Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story unless I've said that I do, which involves mostly minor characters. This story is rated M for violence, bad language, and graphic boy on boy action. Oh, and a mental cookie for everyone who has reviewed so far. You all deserve it.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: A LOVING TOUCH

Hiei returned to the clearing and his heart nearly stopped at the sight before him. Kurama was lying among a bed of bloody sakura petals. His shirt had long since been soaked with blood and his hair was spread out around his too pale face. He looked like a fallen angel. Hiei approached softly and put a hand less than an inch from Kurama's mouth and nose. The warm breath tickled his skin and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Hiei lifted the broken form from the petals and couldn't help but to smile grimly when the fox buried his head in the crook of Hiei's neck, never once opening his eyes or regaining consciousness. Hiei debated with himself: the car or running? He decided at once that it'd be difficult to position Kurama in the car without risking injuring the fox more. He ran to the temple as fast as he could.

Kuwabara was holding the crying Sage in his arms, rocking him back and forth. He was doing his best to comfort the infant without showing how uncomfortable he was around children. Hiei walked past him and in to the temple. He set Kurama down gently on a mattress that Yukina indicated.

"Why hasn't he stopped bleeding?" Hiei questioned as he ripped the bloody shirt from the fox's figure.

"Cut your finger on your sword and tell me what happens," Yukina replied as she folded several bandages together and began applying pressure to the wound.

Hiei cut the tip of his finger on the blade and then gazed as the blood tripped down, leaving a tiny river on his skin. "It doesn't heal with demon energy."

"One of Kurama's customizations to your sword. I think he had it forged and blessed so that demon energy couldn't heal a wound created by the blade. It's a smart move, but potentially deadly in our case." Yukina put Hiei's hand on the wound and had him apply the proper pressure while she cleaned the blood from the surrounding area. "Hiei, you have to be more careful. If he was in his Yoko form, or if he was full demon, this would have been the end of him."

Hiei looked down. "It wasn't intentional."

"Luckily, Kurama's demon energy is diluted when he's in this form. He's managed to heal the wound from a gaping hole to something manageable at least." Yukina pushed Hiei's hand away. "No vital organs are hurt but it can't be healed. I'll have to sew it and then bandage it. He'll need an anti-bacterial ointment for the next few weeks."

"Such a wound could be healed in a week."

"Your blade prevents that." Yukina stood up. "He'll heal like a human." She left the room and came back later with a needle and wire thread. Her movements were quick and precise, but Hiei could barely stand to watch the needle pricking in to his love's skin.

Instead, Hiei stood and left the room, taking his screaming son from Kuwabara's arms. "Shh…" he soothed.

Sage quieted as soon as he heard Hiei's voice. He reached up and grabbed Hiei's earlobe, tugging on it and then squealing with happy laughter. Hiei just smiled down at the child. "Has mommy been reading to you at night?" He sank down in to one of the porch chairs with Sage in his arms. "I bet your mommy has been reading you one of his favorite books." He pressed a finger to Sage's nose and laughed when the child grabbed his finger and inserted it in to his mouth. "You know what I think? I think it's time for a diaper change and then a bottle."

Sage kicked his legs at Hiei as the fire demon struggled to get a new diaper on his son. Hiei growled. "Sage…"

"Dada," came the giggled response.

Hiei stopped with a frown. "You aren't old enough to start talking yet."

"Mama."

"Mama will be very interested to see you talking already," Hiei said.

Sage made a farting noise with his mouth.

Hiei couldn't help but smile. "Don't start back talking me already. Mama is hurt right now and needs his rest. However, if you're a good little boy and let me diaper and feed you, then you might get to see mama as soon as he wakes from his beauty sleep."

An intelligence that captured Hiei's attention at once shined within those golden eyes as Sage looked up at him. He stayed perfectly still as Hiei placed the new diaper on him and then handed him a bottle. "Can you hold it yourself?"

Sage fumbled with the bottle a little bit, but determination made his eyebrows furrow the same way that Kurama's did. After a few struggles, he raised the bottle to his mouth and leaned back, suckling at it happily.

Hiei raised an eyebrow. "Kid… you are just like your mother."

"Speaking of mothers," came Kurama's voice from the doorway. "I swear on my mother's grave that if you stab me with that sword one more time I'm going to throw that sword in the deepest pits of purgatory and kick you're a-"

"Language love," came Hiei's eased response. "You don't want our son repeating naughty words."

"He can't speak yet."

"Tell that to him."

Sage lowered the bottle from his face and smiled up at Kurama happily. "Mama."

Kurama shook his head. "Oh, you little tricky devil."

Sage stuck his tongue out at Kurama and then happily inserted the bottle back in to his mouth.

Hiei gazed up at Kurama with a look of confusion. "What's going on?"

"In Makai, fox's grow up very fast in their early lives." Kurama sat down next to Hiei. "You see, after five months, the mothers leave their children to fend for themselves. The children must grow rapidly within those five months to reach an age where they can defend themselves and find food. Usually, one month equals one year during that time. When Sage came to us, he was supposed to adapt to human growth. However, it seems he's chosen to ignore the change."

Hiei shook his head. "We aren't going to leave him."

"He doesn't know that," Kurama replied. "All he knows is that I am a fox and I'm his mother. He assume we'll follow nature and leave him. He's being cautious."

"I think he just wants to be able to talk back," Hiei commented and tickled Sage's foot.

Sage sat up and removed the empty bottle from his throat. He burped in Hiei's face.

"I think he's too smart for his own good sometimes."

"I wonder if he can walk yet," Hiei muttered. He left Kurama's side to place Sage's feet on the grass.

Sage wobbled at first but managed to hold his balance. He watched Hiei with wary eyes. Kurama smiled softly. "Hiei, walk in front of him. He learns by watching the two of us."

Hiei began to walk easily in front of his child. Sage watched him for a moment before taking one uncertain step. Then another. Soon, he was running after Hiei, wobbling a little, and then falling down in the soft grass. He didn't cry when he stumbled. Instead, he just gazed up at his father with a sense of determination.

"Kurama, your son is a fast little bugger," Hiei laughed, dancing out of reach when Sage lurched towards his ankle.

Kurama raised his nose in the air in his arrogant way. "Well, of course he is. He's got my blood flowing through his veins after all."

Hiei sat on the porch steps, one below Kurama, and rested his head on his love's lap. Kurama stroked Hiei's hair with a sign of absent affection as they watched Sage romp around in the grass, exploring every flower and rock. Hiei planted a soft kiss on the fabric of Kurama's pants. "Are you okay?"

"A bit weak, but I'll be fine," Kurama answered. "This wouldn't be the first time surviving an injury at the edge of your sword."

"If you knew that your demon energy wouldn't be able to heal your body, why did you grab the sword from me and plunge it deeper?" Hiei questioned.

Kurama smiled softly. "Because that woman wanted my child. Her scent gave away her plans. She wanted you to hold me while I was injured; then, she was planning on grabbing Sage and taking off to Makai with him." The fox gazed at Sage as the child sniffed a daisy and then sneezed on it. "Tell me that isn't worth giving up everything for."

"It's not worth killing yourself for."

"You'd have done the same to save him."

Hiei sat up and claimed Kurama's lips with his. "No, because if you die, I'll follow my mate. Then our dear Sage would be an orphan. So do us both a favor and be careful."

"I've been meaning to speak to you about his training."

"I think you should train him and I should train our daughter after she comes along."

"Why?"

"Watch," Hiei replied.

Sage saw a rose across the yard from him and frowned. Not wanting it to be that far away, he held out his hand. In the blink of an eye, the rose bush was no longer at the edge of the yard. The vines smoothed their thorns, making it safe for Sage and creating a small swing for him. Sage giggled as the vines bounced him up and down.

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Oh yes, he definitely learns by watching the two of us." He stood up with a hand on his stomach. "Sage, do I need to tell you about not playing with mommy's roses? Those are not toys!" He descended one step. "You have three seconds to get that bush where it belongs before I have them cage you."

Sage gave Kurama a challenging gaze and continued bouncing.

"One…"

Sage pouted.

"Two…"

In the blink of an eye, the bushes were back in their place again.

Kurama shook his head. "He's got my powers and your thick head. He's inherited your temper and quick movements, but my control of plants."

"And your intelligence. And looks." Hiei wrapped his arms around Kurama from behind. "He's going to be one drop dead sexy fox when he's older."

"The ladies will love it."

"Unless he learned something else from watching the two of us." Hiei nuzzled his love's neck. "Not that it matters what his sexual preference will be."

"Sage," Kurama called. "Time to go clothes shopping!"

Sage ran towards his parents and was swept up in to Hiei's arms. He giggled as he was swung through the air before resting safely on top of Hiei's shoulders. He began smoothing down the spikes as soon as they were within his reach.

"And he's inherited my good tastes," Kurama noted. "You do look sexy with your hair down around your face love."

Hiei just smiled. "Whatever makes both my foxes happy."

AUTHOR'S CORNER:

I love Sage! He's just so cute! And for being such a tiny thing, he sure does have a lot of personality. Well, the story isn't over yet, so review, receive a mental cookie, and then wait for the next chapter. I love this chapter. It just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Yay for fluffs!