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Kurama's ears perked at the noise of Hiei fumbling with his belts. It sounded like he was having difficulty with at least one of them and Kurama turned to look before he could stop himself. Hiei's chest was tantalizingly bare but the realization of the fire demon's dilemma was more than enough to keep arousal at bay. Kurama looked from his partner's fumbling fingers to his heaving chest and pinched shut eyes with concern. He would have liked to hold him, tell him that everything would be okay and that he'd never hurt him in the ways he'd been shown earlier but he knew better than to advance. His own naked body and the close proximity would likely only increase the other demon's distress.
Turning away before Hiei could catch him looking, Kurama returned to the task at hand, certain that the faster cleanliness was accomplished, the sooner Hiei would be able to relax. Normally the Japanese took their time both scrubbing and soaking afterward but Kurama wouldn't mind cutting the session short for Hiei's sake. His body almost completely covered in soap suds now, Kurama spoke up without stopping or turning, "This is making you uncomfortable," he said factually, a hint of concern showing through in his voice, "I understand if you would rather bathe alone." Finished with scrubbing in record time, Kurama draped his wash cloth over his lap and awaited Hiei's response. |
Crimson eyes flashed open as Kurama spoke. Hiei held his breath, as he calmed his racing heart before he could speak. "No." He managed after a brief pause. "Stay." He didn't explain his reasoning, merely focused on forcing his fingers to release the death grip they had taken on the waistband of his pants. Finally succeeding, he felt the garment puddle around his feet as he found himself looking everywhere in the room except for at Kurama.
He decided that focusing on the task at hand would be the best way to ignore how uncomfortable the situation was for him, so he quickly stepped free of his pants and shuffled a few inches closer to the redhead, his hands clenched tight at his sides. "So how does this work? What are all those bottles for?" He asked, more for something to say than because he couldn't figure it out. He had heard of soap and shampoo...from commercials in shop windows mostly...he'd just never seen the need for them. "I'm not washing with anything that smells like flowers." He added quickly, crossing his arms and setting his face in a stubborn mask. Externally, he was doing his best to appear his usual confident self. Internally... 'Relax. Come on fox, talk to me. Argue with me about your damn flowers even...distract me...something to remind me why I'm doing this...' His mind raced and only a massive amount of willpower kept him from snatching up his clothes and bolting....that and the knowledge that his fox would likely take such an action rather...personally. |
Kurama awaited Hiei's response patiently. He would not take offense if Hiei would rather him finish quickly and leave so he could wash in privacy. It took his partner a moment to gather his voice during which time Kurama pulled a small bucket of water towards himself to rinse off the soap with. When Hiei requested he stay, Kurama said nothing, still forcing himself to keep his gaze fixed forward rather than looking behind him. He could hear the swish of fabric as Hiei's pants fell to the floor and listened to the soft padding of bare feet on the tiled floor as Hiei hesitantly stepped forward to inquire about the things he had set out.
Kurama smiled at his final comment and relaxed slightly, "You'll have to make do with what I have tonight," Kurama commented wryly before adding, "You can pick out your own soap tomorrow if you'd like." Taking hold of the bucket, he drenched his body with it to wash away the soap suds covering his skin and vacated the stool he had been sitting on. Pulling a clean wash cloth from the pile of towels, he dipped it in the bath water before handing it to Hiei and inadvertently faced his naked body for the first time. The fire demon's stomach was hardened muscle as were his arms and legs without being unnaturally so. Shifting his gaze quickly away, Kurama picked up the bottle labeled "soap" and squirted some of it's contents onto the cloth. "You wash with this," he instructed though Hiei probably already knew that if he had been watching, "You can use the stool if you like," he added, indicating the small plastic mount. Filling the bucket again, he poured it over his own head before reaching for the other bottle labeled "shampoo". The bottle was pink and flowers were pictured winding around the outside. It was easily recognizable as a product directed towards woman, but perhaps not to Hiei who was unaccustomed to such things. Squirting some of the thick liquid into one hand, Kurama set the bottle down and reached his hands up to his flattened red locks to rub it in. "If you like the smell of the soap better than what I'm using you could wash you hair with it too," he said, aware that the shampoo had a more fragrant smell. Humans were very particular with the purposes of specific soaps but in the end they all achieved the same result, more or less. |
Hiei tensed as Kurama faced him for the first time but the fox seemed to be doing his best to give him as much space as he needed. Hiei was grateful. He took the soapy cloth with his unwarded hand, bringing it closer to his nose to smell the soap over the perfumed scent that filled the room as Kurama opened his shampoo. The soap had an odd smell, but not bad; fresh and sharp and vaguely citrus scented. 'At least it isn't flowers...' The fire demon sighed, and began to rub the cloth over his skin, standing rather than using the stool. He'd never bathed sitting down before and he didn't see any reason to start now.
He found the bubbles that his actions produced to be a good distraction from Kurama's presence just a few feet away. Squeezing the rag a few times produced a handful of the delicate fluff and Hiei eyed it with almost childlike fascination as he poked at the mass with one finger of his other hand. The ethereal texture tickled his skin and and a puff of breath directed at the foam sent clumps of it floating through the air to land and slide down the wall in front of him. "Hn..." He grunted in mild amusement, pleased with his...experiment (he was not playing...definitely not). Finished with that, he hesitantly patted the handful of bubbles onto his still dry hair. The gravity defying strands quickly obliterated the foam, leaving them sticky and the fire demon confused. He grimaced, wondering where he'd gone wrong. 'Maybe I should have been watching Kurama instead of trying not to look at him.' |
Kurama lathered the shampoo in his hair taking special care of the area closer to his neck. A small menagerie of plant life was nestled between red strands just waiting for his touch to bring them to bloom. As he scrubbed his head, he spared a glance at Hiei who seemed to be distracted by the bubbly substance that played across his skin wherever he dragged the cloth. His playful actions made Kurama smile as he surpresed a chuckle before it could rise in his throat and escape from his mouth.
Dousing his head with another bucket of clean water before Hiei could notice him watching, Kurama rinsed the shampoo suds from his long hair then reached for the third bottle he had set out. This one was labeled "conditioner", the mate to the shampoo in container and scent. The substance that squirted out into his hand was thicker and milky in color. Shuichi ran this through his hair before peeking over at Hiei in time to see him plastering bubbles to his hair. Kurama grinned and filled the bucket one more time before holding it out to Hiei, "You need to wet it first," he said, resisting the urge to dump the water over Hiei's head himself. That would require him to get a bit closer and although Hiei seemed to have relaxed, he didn't want to press their luck. |
Hiei nodded and took the basin, dumping the contents over his head and watching the suds form his body wash towards the drain as he suppressed a shiver. Though the water was warmer than most of his baths, it still felt cool against his skin. His hair sagged slightly with the weight of the water but didn't flatten the way Kurama's did. It was far too coarse for that. Grabbing the bottle of non-flowery soap, he poured some into his bare hand. Scrubbing the soap into his hair vigorously for a minute before holding the bucket out for Kurama to refill.
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Kurama watched Hiei dump the water over his head with a curious look on his face. He could never quite understand how Hiei's hair managed to stand so tall yet remain soft to the touch. Dampening it didn't seem to give it any gravity however and his questions remained unanswered even as he watched the shorter demon scrub the body wash into his hair. Almost forgetting his duty, he took the bucket Hiei offered and dipped it into the clean bath once more before handing it over to Hiei, his own hair slicked back by the conditioner. He would take the bucket when Hiei finished to rinse it out and then it would be time to soak.
Kurama was a bit apprehensive about that particular part of the bath. Although his tub was larger than those in some households, it wasn't big enough for both of them to sit in unless they sat side by side with their feet dangling over the edge. Bathing was a ritual in Japan and it was customary to soak after cleansing the body but the fox knew this part was essentially unnecessary, it's main purpose being to help the body relax and increase blood flow. Deciding that he would let Hiei decide whether they should soak or not, he waited patiently for the other demon to finish rinsing his hair so he could do the same. |
Hiei dumped the fresh tub of water over his head and then ran his hand through his hair to ensure it was free of bubbles. Satisfied, he raised his body temperature until the moisture evaporated from his skin and hair in a rush of steam. He glanced at the tub for a moment, but didn't see the need for it when he was already clean. "I'm done." He told the redhead. "I'll be in the other room. Don't rush on my account."
With that, he gathered his things and slipped out the bathroom in a blur. The fire demon felt he had pushed his tolerance far enough. Moving into the bedroom, he dug through Kurama's dresser until he came up with a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt. He pulled the pants on first, tightening the drawstring and rolling up the legs until he found his feet. Shrugging on the overly large shirt, Hiei wandered over to the window and opened it so he could perch himself on the sill to wait for Kurama to finish his bath. |
Kurama took the bucket when Hiei finished with it and turned to fill it for himself when he felt a gust of hot air against his skin. Turning, he caught sight of a steaming Hiei and felt his cheeks redden with heat. He barely had time to nod before the steam-dried demon was gone. Still blushing, he poured warm water over his head until all of the conditioner had rinsed out and his blush had faded to a more natural hue caused by the humid atmosphere in the room. Reaching for a dry towel, the redhead wrapped up his wet hair and secured it on top. Clean now, Kurama stepped into the tub and lowered himself into the hot water. It felt wonderful to lounge in the bath after a rather stressful day and he emptied his mind of stray thoughts to allow himself to more fully relax. Eventually he allowed other thoughts to filter through slowly for contemplation: the revelation of Hiei's fear, Kuwabara's shocked face, Yukina's gentle acceptance, Keiko's early signs of pregnancy, and lastly Hiei's promise. Though the shorter demon hadn't elaborated on the possible solutions he had thought of, Kurama was relieved that Hiei was willing to help his double life work.
With this thought still on his mind, Kurama extracted himself from the tub and pulled the plug to allow the lukewarm water to drain. The redhead tread carefully on the slick floor and took a larger towel from the pile he had brought in. He had taken care to set out towels and clothes for both Hiei and himself but it seemed the extras hadn't been necessary. As he dried off, Kurama noticed the dirty clothes still piled on the floor and wondered what Hiei might have found to wear in his room. The thought occurred to him that he might not have even dressed but Shuichi knew this was the fox's wishful thinking and immediately dismissed the possibility. After donning his own pajamas, Kurama took a moment to put the room back in order before undoing the towel around his head. He did what he could to rub his head dry with it before throwing the wet cloth on top of the other dirty laundry. Sparing a moment to look in the mirror, he realized his red mane had turned into a semi-dry fluffy mess that stuck out in odd places. As usual, it would all fall into place when he brushed it. Grabbing his brush, Kurama headed for the bedroom. Hiei hadn't specified exactly which room he would be in but it wasn't hard to locate the fire demon. He had been gone for about a half hour and wondered what his new roommate might have gotten into during that time. As he entered the room the redhead was relieved to find almost everything still in its place and a pajama-clad Hiei inside. The clothes were of course much too large for the smaller man and Kurama mentally added pajamas to his list of things they should buy tomorrow. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Kurama began slowly brushing the snarls from his hair. The breeze from the open window was a bit chilly against his warm skin but Kurama endured it for Hiei's sake. Once they lay down to sleep the covers would keep him warm enough throughout the night and the sun would likely warm the air by morning. |
Hiei didn't have to turn around to track Kurama's movements through the apartment and the room. His light connection to the redhead's mind let him do that while staring out at the lights of the city. He wasn't much for human civilization, but he had to admit the view was striking. It was like someone had pulled down all the stars and spread them out on the ground. The effect was...'Beautiful.' He decided, before turning back as he felt Kurama settle onto the bed behind him. 'Beautiful...' He thought again, this time not thinking about the cityscape at all. He blinked at the fox's hair. It was unusual to see the redhead in such a state, though Hiei had seen it before. The wildness of it always seemed right to Hiei. 'Like the wildness inside him is trying to escape, and he has to tame it back down so he can continue pretending to be human...'
The fire demon's thoughts turned inward. 'Can I do that? Is this really worth it?' He watched the fox brushing his crimson mane for a few more moments, enjoying the comfortable silence. He had let the fox see him at his most vulnerable and Kurama had not rejected him...or worse pitied him. The fox was appalled and angry for him, wanted to comfort him...but no pity. 'Yes.' He decided finally. 'He's worth it. I'll try.' Moving from his perch to sit on the edge of the bed next to the redhead, Hiei decided to break the silence. "Thank you." He said slowly, the words feeling strange on his tongue. He rarely had reason to use them. |
Kurama sensed Hiei's movement with four of his senses at once: the slight shift in his energy signature, the soft rustle of fabric, the slight smell of citrus infused with Hiei's own scent, and the light indentation of the bed as the smaller demon came to sit beside him. His body radiated warmth in contrast to the semi-chilly atmosphere of the room and Kurama, much like a cat, found himself drawn to that heat.
Slender arms continued their rhythmic movement as Kurama brushed his hair until it lay flat against his back in an close imitation to it's usual splendor. Emerald eyes turned to focus keenly on Hiei's face as he spoke. It wasn't often that Hiei expressed gratitude but then again it wasn't often that he needed to as he had grown used to relying on no one but himself. The thank you was spoke in a slow voice that left Kurama searching for the reason behind them. Was it a delayed reaction from their conversation earlier? Gratitude for agreeing to take him shopping? Neither of those options seemed the right fit and Kurama decided that it was for most likely expressed in response to his attempts at making the bath a comfortable and safe experience. "You're worth the wait Hiei," he said slowly to make sure they impressed themselves on their target. Kurama had almost infinite patience and though the lust of the fox provoked him he would not fall to temptation and risk the possibility of hurting Hiei in the cruel ways he had already been forced to experience. The redhead did not fear that the physicality he sought might never be returned; the way that Hiei eagerly responded to his kisses told the fox what he wanted; there were just a few things Hiei needed to come to terms with before they started down that road. |
Hiei blushed and looked away. "Hn." He replied, for lack of anything better to say. Kurama was the only one who could read him so well. Anyone else would have had to ask what the thanks was for. 'Anyone else would never have been given the chance to need my gratitude...' A snide internal voice pointed out dryly. Hiei was both drawn to and afraid of the level of closeness he was fostering with the redhead, but he was determined to give it a chance.
"So what do I need to get tomorrow to make the idiots stop staring at me?" He asked, more to change the subject than because he actually cared much about shopping. He had the dreadful feeling the fox was going to insist that the items be legitimately purchased rather than acquired through his usual methods and that would mean a great deal of interaction with normal humans. 'Hn...it will be a good test of how long I can tolerate them...' |
Kurama was not offended by the seemingly aloof noise he received in response to his heartfelt words, the faint blush on Hiei's cheeks told him how he really felt. Kurama placed the brush down beside him on the bed and looked at the shorter demon thoughtfully after he asked what items they would need to buy. What sort of human look would work well for Hiei? They would have to choose carefully to avoid treading the fine line between looking like a child and an adult while at the same time creating a style that wouldn't cause the demon to stand out.
Black seemed to be his color of choice and functionality the main purpose of his current clothing. Kurama could picture Hiei wearing black cargo pants with a grey shirt for a neutral outfit that would suggest an older age. 'Though red might be nice to bring out his eyes...' the stray thought crossed his mind before he brushed it away. When they went shopping tomorrow he would make suggestions where necessary but ultimately it would be Hiei's choice. The redhead realized that he was probably thinking more into the question than required for an answer and replied simply, "New pants, a shirt, and a jacket would be sufficient I think," he said, "But you can get whatever you'd like," he added should Hiei want to buy something else as well. "Maybe something to sleep in as well," he said as if it had just crossed his mind, "Though I don't mind sharing." Kurama fixed Hiei with a smile that he hoped conveyed how happy he was that Hiei should be sitting on the bed next to him after his long absence. |
Hiei snorted and looked down at his current attire. "Maybe if you weren't as tall as the trees you play with..." He deadpanned, but a smirk played around the corner of his lips. He had only put on the pajamas because he was clean and his clothes were dirty. It would have defeated the purpose of the bath. "Hn, I don't see why I shouldn't sleep in my clothes." He shrugged.
Kurama had only listed one outfit, which made sense for the short term the fox thought he was going to be needing it. Hiei could always get more later. Although.... "Won't it seem strange to the humans if I wear the same clothes everyday?" He asked. He had noticed that humans changed clothes frequently, sometimes several times a day. He would never go that far but having only one set of clothing seemed to be a mark of poverty. He didn't particularly care if some stupid humans thought he was a homeless person, but he didn't want his appearance to reflect poorly on Kurama. |
Kurama continued to smile but said nothing. His unusually tall form was most likely a reflection of his even taller demon half but he didn't mention this. Kurama just shrugged lightly when Hiei mentioned sleeping in his clothes. Kurama could recall the days when he had slept in nothing but his own fur and realized how accustomed to human habits he had become. His mannerisms had changed out of need and although that need had expired long ago, Shuichi found it difficult to break loose of the threads of the temporary life he had created for himself.
Kurama nodded slowly when Hiei mentioned what should have been obvious to him. He was still partially in the mindset of when Hiei roamed the city on his own as an unseen shadow and hadn't considered the possibility of the fire demon being recognized with him. Machi at least was bound to notice. It would also make sense if had more than one change of clothes for when laundry needed to be done and especially if he was planning on sleeping in them. "You can get a set for every day of the week if you'd like," he said only somewhat joking. A week's worth didn't seem exactly necessary but it wouldn't be a bad thing either. Even a few changes of clothes could be transformed into different looks by combining them in different ways and Shuichi found himself doing the permutations in his head without thinking. |
Hiei nodded. That sounded reasonable, though he had never had much reason to track weeks the way humans did. 'One more thing to try and get used to...' He thought grimly, beginning to see the scope of the undertaking he was considering. It made him tired just thinking of it. "I need to wash my clothes. I can't wear these when we go out tomorrow." He pointed out. His clothes usually got washed alongside his body in whatever water source he happened to be using. However, he knew humans didn't do things that way and he wouldn't have been comfortable remaining naked for the time it would have taken to clean them. "Show me how to use your noisy machine." He demanded grouchily. If he was going to have more clothes of his own, he would need to know how to keep them clean. He had lived his whole life without relying on anyone to do such things for him and he wasn't about to start being dependent now.
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Shuichi stopped in the middle of his math puzzle when Hiei mentioned the need to launder his clothes, "I wasn't sure when you wanted to go to sleep," he explained, "I was planning on washing them tomorrow morning but we can do that now if you'd like." Kurama imagined all the horrible things that could go wrong should Hiei attempt to figure the washer and dryer out on his own and decided that it would be a wise idea to show the fire demon how it functioned before he attempted anything himself. If they did laundry now it would be at least an hour before it was finished. It didn't matter to him if they did that now or later but he awaited Hiei's response before unnecessarily rising. He knew Hiei was trying doing his best to learn all sorts of human things but Kurama worried about the possible effects of culture shock if he tried to take in too much at once.
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Hiei stood and went to grab his dirty clothes from the bathroom. The cloak was mostly clean but he decided to wash it anyway, just to have everything equally clean at the same time. He pulled the belts free of his pants and dropped them in a pile with his katana beside the bed. Holding the bundle of black fabric in front of him, he waited for Kurama to lead the way.
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Hiei's disappearance was an unstated answer to Kurama's question. Kurama stood and picked up the brush where he had left it on the bed ready to follow Hiei into the laundry room. Before he could exit the room however Hiei was back, a small bundle of black in his arms. Kurama watched as he deposited the non-fabric items on the floor before leading the way out of the room, making only a brief stop in the bathroom to put away his brush and fetch the other items to wash.
After dropping the wet towels on the floor in front of the washer, Kurama began sorting them, "Light-colored clothes should be washed separate from dark-colored ones," he instructed as he set the clothes into two different piles on the floor. The first contained the white towels and his work shirts while the second consisted of darker pants and other garments. Hiei likely wouldn't have to worry too much about this step if he bought a lot of dark colored clothes but explaining this might save him from finding a pink or grey work shirt later on. The next step would likely be the hardest for Hiei to understand so Kurama paused a moment to make sure that Hiei was following him thus far and left a moment for him to phrase any questions he might have before moving on. |
Hiei watched the redhead sort the clothes with mild interest. He had never had many light colored clothes and when you washed things in a river, it didn't matter what color they were. To show his understanding, he pulled his white scarf free of his cloak and dropped it on the light pile before depositing the rest of his clothes on the dark pile. He then looked to Kurama expectantly, waiting for the redhead to continue.
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Happy that Hiei had at least mastered the first step, Kurama hesitantly motioned towards the display on the washer. There were buttons and dials, lights and numbers, if anything was going to go wrong, it would probably be here. Fortunately once the washer was set, it could pretty much stay on the same cycle without needing to change, at least not for Hiei's purpose. "This button turns it on," Kurama said, pressing in on the green button all the way to the left. A beep sounded as he did so but Kurama ignored it, "This dial is for different types of wash," he explained without turning it, "You shouldn't need to change this though, just press in on it." The redhead did so and the next area of display to the right lit up with another beep. "Here you have to choose the temperature of the water, red for hot, blue for cold. The dark clothes should be washed in cold water and the lights in hot water." Shuichi pushed in on the cold button and then hit the final button on the right that read "start". As he did so the water began filling the machine.
Ignoring the noise of the water, the redhead pulled a large bottle towards him and unscrewed the cap which he held in front of Hiei for him to see. "This measures the soap," he instructed, "There are three lines, fill it to the top line for large loads, the middle for medium loads, and the bottom for smaller loads." Deciding their load was about medium, he filled the plastic cup halfway and poured it into the washer then added the clothes and closed the lid. "It will take about thirty minutes to wash," he announced. "Any questions?" he asked tentatively. Though it might look easy, Kurama knew from experience that it would only take one mistake to possibly shrink or discolor an entire load of laundry. |
Hiei shook his head. It looked simple enough. Kurama's words had reminded him of something he had thought about earlier in the days. "I need a watch." He told the redhead. "Since humans insist on doing everything according to numbers instead of following something that makes sense." Demons ate when they were hungry, worked when something needed doing, slept when they got tired, killed something if it attacked them. It was a simpler life, at least the way Hiei was used to living. He turned and went into the living room. Opening the balcony curtain and the door to let fresh air in. The place was starting to feel small. He stood in the open doorway, breathing in the smells of the city as they mingled with the fox's plants.
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Hiei didn't have any questions and Kurama didn't press him. He would let the fire demon start the next load for practice before letting him loose to do it on his own. Shuichi nodded at the mention of a watch, he had to agree that it would be a good idea. His own watch was a graduation gift from his mother, and a rather expensive one at that. He was unwilling to part with that one but he did have a spare from his high school days that he wouldn't mind giving Hiei. It still worked but needed a new battery before it would function again.
The redhead watched Hiei's retreating back as he exited the laundry room and headed for the living room. A cold gust of air told him that the balcony door was open before he arrived on the scene. His hair was still a bit damp and the breeze gave him a bit of a chill so the fox took a seat on the couch where he could snuggle down into the cushions for warmth. As he sat he recalculated their shopping list to include a week's worth of clothes, no pajamas, a watch battery, and some different soap then began thinking of clothing stores in the area that might have the sort of style Hiei might be looking for. A department store would surely have anything he might be looking at but Kurama knew visiting such a store would be asking for trouble. For one it was difficult to find anything in one even if you knew what you were looking for and for another they were usually overcrowded with people, especially on the weekends. |
Noting his companions discomfort, Hiei reluctantly slid the glass door closed but left it unlocked. He padded over to the couch and flopped down next to the redhead; using his own energy to heat the room a little, to make up for the chill he had let in. His way of apologizing for being inconsiderate.
He mentally ran through his own list of things he thought he might need in order to succeed at his mission: a watch, pants, shirts, shoes, a jacket (for appearances sake, cold didn't bother him), pajamas maybe (they were more comfortable than his pants), soap that didn't smell fruity or flowery, belts, chocolate ice cream... The fire demon continued thinking of things he might not be able to get at just any store. 'A false ID, a weapon I can conceal more easily than a sword, and I may need to arrange to retrieve some of my money. Kurama can't afford to feed and house us both forever....well, he probably can but I don't want him to.' |
Kurama looked up at the noise of the door being slid shut, "You didn't have to..." he said but Hiei's only response was to gently raise the temperature in the room, for which the fox was grateful though he didn't let on. Hiei seemed distracted with his own thoughts so Kurama went back to recalling the nearest shopping district street by street for appropriate stores. Once he was satisfied with the list he had mentally compiled, the fox's gaze fell back upon the black-haired demon sitting beside him on the couch and recalled the similar, though more concentrated, faraway look on his face earlier that evening in the restaurant. "Is Keiko any closer to finding out?" he asked curiously. The redhead was ashamed that their hasty exit had likely distracted the couple's attention from what they should really have been thinking about but he hoped that whatever seeds Hiei had planted in Keiko's mind and his own comments to Yusuke might resurface in their thoughts when they had a quiet moment to themselves.
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