|
Red eyes widened for a moment as Hiei registered question but the nervousness was quickly masked. 'Damn. He did notice.' He crossed his arms and rolled his eyes in an attempt to appear nonchalant. "Hmph, you saw how long it took her to admit she was in love with Urameshi. The child will be here before she can get it through her stubborn head that she's expecting." His tone was sharp, but it covered genuine concern about the human female's wellfare. "And we can't expect Urameshi to be of any use in noticing. If it isn't punching him in the face, he's oblivious."
|
Kurama laughed despite Hiei's pessimism on the subject. The melodious sound was a response to both Hiei's "caught in the act" look and what he had said. "Yusuke made things difficult on her," he commented without needing to, "I think she may be more perceptive to this idea than you think." Kurama at least hoped that would be the case. Keiko was no fool but it often took weeks for humans to discover pregnancy, though hardly any of them had to deal with the possibility of partially demonic children. "In Yusuke's case I think you're right though, which is probably why Keiko has to hit him so often," Kurama joked though he knew the matter was serious, especially given Keiko's condition today. In most cases it took a few weeks for fatigue to set in and it could take a few more before the most obvious clue depending on the date of conception. "Maybe we should drop by the restaurant again tomorrow..." Kurama mused aloud to express his own concern. He had warned Yusuke last night but the spirit detective didn't seem to understand the seriousness of the situation. His wife wasn't as resilient as his own superhuman body, a fact that might be easy for the half human man to forget, especially when thinking about it could be painful. With his double heritage, it was likely that Yusuke would outlive his wife if the spirit detective didn't get himself killed at an early age--a thought Yusuke likely did his best to overlook.
|
Hiei nodded. The human needed to be watched closely until she figured out her condition. "If she hasn't noticed it by then, I think we should tell them what's going on." He announced. "It's too dangerous for her to push herself. Humans are...fragile." He scowled at the thought of Keiko doing irreparable damage to herself or the child growing inside her. Although, Yusuke's mother had survived. 'Atsuko probably didn't exhaust herself the way Keiko is likely to.'
OOC: Only post for today. Have some stuff to take care of. Sorry! Talk to you later! ^_^' |
Kurama wasn't surprised when Hiei agreed; the fire demon had taken a curiously keen interest in the woman since his return. He wondered if Yusuke would become curious about their frequent visits and also about the possible effects that their new noodle-filled diet. 'Sweet rolls for breakfast and noodles once a day?' he mused silently. Any human would likely get fat on such a diet but thankfully high metabolism would likely save him. Quickly bringing his thoughts back to more important matters Kurama realized that Hiei was probably right. He hated to ruin the initial joy of such an intimate discovery but if it meant Keiko's safety, it needed to be done. The redhead hoped that whatever Hiei had done would lead the couple down the path of discovery before their visit but agreed that his wishful thinking could not be relied upon. "Alright," he gave in but said nothing more about it.
((Okay, thanks for letting me know.)) |
Hiei nodded once, satisfied with Kurama's acquiescence. The silence settled around them like a warm blanket and he felt his eyes growing heavy. He didn't normally sleep so much but he also rarely attempted to do much precision work with the jagan and, in it's own way, it was almost as tiring as his more flashy attacks.
He hesitantly let himself lean against the redhead's side on the couch, resting his cheek against the fox's shoulder and letting his eyes fall closed. 'I could get used to this feeling.' He decided, letting himself relax a bit. Kurama made him feel safer than all the weapons and fortifications he had ever employed. He breathed in the scent of his love's hair, a pleasant mix of shampoo and the fox's natural musk. |
Hiei offered only the minimum response in recognition of their agreement and Kurama let the conversation die. It had been a long day and he was used to quiet evenings alone. The warm presence beside him was more than welcome but they didn't need words to enjoy each others presence. Still snuggled down into couch cushions despite the warmer atmosphere, Kurama turned his gaze from Hiei to a nondescript point in the distance and let his mind wander. A moment later the fox felt a slight shift in the weight on the cushion beside him and felt Hiei's warm cheek against his shoulder.
Without moving he glanced down to see the fire demon's eyes were closed and wondered if the other might fall asleep. He had been afraid of starting laundry tonight for that very reason but decided that it didn't really matter; little harm would come from letting the laundry sit in the washer. Letting his own body relax as Hiei did likewise, Kurama leaned his head back against the cushion behind him and let his eyes fall closed. He had no intention on spending the night sleeping upright on the couch but decided he would enjoy at least a few minutes with Hiei so close beside him. |
Hiei remained in his comfortable position until he heard the noise of the washer stop. Crimson eyes popped open at the sudden quiet in the apartment and he reluctantly sat up. "Clothes are done." He said, though he knew the fox's keen ears would have most likely caught the sound of the washer finishing even more easily than his own had.
Hiei stood and headed for the laundry area at a leisurely pace. He wanted to see how the dryer worked, though he usually dried his clothes just by putting them on and raising his body temperature until the water evaporated into steam. 'That won't be feasible for more than one set of clothes at a time.' A part of his mind pointed out, and Hiei realized that was quite true. He'd waste a lot of time and energy changing clothes that way. |
Kurama sat motionless, soaking in Hiei's warmth and smell. He heard the washer go through its spin cycle before turning off but he made no motion to get up. The fox was quite comfortable where he was and reluctant to move. Hiei saved him the trouble of finding the willpower to get up however as he sat up and announced that the clothes were done. "Mmm..." was all the redhead had to offer before grudgingly removing himself from the couch cushions and stalking after Hiei.
Opening the washer, Kurama unceremoniously threw the wet articles of clothing into the dryer then plucked a dryer sheet from the box and threw it in on top before closing the door. "Turn the knob to the first dot here..." he said, pointing to indicate which one, "Then push this button." Kurama pushed in on the button and the noisy machine came to life. Fortunately the dryer was much easier to operate than the complicated washing contraption. "Would you like to go to bed now or wait until the clothes are finished?" he asked, rather hoping the shorter demon might choose the first option. That option would probably wake him up in an hour and require him to iron his clothes later but he was beginning to tire. |
Hiei watched Kurama and listened to the simple instructions passively. The fox's question required almost no thought to answer. "Sleep." He announced. "The clothes aren't going anywhere." The redhead seemed tired too, so he didn't think Kurama would mind his choice but the fire demon waited for the fox to go ahead of him just in case. He did not want to go to bed if the redhead wasn't coming with him. It was one thing to sleep indoors with Kurama beside him, it was something else to try to rest in a small room by himself. He'd end up out on the balcony if left alone.
|
This time it was Kurama's turn to nod. The redhead led the way back to the bedroom when Hiei didn't move and was greeted with a much cooler atmosphere than heated living room. The fox paused only long enough to make sure the fire demon had followed him the short distance before slipping beneath the covers. He felt his whole body relax as his spine stretched out on the flat surface of the mattress but he wouldn't allow his eyes to close until he felt Hiei settle down beside him.
|
Hiei sat down on top of the blankets, propping himself against the headboard and stuffing a pillow behind his head. He considered laying down but he was simply more accustomed to sleeping in an upright position. He let his eyes close, listening to Kurama's breathing beside him and enjoying the cool air from the open window. 'Perhaps I should close that....' The thought flitted through his mind but he quickly dismissed it. The fox would be warm enough under his blanket and knowing the window was open was relaxing. Unless the redhead complained, Hiei saw no reason to change the situation.
His mind drifted and he reached out with the jagan, touching the minds of his friends and family lightly. Satisfied that all were safe, he let sleep claim him. |
Kurama felt the bed give way to Hiei's weight beside him. The fire demon didn't lay down next to him but rather sat upright atop the blankets as the redhead expected he would. Hiei was ever vigilant but with a past like his, Kurama didn't expect anything less. With Hiei's warm presence beside him, the room felt less chilled and the fox allowed himself to be lulled to sleep by the faint sounds of city life coming from outside his window.
|
The first hint of warmth as the sun peeked over the horizon brought Hiei's eyes open. He stood, trying not to disturb the redhead as he moved from the bed. He took a moment to stretch, limbering his muscles for the day, before moving quietly to retrieve his clothes from the dryer.
OOC: Short, but I wanted to give you a chance to respond if you had anything in mind. |
Kurama slept soundly until a slight disturbance awoke him. His eyes remained closed however as he used his other senses to determine what had woken him. Hiei's scent lingered on the sheets beside him but his distinct warmth had moved away and the redhead attributed his awakening to Hiei's own. Unconcerned by Hiei roaming the apartment on his own, Kurama let himself drift lazily between sleep and wakefulness. The clothes were in the dryer and sweet rolls in the kitchen for breakfast; if Hiei wanted anything else he would likely find it own his own and he knew where to find the redhead if he was needed.
((I didn't really but that's alright. I didn't get to nap this morning after work so the creative juices are running sort of low today, sorry. T_T)) |
Hiei changed into his usual clothes, leaving his borrowed pjs in a heap beside the washer before drifting into the kitchen and retrieving the sweet rolls from the cabinet he had seen Kurama store them in. He tore open the package and took out one of the sticky treats. It wasn't warm like the roll from the shop had been but it still smelled good and he wasted no time in devouring it. It was a bit dry and not nearly as good cold so he heated a second roll in his hands before it followed the first. Deciding that was a vast improvement, he did the same with the third roll from the package. He eyed the last sweet roll longingly for a moment but resolutely closed the plastic container and left that one for the redhead. He methodically licked the stickiness from his hands while he waited for the fox to get up.
|
Eventually convincing himself that it would be best to hit the shops sooner rather than later when they would be more populated, Kurama slipped out of bed and padded towards the source of Hiei's energy. As he passed by the laundry room he noticed the tiny pile of clothes on the floor and welcomed the sight as a tiny reminder of Hiei's presence.
The fox could smell the sugar before he even entered the kitchen and guessed that Hiei had already eaten all of the sweet rolls only to be proven wrong. The fire demon had indeed left him one roll. Shuichi wouldn't have minded if he hadn't but the thoughtful gesture made him smile. "Good morning," he said as he approached. |
Hiei responded with a grunt as he continued to clean the last of the syrup off his hand. He noticed the warded bandages were coming loose on his other arm and realized he would need to re-wrap it before they headed out for the day. He didn't need the dragon straining to get loose in a shop full of humans.
He set about unwinding the cloth with his other hand. It was always an arduous task to redo the wards, but he was accustomed to doing the awkward task by himself and it didn't occur to him to ask the redhead for help. The fire demon flexed his newly uncovered hand a few times and looked over the dragon tattoo carefully for any sign of degradation. If the tattoo started to fade he knew it was time to renew his connection to and dominance over the Kokuryuha. Seeing nothing of the sort, he began the painstaking process of wrapping his hand and arm back up. |
Kurama watched with fascination as Hiei set about unwinding the bandages that had come loose on his arm. Most people wouldn't have the chance to see Hiei's bare arms without facing death shortly thereafter and the redhead had only seen it a few times himself. He studied the tattoo beneath as Hiei did the same until the dark-haired demon began laboriously redoing the wrap. "May I?" Kurama asked after a moment. The redhead held a hand out to take the end of the bandage that Hiei was winding around his arm should the fire demon allow him. Kurama knew the dragon's power; he had seen it nearly destroy Hiei during the Dark Tournament. The fire demon was now by far more powerful than he had been then but the fox would not touch Hiei's unwarded arm without permission or good reason to do so.
|
Hiei hesitated, considering the offer. Kurama had wrapped his arm a few times before, but he had always been unconscious from releasing the dragon. This was first time the redhead had needed to ask. Hiei knew the fox was more than capable of ensuring the ward was applied correctly, his centuries as a thief had given Kurama a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of wards. 'And how to remove them.' The fire demon thought dryly.
Silently, he pushed the pile of cloth towards the redhead. He had barely started so what he had done unraveled as soon as he let go. He held out his arm and waited feeling oddly nervous. |
Kurama noticed Hiei's hesitation and wondered if he shouldn't have asked. He was merely trying to help but Hiei was used to doing things on his own and he could have reapplied the wards himself without the fox's assistance. Kurama thought of lowering his hand and stepping away to allow the fire demon to finish but instead found himself with a pile of cloth. Hiei's demeanor reminded him of a human nervously awaiting blood to be drawn but he kept that thought to himself as he secured the end of the bandage and began methodically wrapping it around the presented limb. He prepared the ward as he wound the fabric, feeling its nullifying energy course through his fingers and into the fabric as it slid between his fingertips. After the last layer of fabric was applied, Kurama tied the ends in a tight knot, thus completing the spell.
((Sorry, playing Zelda, LOL! Also, I have no idea how the wards are applied (I'm only familiar with the paper ones really) so I took a bit of liberty there... >.> Let me know if it's too far off mark.)) |
OOC: I honestly have no idea either so it's fine. I only recall Kurama identifying the type of wards Hiei had applied during the dark tournament. *shrugs* I think maybe there are wards written on the underside of the wrappings or something but it could very well be a combination of the two. More powerful that way. Oh, and we need to pretend I remembered to have Hiei take his cloak off before he started messing with his arm. lol. I forgot all about it.
Hiei felt Kurama's slender fingers brush his arm several times as he applied the imbued wrappings. He could feel the redhead's energy reinforcing the written wards. The youki was almost as familiar to him as his own but the contact still raised gooseflesh on his neck and he had to suppress a shiver. He was slightly disappointed that the fox finished the task so quickly but he couldn't deny that the redhead had done an excellent job. "Thanks." He said simply, slipping his sleeved cloak back on and standing. "Are we ready to go now?" He asked flatly, shoving his hands in his pockets. He sounded more like someone going to the dentist than on a small shopping trip. |
((Ah, okay. And LOL, I forgot about it too actually.))
Kurama was so focused on his work that he didn't think anything of their close contact until after his hands had already pulled away. He barely had a moment to think about it though before Hiei asked if they could leave. The redhead knew it wasn't eagerness that drove the fire demon to that question however but rather impatience and an "let's get this over with" sort of attitude. Still standing in his pajamas with red hair slightly disheveled, Kurama couldn't help but find humor in the situation. Letting out a soft chuckle, Kurama sat down at the kitchen table and pulled the last sweet roll towards him, "Let me eat breakfast and get dressed, then we can go." |
Hiei nodded. He didn't see anything wrong with what the redhead was wearing. It looked comfortable and easy to move in and it fit what he knew of human modesty. But, if the fox said he needed to change, Hiei wasn't going to argue with him. However, having accomplished his few morning rituals already, Hiei was left with nothing to do. After an uncomfortable moment in which he considered attempting small talk, he walked out onto the balcony and leaned on the railing to wait for Kurama to be ready.
|
((LOL, that was great.))
Kurama plucked the sticky delicacy from the box. The pastry's sweet scent caught in the redhead's nose and his mouth began to water. Having a sweet roll on the weekend was quite a treat for him. Usually he only ate them on weekday mornings as a quick meal fix before work but on the weekends when he had the time to put more effort into cooking he made things like omelets or soup. Looking up from the sticky treat, Kurama thought to thank Hiei for leaving him one but the shorter demon had already disappeared. With a mental shrug, the fox dug into the sickly sweet roll and all that was left of it when he finished were the sticky remnants of the glaze on his fingers. Rising, Shuichi threw the empty box in the trash and washed the sticky substance from his fingers before exiting the kitchen to get dressed. On his way through the living room he found Hiei standing on the balcony and paused a moment to enjoy the view of his boyfriend against the bright blue sky. Afraid that Hiei might catch him looking though, the fox quickly moved on to raid his closet for something to wear. Professional-looking attire dominated the wardrobe but on the far side hung a few more casual items. From these he drew a pair of jeans and a tee shirt and donned them before pulling on a pair of socks and heading to the bathroom to brush his hair. Once satisfied with his appearance, the redhead walked through the living room once more for his coat and shoes before joining Hiei on the balcony. Shuichi slipped his feet into his shoes and pulled on the coat. The air was warm and the coat probably wasn't necessary but he decided to wear it anyway. "Alright, let's see what we can find..." he said with a smile. Grabbing the railing with both hands, the fox propelled himself over the edge and landed on an unoccupied balcony two stories down. After one more powerful leap, the fox alighted on solid ground and stood. He didn't look to see if Hiei was following; glancing in the fire demon's direction might give him away to any passing humans. Instead he simply started in the direction of the shops he had in mind and trusted that Hiei would follow; it was his quest after all. |
Hiei took the fox's leap as a challenge and managed to reach the ground at almost the same time as the redhaired demon. He fell in step once Kurama started walking. None of the passersby would know the two of them had just leaped from a multistory building, but Hiei did a quick scan to be sure the acrobatics had not been spotted. Satisfied that the few humans nearby had not noted anything out of the ordinary, he turned his attention back to the lithe figure beside him.
Studying Kurama was one of Hiei's favorite pastimes during his incarceration in the human realm. He had followed the redhead to school and crept into his room at night to watch him do homework. By far his favorite thing was watching the fox fight. Kurama was both beautiful and terrifying in battle. 'And I can't believe it took so long for me to realize I have feelings for him.' He decided. 'I'm an idiot.' |
| All times are GMT. The time now is 10:32 PM. |