Yusuke's attempt at smoothing things over had Hiei even closer to bolting from the building in embarrassment, but Kurama's soft apology froze him in place. He blinked wide crimson eyes at the redhead, gauging his sincerity and finding the fox genuinely meant what he was saying. He also noticed Kurama seemed slightly upset. 'Is he mad at himself for upsetting me?' Hiei pondered. Wanting to move the conversation back into more comfortable territory, Hiei snorted. "Hn, then you should thank Keiko. Her advice was actually helpful." He rolled his eyes, using the action to look away from all of them and trying to control the slight blush he could feel spreading across his face. It was as close as he was going to get to saying thank you to the human female, or to accepting the apologies being offered his way.

Yusuke smiled as Kurama picked up on his not-so-subtle hint, but it turned into an amused scowl at Hiei's words. "Hey!" He sputtered.

OOC: Hmm...well that's not very helpful. Though I guess it is better than him pressuring you.

Emerald eyes locked with Hiei's for a moment before Kurama lowered his gaze. His heart ached with regret and he wondered how it was possible for his feelings of elation only a moment before could have plummeted away so quickly. As a fox he had toyed with various lovers without really entertaining the thought of keeping them, save for perhaps one that had marked his heart before disappearing forever. This game of sorts had kept him from feeling the pain of love but now he found himself cherishing another being and for the first time, he realized how much it could hurt. Doing his best to push away his sudden angst, Kurama took Hiei's joke seriously and bowed low before Keiko, "Arigatou gozaimasu Keiko-Sama."

Keiko was glad when things calmed down again, or at least returned to the only relative calm possible when Yusuke was around. She smiled genuinely when Hiei professed that her advice yesterday had been helpful even though it was phrased almost as a joke. She was pleased to be able to help a friend, even if it was one of Yusuke's. Her smile deepened to a mischievous grin as Yusuke realized that Hiei was insulting him but was not one to boast so she refrained from commenting. She was taken by surprise however when Kurama turned and bowed before her. Blinking in confusion, it was her turn to sputter, "I-it was nothing, really!" she said quickly before hastily bowing in return.

((Yeah, I guess it is. I know he'd like me to be down there but I know he'd also understand why I might not want to go down.))

Hiei watched the polite exchange with a carefully blank expression.

Yusuke scratched his head, uncomfortable with Kurama and Keiko's formal mannerisms. He never was any good with that kind of stuff and just being around it made him antsy. "Alright...um...well...what will you guys do now?" He asked, trying to change the subject. "I mean, is Hiei going to go back to the Makai after the wedding like he had planned....or..." He trailed off, pondering the other options and coming to the conclusion that he might have managed to stumble into an equally uncomfortable topic. The half demon didn't think Kurama would leave the human world, not as long as his mother still lived. However, the idea of Hiei staying willingly in the human realm was almost impossible to fathom. That left the option of them having a long distance relationship between worlds and that was likely to fail to satisfy either of them, if their previous separation was any indication.

Kurama straightened as Yusuke cut in and turned to face the spirit detective. His brow furrowed deeply when the bluntly curious half-demon phrased his question. Hiei and himself had things far from figured out and though he knew an answer to that question would be required at some point, it seemed a bit early to assume that they would be life partners. Though he hated to admit it, there was a possibility that things could go horribly wrong between them again which would render any sort of decision at this point useless in the unforeseeable future. Annoyed that Yusuke had to add that heartache to the mess he was already in, Kurama asked, "It's a bit early to be making decisions like that, don't you think?"

Keiko wanted more than ever to slap her husband. He was doing a wonderful job at messing things up this evening, upsetting first Hiei and then Kurama. Trying to qualm her sudden anger, Keiko stood and interrupted what was likely to be another strained exchange, "Would you like some tea? Or were you planning on leaving soon?" The young woman's politely phrased question offered either distraction or escape and she hoped that one or the other might help soothe the tensions that hovered in the humid air.

Hiei tried to hide his reaction as Yusuke brought up the subject that he had been pondering since he and Kurama had first started their tentative relationship. What was he going to do once Yukina was married and his reason for visiting the human realm was gone? He had considered several options, carefully weighing the pros and cons of each. He had narrowed it down quite a bit, discounting a few ideas as completely dissatisfying.

Kurama's words stopped his racing mind and introduced a thread of doubt into his mental calculations. 'He's not sure we'll last that long?' Hiei was stricken by the thought and for a moment the pain flickered through his eyes. The next moment he was gone, the suddenly unlocked door left flapping open in his wake as he fled his own reaction to Kurama's words.

Yusuke was about to reply to Kurama when a flicker of emotion on Hiei's face caught his eye. 'He looks like somebody just hit him or something...' His musing was cut off as Hiei reacted predictably, almost vanishing in his haste to get away from his feelings. 'Damn.' Yusuke resisted the urge to smack himself in the head. 'I should've tried to grab him or something...'

OOC: *pinches* I pinch you! Happy St. Patrick's Day! ^_^ I'm out for a while. Later! ^_^

Yusuke didn't even get the chance to respond before Hiei was gone. Kurama didn't so much sense Hiei's movement as he felt the disturbance in the air. He didn't even have to look to the door; the cool current of air from the opening was enough.

Keiko's offer was ignored as the redhead stood immobile, waves of emotions washing over him one after another. Fear was among the first, that gut-wrenching sensation that he didn't often experience in battle but rather outside of it. Anger simmered through him next, burning from the inside. Yusuke was about the most loyal friend one could ask for but the moron was about as dense as they come sometimes and Kurama was closer than ever to yelling at the spirit detective. He needed a target, anything, to take his frustrations out on. This feeling wasn't normal for his usually composed nature and this alone was unsettling.

A few deep breaths steadied his hurried breathing and with it came a rather numb sensation as he managed to contain his emotions at least enough to not explode uncharacteristically on his long time friend in front of his unknowingly pregnant wife. "Thanks for dinner," Kurama managed to mutter as he slapped a bill in Yusuke's hand and headed for the still-open door. He hadn't yet decided where to go but leaving the restaurant would be a good start and the cool wind would be a welcome friend to clear the barely contained turmoil within the demon fox.

Keiko barely had time to utter the offer before Hiei was out the door. She didn't see him leave but Yusuke's gaze lead her to the open door and she made the connection quickly enough. Kurama however didn't move, not even an inch. It was almost eerie the way he could stand so perfectly still and silent... Shaking that thought, she turned to her husband, ready to smack him for sure this time but Kurama interrupted her. She watched the redhead calmly exit the restaurant but it was clear that though he presented an outward calm, he was anything but.

((Owie! I changed my antenna to be green, how about that? *Pouts*))

Yusuke slumped as both his friends stormed out. He sighed and finally gave in to his urge to smack himself upside the head. "Idiot!" He muttered. He went to lock the door again, pausing for a moment to look out into the street. He couldn't see either of them, and he really hadn't expected to. The half demon sincerely hoped their new found affection for each other was strong enough to withstand whatever he had inadvertently triggered.

Having fled the restaurant, Hiei found himself at a loss. He had nowhere to go. He flitted across the city, pausing on random buildings as he mulled over Kurama's words from the restaurant. 'Did he really mean that?' He wondered. 'Is this just a passing fling to him?' The thought pained him more than he wanted to admit. 'Maybe he isn't as serious about this relationship as I thought....maybe I wasn't clear to him....maybe I misunderstood him....' The fire demon's mind ran in circles until he was nearly dizzy from trying to keep up with it.

'Maybe he just didn't think it was any of Yusuke's business.' He latched onto the new train of thought like a drowning man clings to a lifeline. 'Could it really be that simple? Did I overreact?' Hiei paused, staring out over the city from the rooftop of a thirty story building. He'd been wandering aimlessly for at least an hour, struggling to reconcile the redhead's words in the restaurant with the things the fox had told him in private. Now, perhaps he had a viable answer he could live with. Unfortunately there was only one way to be sure.

'Time to go...back.' He stopped himself from thinking of the redhead's apartment as home. No sense in letting himself become any more attached...not until he had gotten some answers from Kurama and made himself clear on a few subjects. With his thoughts in order, Hiei flitted off in the direction of the fox's apartment.

OOC: Too late. I already caught you without your greenies and pincheded you. ^_^ No more pinches now though. s.p. day is over. ^_^ Night!

Once Kurama left, Keiko was certain this time she would smack her husband but yet again her action was interrupted when Yusuke did the deed for her. She watched as he went to the door and looked out into the street but guessed that both of his friends were already gone since he closed the door and locked it. Keiko could tell her husband was feeling troubled and decided not to add to his feelings of guilt. "You sure do have a way with people Mister Urameshi..." was all she said, her tone soft and almost sighing.

Upon leaving Keiko and Yusuke, Kurama took a few quick turns to distance himself from the restaurant before slowing down. He could sense Hiei's energy but only faintly. The fire demon was already a great distance away and it would be impossible to catch him now unless he wanted to be found. The sky was dark and overcast ahead but neon shop signs shone brightly around him making his head ache. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Kurama steered away from the commercial district and into a residential area. The darkness here fit his current mood as he walked the nearly empty streets. It was getting late but he had nowhere to be.

He walked aimlessly for some time until the night air cooled his anger. As dumb as Yusuke could be, Kurama was certain he hadn't meant to turn Hiei against him and it was more than likely his own response to Yusuke's words that had caused the demon to bolt. Indecision remained etched in his heart. His cautious nature prevented him from making hasty decisions and it would take more than twenty four hours to decide between the mother he loved and his newly discovered love interest. Even Hiei should understand that...

Fed up with aimlessly wandering, Kurama oriented his direction towards home. It didn't take long to reach his apartment even with his slow pace. Choosing the balcony entrance so he wouldn't have to pick the lock of his front door again, Kurama found himself amidst his jungle of plants after a few powerful bounds. The greenery comforted him and rather than entering the lonely apartment, he chose to sit outside in the company of his plants. He could sense Hiei somewhere in the city but the thought that he might not be coming back tonight prevented the fox from following his energy for more than a second.

((Yeah, you probably didn't even see it because I changed it back at midnight, LOL! Also, FYI I work that really early shift tomorrow so I won't be on late tonight.))

Yusuke didn't have a reply for his wife. He simply walked over to her and hugged her to his chest for a few moments, trying to push his guilt and worry for his friends away. They'd work it out somehow. They were both too stubborn to give up on each other without a fight. He smiled weakly at his wife. "Come on. Let's go to bed." He suggested, kissing her gently before releasing all but her hand and pulling her towards the stairs to their apartment.

Hiei hesitated a few buildings over, taking a moment to reach out to Kurama mentally. The fox was on his balcony and he seemed rather...dejected. That knowledge was all it took to lure Hiei from his rooftop perch and in moments he was standing on the balcony railing, with his hands shoved in his pockets, looking down at his fox. He covered his inner nervousness and confusion with a carefully blank mask, waiting for the redhead to make the first move...as usual.

Keiko relaxed into Yusuke as he pulled her close. She considered telling him about her dream just then but decided against it. He was already worried about his friends; there was no need to add to his current stress. For all she knew it could have just been some crazy dream induced by napping in the middle of the day. It wouldn't do to give her husband a false alarm and Keiko decided that she wouldn't tell him anything until she knew for sure what was going on. She nodded when Yusuke suggested that they go to sleep. Even though her short nap had been refreshing her body still felt tired and she knew she would need her strength to work in the restaurant again tomorrow and allowed herself to be lead up the stairs and in the direction of their bedroom.

There was a chill in the evening air but Kurama barely noticed. The small jungle on his balcony kept most of the wind at bay and he was hardly paying attention to what his body wanted anyway. His mind was drifting aimlessly from one unpleasant thought to another. At the moment even pleasant memories seemed painful. Only Hiei's approach pulled him from his mind's black spiral. Even as a black shadow alighted on the railing before him, Kurama didn't allow himself to give in to the comfort of hope. There was no sense in doing so if it meant even more pain in the end.

Hiei said nothing and Kurama knew he was meant to speak first but the words wouldn't come. Uncomfortable with his weak position compared to Hiei's dominant one, Kurama stood but did not advance, careful to keep his posture open rather than defensive like he was inclined to. He remained silent for several moments more as he fought for something to say. The task was made all the more difficult by the knowledge that he would have to tread carefully and the dark shadow that concealed Hiei's face and prevented the fox from reading his thoughts. "If this is going to work, we need to communicate with each other. You can't run off every time I say or do something that upsets you Hiei," he said slowly and carefully.

Hiei hopped down from his precarious perch as Kurama spoke. He didn't need to tower over the redhead and he could feel that is made the fox uncomfortable. He took a moment to organize his thoughts before he responded. "I...needed...time to think. I wasn't running away. I just..." He trailed off with a grimace. He was no good with words when it came to his emotions. "I want this to work, Kurama...I can't promise I won't run. Sometimes...I just have to get out...to be free so I can think." He shrugged and looked away. "I can promise I'll always come back to you..." He trailed off nervously, hoping it would be good enough for the redhead.

He was finally ready to face what had sent him running to begin with. "You...when Yusuke asked...about us..." He shook his head, frustrated with his lack of eloquence. "What did you mean when you answered him?" The fire demon stared into the fox's eyes, looking for some sort of reassurance that Kurama wanted their relationship to succeed as much as he did.

Hiei honestly wasn't sure what he'd do if things didn't work out between them. He had never made himself so knowingly vulnerable to another living being, and Kurama was also his best friend. The fox could crush him completely and the thought was terrifying to the more scarred parts of his soul, even as he clung to the belief that the redhead would do know such thing...at least not intentionally.

OOC: Sorry for the delayed post. Lost track of time. ^_^'

Kurama was thankful when Hiei hopped down from his perch. Although he was too stressed to relax, he at least felt more at ease now that they were both on the same level. Hiei's response came choppily but Kurama didn't care; he knew Hiei was trying his best to express himself in a way he wasn't used to. The redhead frowned however when the fire demon admitted that he couldn't promise that he wouldn't run. It was the one thing that hurt him the most: the fear that Hiei might just run out of his life and never come back. Some comfort came from the words that followed assuming Hiei held true to his word.

Kurama was still searching Hiei's darkened face for proof of his word when the other spoke the question he was most nervous to answer. The redhead reached a hand up to his forehead and intertwined his delicate fingers in his bangs in a frustrated gesture. After a moment he pulled his hand away impatiently and began, "I had hoped we could enjoy each other for awhile before coming back to an old argument but Yusuke has ruined that possibility it seems," Kurama began, praying that Hiei wouldn't run off before he could finish, "Not everyone can make decisions on a whim like he can."

An uncharacteristically angry expression crossed the fox's face before fading to a more melancholy one, "You have to know Hiei, that it will take me some time to decide between this life and another. I want this to work, I really do, but how can we know where we'll be a few months from now? We have time to figure things out between us, Hiei. Let's enjoy it together and face that question when the time comes." Kurama's eyes longingly searched Hiei's unreadable mask for recognition that he had understood.

Hiei listened to Kurama's explanation with with growing understanding. His eyes softened and he stepped forward, reaching out to gently brush a few stray hairs out of the redhead's face. "Who ever said that was a decision you needed to make?" He asked dryly. "I would not have started this if I wasn't prepared to accept everything about you." He frowned. "Even your...mother." The word felt foreign on his tongue, but he shook it off and pressed on.

"I have been thinking about ways to make this work from the moment I realized I loved you. I had intended to wait before discussing my ideas with you...to make sure I could go through with some of them...." He trailed off nervously, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "However, I didn't realize you thought I was going to make you choose between me and your mother. I tried that once before and I nearly lost you forever, I won't do that again." He finished quietly, the loneliness of those years of separation clear in his voice, even though he hadn't understood at the time why the redhead's rejection had hurt him so.

Kurama stood tense until Hiei reached up to push the hair from his face. Catching the change in his expression as Hiei leaned in closer, the fox relaxed but did not let his guard down completely until he heard the words that followed. Green eyes widened for a moment then softened considerably, the misery in the emerald depths disappearing in an instant. Shuichi soaked in every word; they meant everything to him. As Hiei finished, Kurama swiftly pulled the shorter man into a tight embrace, "Thank you Hiei," he said, his voice swelling with emotion.

((Kinda short but hopefully as emotional as I meant it to be.))

Hiei stiffened for a moment before relaxing into Kurama's arms. He said nothing, unsure of how to reply. He wasn't ready to share his ideas about staying in the human realm until Shiori...ceased to be a factor. He wasn't certain he would be able to tolerate pretending to be human for any length of time, and he didn't want to get the redhead's hopes up in case he decided he couldn't go through with it. There were still other options to explore before he made a final choice.

Kurama was right, in any case. 'It can wait for now. We have other aspects of this arrangement to work out first.'

OOC: It was very nice. ^_^ Mine is short too. I think Hiei has just about exhausted all of his words for the day. lol. Maybe even the month.

Kurama was speechless for some time, merely reveling in the comfort of the words Hiei had offered him and the warmth of the body pressed against him. He was happier than he'd been in a long time and it felt as if an immense weight had been lifted from his heart. He didn't pry as to what ideas Hiei might have to make things work, like he said before, they had time to figure things out and just the fact that Hiei was willing to help him work things out meant the world to him. Kurama pulled his head back slightly to look at the demon before him, "I was afraid you might not come back," he admitted, confessing his previous worry.

((Poor Hiei! He might go hoarse from exhausting his voicebox, LOL!))

Hiei squirmed slightly, uncomfortable with the idea of his behavior upsetting his fox. There wasn't a lot he could do about it. It was how he coped...it was a better method than setting things on fire or slicing them to pieces when he got upset. Though to be honest he did those things too sometimes. He could only reiterate the promise he had already made. "I'll always come back. I can't stay away...not anymore." The admission made almost before the shorter demon could comprehend the truth of it. He could not leave Kurama. His happiness was so tied to the redheaded demon; to live without Kurama now that they had started down this path...the idea was almost impossible to fathom.

Kurama took Hiei's squirming to mean that he was holding the other demon too tightly and relaxed his grip. He wished he could hold onto him forever to prevent him from leaving again but he knew he was being selfish. Hiei needed his freedom and so did he, to do the things required of his role as human son. Hiei reassured him again that he would come back and on the contrary couldn't stay away if he tried. That thought made Kurama smile and he knew Hiei was telling the truth. "I'm glad," he said before leaning in for a kiss, "I'm not sure I could bear it if you left again."

Hiei was a little relieved when Kurama let him breathe again. He didn't take well to being held onto so tightly, though he didn't try to escape the embrace even after Kurama relaxed his hold. He leaned into the redhead's kiss and wrapped his arms around the taller male's waist, trying to reassure the fox without words and soothing his own fears in the process. After a moment he pulled away, flushed from the kiss but unwilling to let things get out of hand. "Let's go inside." He suggested quietly. "Your nosy neighbor is staring."

His ruby gaze flickered down to the ground, where the somewhat overbearing woman had obviously spotted them as she was returning from the store. She stood on the sidewalk openly watching them, though she may have been simply shocked to have caught them in such an intimate moment. He wasn't concerned that she would be a problem, she couldn't hear them from that distance and she hadn't been there long enough to see more than the end of the kiss. Still, the relative privacy of the apartment would set him more at ease.

((LOL, that was great. I was thinking about bringing her in again soon. ^_^))

The closeness and the intimate gesture offered Kurama more than relaxation. The fox was a bit disappointed when Hiei pulled away but not angry, recalling all-too-clearly what Hiei had shown him earlier that day. His brow furrowed however when Hiei mentioned they had an audience and followed Hiei's gaze down to the pavement below. Sure enough a rather surprised-looking Machi stood there blatantly staring, grocery sacks in hand. Kurama might have groaned if the noise couldn't be mistaken for something else and lead the way inside. Acknowledging her presence might have made the woman feel uncomfortable enough to leave them alone but Shuichi decided to spare her, and himself, the trouble.

Once inside, Kurama drew the curtain across the balcony door to ensure their privacy even though Machi had already ruined their moment on the balcony. Kurama regretted her intrusion but also realized it might have been for the best. "I don't have to work tomorrow," he informed the shorter demon offhandedly, "Is there anything else you'd like to do tonight, or would you rather go to bed?" he asked, uncertain how tired Hiei might be after his exciting day and afternoon nap. He didn't add that he might like to go see his mother the following day. If Hiei had any plans, he could always go visit his mother the day after, before he had to go back to work on Monday.

The rain had forced Machi to go on her weekly shopping trip later in the day than she was used to and left her grumpy for it. As she headed home with her heaping sacks of T.V. dinners and star gossip magazines, she stopped dead when she caught a flash of red hair above her. Shuichi! Her heart gave a jolt before she noticed the dark man from the previous night standing with him in the shadows. More than standing--kissing! Machi nearly choked she was so horrified and by the time she looked back, they had already disappeared inside the redhead's apartment and drawn the curtains. She could just imagine what they might be doing on the other side of those glass doors and that thought made her quite uncomfortable as she stepped into the waiting elevator.

Hiei frowned thoughtfully. He had intended to acquire some human clothes for himself while Kurama was at work. "Hn." He said, buying himself time to formulate his response. Perhaps it would be best to have the fox along. It wasn't like Hiei had any real idea of what he needed to get. The last humans he spent any time with wore school uniforms a good portion of the time. "I was thinking...since I'm going to be staying here for a while. I may need some human clothes. I...dislike...drawing so much attention to myself when we go out together." The excuse was true, but that wasn't the main reason he wanted the clothing. He wanted to see if he could really fit in to Kurama's human life.

Hiei just didn't want the fox to know what he was trying to do....because there was a distinct possibility he wouldn't be able to tolerate the rules of human society any better this time than he had ten years ago. Not even for a mere forty or fifty years, a pittance to a demon that could conceivably live for several millennium.

Kurama waited patiently for Hiei's response. Just as he was thinking he would get nothing more than the nondescript noise first offered, Hiei revealed his desire. Kurama smiled despite the frown on Hiei's face. It was a good idea and the fact that Hiei suggested it made things easier. Shuichi had considered buying some clothes for the shorter demon on his own but if Hiei was willing to come along would make sizing much easier not to mention he could pick out something he liked. "We can do that tomorrow," Kurama said, still smiling, "It's a bit late to go shopping tonight." 'That means I'll visit mother Sunday,' he added mentally to himself. He would tell Hiei about it tomorrow and call his mother to ensure she wouldn't be busy. That still left the question of what to do before bed however. "I'd like to take a bath," he announced, realizing that he hadn't taken one the night before, "You can join me or take one yourself if you'd like..." he offered, without adding pressure to either option. There was always the option of not taking one at all but Kurama hoped that he might convince the other demon to bathe for hygienic purposes if he was going to try on clothes the next day.

Hiei hadn't meant to imply that they should go shopping right away. He blushed as Kurama's gentle teasing, a blush that only deepened at the redhead's next words.

Nonetheless, Hiei nodded. Bathing was a good idea, his scent would be strong after his panic attack earlier...easy to track. Hiei wasn't certain about bathing in a human dwelling though. He usually took his baths in streams or lakes. He would have to take Kurama up on his offer to bathe together....or admit his ignorance. "I'll come with you." He said with only a hint of trepidation in his voice.

OOC: I'm told Japanese culture doesn't find bathing together to be...um....what it would mean here. O_o' Still....gonna be kind of awkward. lol. Should be fun.

((It's fine between the same sex as far as I know but it should be fun. ^_^))

Kurama smiled, happy that Hiei had taken him up on his offer. He didn't mind Hiei's scent but it would likely be off-putting to most humans concerned with personal hygiene. Leading the way to the bath, Kurama started the water to draw for the bath as he gathered the things they would need. It didn't take him long to set out the soap and towels required for the bath and make a quick trip to the bedroom for some clean clothes which he set aside for afterward. With the tub sufficiently full of water, Kurama turned off the spout and began to undress, shucking away dress shirt, socks and slacks before removing the last article of clothing with minimal blushing. Though it was normal for men to bathe together both in Japan and in Makai, he felt somewhat exposed before Hiei. The redhead saved Hiei the embarrassment of looking back as he presumably undressed and instead sat down on the small stool beside the tub and after wetting himself with some water, began to scrub clean.

Following the fox into the bathroom, Hiei left the door standing wide open, not willing to be trapped in the small room. The fire demon tried not to watch Kurama too closely, though it was hard not to notice how beautiful the fox's human form was. He busied himself with removing his cloak and boots but found himself hesitant to remove his pants. His fingers rested on one of his four belts, his body rebelling against his mind as his breath quickened and his temperature flared slightly. 'Stop it.' He scolded himself mentally, closing his eyes as he fought his rising nervousness. 'It's only a bath...Kurama will not try to hurt me.' He kept his eyes closed as he undid his belts, fumbling a few times as his hands shook.

He hadn't bathed where anyone could see him in a very long time, not since he was a child and the experience had rarely been pleasant then. The bandits merely threw him into the nearest body of water whenever they felt he needed to wash. It was how he learned to swim. Hiei could count on his fingers, without running out, the number of people who had ever seen him naked. Most of them were dead....several deserved it. However, this was different. The fox loved him and he trusted Kurama. Besides, it was a good test to see if he could overcome his...issues...

After all, he didn't want their relationship to stay where it was and grow stagnant. Eventually things would progress to a more intimate level. He needed to be comfortable when that time came. Bathing together would be a good, relatively safe way of overcoming his...scars.