie. I love cookies. Anyways, please review and tell me what you thought of this chapter. I had fun with it. Are things over? NEVER!!!!!!!