"Hn." It was a noncommittal noise but Hiei was appreciative of the offer. He decided he might even take the fox up on it sometime....especially if it rained. The dryer made a horrible buzzing noise as it stopped and Hiei frowned, realizing his cloak must be dry. "You should eat something. Do you have anything here?" He asked suddenly, more to stop the redhead from retrieving his cloak and taking away his excuse to linger than anything else, though he did remember the earlier debacle and wanted to be sure Kurama ate as he said he would.

OOC: :rofl: *dies laughing*

((^_^))

The constant drone of the dryer came to a halt and the obnoxious buzzer reverberated in the air. Kurama hated the unnatural sounding noise and almost flinched at the tone. He would often start the dryer just before going out so he wouldn't be around when the buzzer sounded. He was about to rise to retrieve Hiei's cloak when the little demon interrupted the redhead with his question.

Kurama hesitated a moment, doing his best to recall the current state of his miniature fridge. There was always something to eat in the house as his mother made sure of that with her constant care packages containing canned vegetables, bags of rice, and other such non-perishable items. For any meat or frozen products however, Shuichi needed to visit the local grocery store.

"I have vegetables and rice," he said at last, unsure of whether or not that response would satisfy Hiei. The demon's sudden question confused him slightly. Did Hiei intend him to cook dinner right away? Did he plan on them eating together? "Should I prepare something now?" he asked, deciding that he could always make two portions anyway and take the leftovers for lunch should the fire demon have other plans for dinner.

Hiei pondered the idea of eating only rice and vegetables as a meal. It was...unappealing. "No. Wait here." He zipped out of the room, leaving the balcony door wide open in his wake. In less then ten minutes he had returned bearing a good sized rabbit, freshly killed. "I'll cook." He said as he dropped the creature in the sink and proceeded to skin it neatly and efficiently with a small knife he pulled out of his boot.

OOC: I couldn't resist after our earlier discussion of Hiei's eating habits. Care to see what Hiei gets up to trying to cook in Kurama's kitchen? ^_^' Oh, and let's say that Kurama has never had Hiei offer to cook for him before, please? lol. It'll be more fun that way, ne?

((I like going with it being Hiei's first offer to cook as well but poor bunny! I have a pet bunny... T_T))

Kurama blinked at Hiei's sudden disappearance. Just what exactly was the fire demon planning? He didn't have any choice but to wait however as no clues presented themselves. He remained seated as he awaited the other demon's return but as one minute turned to two or three he decided to get up and take care of a few things while he waited.

After extracting himself from the couch, the redhead returned to the laundry room to fetch Hiei's cloak from the dryer. Holding the garment out in front of him he studied it for an signs that it needed further repair. His mother had taught him how to sew when he was a boy but it seemed the skills weren't needed as no tears in the cloth were evident.

Although he had finished inspecting the garment, something prevented him from putting it down. He held it at arm's reach for a few moments before pulling his arms in to hold the heavy fabric to his chest. The warmth of the cloth against his skin made him wonder what it would feel like to wrap his arms around the garment once it's owner put it back on. Recalling that Hiei could return at any moment however, he quickly pushed aside that thought and once he had folded the robe and set it neatly atop the dryer, he returned to the living room.

There he collected the now cool tea instruments and took them into the kitchen to be washed and taken care of. This chore was just about finished when Hiei suddenly appeared in the kitchen...with fresh game. Kurama's movements came to a halt and he stood still as he took in the scene before him. Hiei didn't seem to take notice however as he busied himself with cleaning his kill. Although Hiei had graciously and curiously offered to cook, Kurama questioned whether or not the fire demon would know his way around a human kitchen. He said nothing of his doubts however but remained seated at the kitchen table just in case.

OOC: I know. I don't eat rabbit either, but I couldn't see Hiei or Kurama being squeamish about it and it was a critter that seemed like it wouldn't be too hard to find. *shrugs*

Hiei finishing cleaning and skinning the animal and looked around the kitchen thoughtfully, his gaze landing on the stove. He had watched Kurama cook a few times. How hard could it be? He noticed the fox had a small herb garden growing in a planter on the windowsill above the sink and he decided to start there. Unfortunately, the windowsill was a few inches out of his reach. Nonplussed he hopped up and sat beside the sink to peruse to selection of fresh greenery. Sniffing a few, he cut off some sprigs of things he recognized. Hopping lightly back down to the floor with his prizes, he rubbed the herbs in his hands to make them release their flavors and then shoved most of the fragrant green pulp into the cavity he'd created when he gutted the hare. He looked around for something to tie around the carcass to keep it closed while it cooked, opening cabinets and drawers as he searched. "String?" He finally asked as his search came up empty.

((Yeah, I agree but don't let my bunny found out!))

Kurama watched Hiei with a look of bemusement as he prepared their evening meal. He wasn't concerned when the short demon hopped up on the counter top to weed through his herbs garden. Anything that was planted within the small confines of his window box could be easily regrown under his expert care. He noted which plants the fire demon chose from their smell and approved; the combination would help both to take off the gaminess of the meat as well add some rich flavors. The redhead looked on as Hiei rummaged through his cabinets and drawers, puzzled as to what the demon might be searching for. Eventually the proud demon gave in to asking for help and Kurama stood to go locate the requested item. The sought after material wasn't found in the kitchen however but the laundry room oddly enough and after pressing the spool of heavy string into Hiei's hands, Kurama took charge in setting the table.

((I thought I was going to be able to stay up late but I'm falling asleep at my desk so I'm going to have to go to bed. I'm off tomorrow though.))

Hiei nodded his thanks for the heavy string and set to trussing up the hare. Normally he would make a spit and roast it over a fire but that was out of the question. He had, however, spotted a promising pan in a low cupboard. Dragging the large roasting pan from it's hiding spot he placed it on the counter next to the sink. Eying it and the hare he nodded, pleased that it would just fit. The pan had a metal rack inside and he dropped the carefully bound carcass onto that before going to look for the vegetables Kurama had mentioned. He found some sort of large, white, root vegetable (daikon radish?) and quickly sliced it into the pan. The white slices would catch the drippings from the rabbit so they didn't need any seasoning. Hopping back up to grab a few more herbs from the tiny garden, he shredded them to bits and rubbed them over the outside of the meat. Satisfied with the preparation, he walked over to ponder the oven. He knew the operation of it had something to do with the small knobs on the top but he wasn't sure which one to use or what the numbers around them meant. 'Hn, humans have to make everything so complicated. Why don't they just have fires like everyone else?' Frowning, he peered into the oven, scowling further upon noting the shelves inside. 'The pan won't fit with both of those in there.' He crossed his arms and seriously considered cooking the animal himself without the stupid human contraption. However he had spotted a smoke alarm in the corner and didn't want to set it off. The noise those things made was awful, as he knew from experience.

OOC: I'm not sure what I'll be doing tomorrow but I'll post when I can. ^_^ Night!

Kurama had finished placing the plates and glasses and was setting the silverware on the table when a loud clang sounded behind him. He paused with a fork in hand and turned to investigate what Hiei was getting into. The fire demon looked rather comical hefting the large roasting pan but Kurama refrained from laughing unkindly. Hiei's insistence on cooking dinner himself had been unexpected to say the least but Kurama pleasantly surprised by the offer.

Hoping that Machi wouldn't be attracted by the loud noise, Kurama finished placing the silverware and let Hiei do his thing. The redhead wasn't sure that Hiei would even use the utensils but that didn't bother him; he was just looking for an excuse to look busy while Hiei prepared their dinner as hie didn't want to discourage him by staring. Once finished, he checked on Hiei's progress and found the demon inspecting the oven. A small smile crossed his face at the little demon's bemusement and he decided to step in and help, lest Hiei set off the fire alarm which would certainly cause an embarrassing commotion.

Walking over to stand beside Hiei in front of the oven, Kurama bent down to look inside. Discovering that the shelves would need to be rearranged, he opened the door and removed the middle rack to slide it into place at the very bottom. Then, after closing the door, the redhead turned the most prominent knob on the oven to about 160 degrees Celsius. "Wait for this light to go out," he explained, indicating the tiny red light, "and then you can put it in."

Hiei watched Kurama arrange the oven and get it started. "Hn." He acknowledged the instructions and stared at the light, waiting. After what he considered to be a ridiculously long time, the little light flicked off and he opened the oven and slid the pan inside before shutting the metal door again. He had no idea how long the meat would need to cook but he guessed it shouldn't be more than and hour or so. It couldn't be that much different from flame cooking.

He eyed the table settings and then turned his attention to the redhead. "If you want rice, you'll have to cook it." He told the fox with a shrug. The fire demon knew Kurama had a rice cooker but he wasn't going near that weird contraption for any reason. Besides, he'd never cooked rice before. The Makai had no plants quite like it so it was well outside his realm of experience.

OOC: Hmm....what is that in Fahrenheit? Just out of curiosity.

((It was supposed to be about 325. I hope that's about right, I checked a few recipes but forgot to look at the cooking time so maybe it was supposed to be like 325 for like... 3 hours. I dunno. T_T))

Kurama neglected to mention just how long it might take for the oven to preheat and the light to turn off. While the fire demon waited just in front of the oven, Kurama took up the small watering can by the sink and filled it with water. He first watered the small window box and then left to take care the rest on the balcony. It took a few trips of refilling the container to finish the job but he didn't miss a single one.

Upon entering the kitchen a final time to replace the can he heard the light click off and watched Hiei load the roast into his oven. The redhead mentally took note of the time. Although he wasn't entirely certain how long the rabbit would need to cook, he would take note of the elapsed time and check it periodically if Hiei did not.

In response to Hiei's comment about the rice, Kurama nodded and set up the rice cooker. Although he had never eaten rice before being reborn in the Ningenkai, the process had become more than habit from his time spent there. He measured enough rice for the two of them then added in the water by eye. All that was left was to close th lid and set the timer which he did automatically. The rice would finish cooking before the roast but the cooker would shut off when the rice was finished and keep it warm until the rest of the meal was ready.

Recalling the cloak he had left folded on the dryer, Kurama fetched the article of clothing and returned to the kitchen with it. He draped the garment over the back of one of the chairs and seated himself lightly atop the other. Eying Hiei's dress-like tee shirt, the fox wondered if he should not invest in at least one set of more appropriately sized garments for the little demon in case the need arose again.

OOC: *shrugs* I usually cook meat at about 350-375. Three hours sounds about right for a whole rabbit. Chicken breasts take about an hour.

Hiei thought about how the oven felt when he was putting the pan in. 'Not hot enough.' He spun the dial a bit higher before going to look through Kurama's refrigerator. Without the meat being on a spit for turning, it would get dry. He needed something to spread over the outside to prevent that. He spotted a small jar and pulled it out, reading the label curiously. 'Apple Jelly.' He opened the jar and sniffed the pale gold substance before tasting it hesitantly. 'Mild, sweet....it'll do.' He thought, as he closed the refrigerator door. He opened the oven and spread the sweet sauce over the meat with his fingers, using his energy to melt the lumpy goo since the rabbit hadn't even heated through yet. Finished, he set the jar on the counter and closed the oven, before rinsing the sticky gunk off his hand in the sink. Now all that was left was to wait until the meat was done and add more jelly if it started to dry out or the outside tried to burn.

He spotted his cloak but didn't put it on. It would be stupid to risk getting it dirty again before it was required.

OOC: Mmm...I'll just pretend its a pork roast. :drool: Apple roasted pork.

((LOL, he seems to be doing well with whatever concoction he's making. ^_^))

Though the garment was too large, the tee shirt didn't seem to hamper Hiei's swift movements and Kurama watched as the little cook added his favorite jelly to the meat. He was surprised at how well Hiei was adapting to his kitchen although his methods would still be considered unorthodox by human standards.

As the heat of the oven began to warm the meat through, Kurama noted the wonderful smell that was beginning to fill his kitchen. It was the scent of herbs hidden among the sweet smell of apples that made his mouth water. It would be wonderful to eat something different for a change rather than the quick meals he had become accustomed to fixing or the overly prepared ones that his mother made for him on a weekly basis.

"Mmm... That smells delicious Hiei," he remarked, wondering if the meat would taste as good as it's aroma suggested.

Hiei smirked, pleased at the compliment. "It'll be a while yet." He pointed out, the question of what they should do to kill time hovering silently in the air after the simple statement. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

OOC: I found a recipe that says cook it at 350 for 25 minutes per pound. ^_^ So if we assume it was at least a 5-6 pound rabbit, and say it has been in there for half an hour or so already, it'll be a couple of hours before it's done.

((Bleh, I knew this question was coming but haven't been able to think of anything yet. >.< And sorry, this somehow accidentally got posted before I could add in a reply. V_V))

Kurama nodded that he understood and picked up on the hint that Hiei had laid for him. He too had been wondering how they should pass the time before dinner. The fox debated between challenging Hiei to a game of mahjong and watching television. Kurama didn't often bother with the television most nights but sometimes enjoyed watching some of the educational programs it had to offer. Hiei had been exposed to a few shows and seemed to find them interesting enough and so Kurama was leaning heavily towards this option when a loud knock broke through his thoughts. He turned to look at Hiei before dragging himself reluctantly from his chair to answer the door. He peered through the peep hole for a moment before broadcasting his thoughts for Hiei to hear, 'It's my neighbor...' He left the thought open ended but hoped that Hiei would pick up on his anxiousness and either make himself scarce or behave.

The fox regretted the noise that the roasting pan had caused earlier that had surely attracted the snoopy woman. He waited for Machi to knock one more time before answering her call, "Good evening Machi-san," he said with a slight bow, "What may I do for you?" he asked, standing in the half-open doorway to prevent her from entering. "Good evening Shuichi-kun, I heard a noise, is everything alright?" she asked, standing a bit too close for Kurama's comfort. Kurama inwardly grimaced at the familiar tone she used with him but kept an impassive look on his face, "Oh, I dropped a pan. It was rather clumsy of me really but don't worry, everything's fine." Kurama smiled and did his best to reassure the woman that he was still alive and well and very much NOT in need of her assistance.

Hiei heard the message and drifted out of the kitchen, curious what sort of person the fox shared his building with. He eyed the nosy woman from the kitchen doorway with a frown. He didn't like how close she stood to his fox and before he could really think it through, he had moved up behind the redhead and into the annoying human's view. He crossed his arms and glared mildly at her. Kurama was using the same tone he reserved for his unwanted suitors from school so Hiei knew the woman was not the fox's friend. She was a nuisance and the redhead wanted her to go away. Hiei simply decided to help.

As usual, Machi didn't take the hint, "Oh, alright. I see you're looking much better Shuichi-kun, did you get some rest then?" she asked, before noticing a black shadow in the doorway behind her would-be-lover. "Oh! You haven't done me the honor of introducing this youngster!" she exclaimed, nearly scandalized.

Kurama felt Hiei's presence behind him before Machi said anything and shifted his weight in an attempt to hide the shorter demon from view. Unfortunately the snooping woman still seemed to pick up on the demon's presence. Kurama briefly wondered if telling her the truth might deter her from dropping by again any time soon but quickly dismissed that option. It would be extremely unwise to reveal their demonic presence though he was certain Machi's reaction would amuse him. "Machi-san, this is Hiei, Hiei meet Machi-san," he said, stepping only slightly to the side to afford her a minimally better view of the man behind him.

"It's nice to meet you Hieiji-kun!" she said, temporarily forgetting her question about Kurama's health. "You're quite a handsome young boy, I bet the girls at school just adore you!"

Hiei's scowl deepened at her patronizing tone and her mangling of his name. "It's Hiei." He said sharply. "And I do not go to school." He grimaced at the very thought. He did not like this woman. She reeked of perfume and lust and she had no concept of personal space. She insulted him, thinking he was a child. 'I'm probably older than she is.' He thought snidely.

((It was unintentional but it worked out quite well actually. ^///^))

Kurama would have been happy not to be the apple of Machi's eye for once if Hiei wasn't her new target. He cringed both at Machi's mistake and Hiei's sharp tongue, afraid that things might begin to go poorly. Machi tested his nerves on the best of days and he feared that Hiei might not have the patience to deal with her appropriately.

Machi scowled at Hiei's sharp tone. His voice was deeper than she had expected, and quite harsh. She wasn't used to being spoken to in such a manner and found that Shuichi's voice much more likable. "Oh," was all she managed to say at first before quickly recovering, "Then what do you do, might I ask?" she asked with a hint of disapproval in her voice.

Hiei thought quickly. He didn't allow himself to lie, it went against his honor code, but he couldn't tell her what he really did either. "I work in security." He said stiffly, coming up with a suitable answer after only a brief pause. "What do you do, Maki-san?" He purposefully butchered her name and the honorific was tacked on as an afterthought but it was a relatively civil question.

OOC: lol, I'm just waiting for her to ask how he and Kurama know each other. ^_^' That one will be fun to answer. :rofl:

((Yeah, I was thinking it would be fun to bring that one up as well. ^_^))

"Oh, that's so exciting!" remarked Machi, her opinion of Hiei changing completely. If he had been gruff with her, it was merely because it was part of his job. Still, she wondered if the tiny man didn't seem a bit scrawny for such a job... Machi didn't even seem to notice the misuse of her name, "I work at home mostly," she said with a nod, "I'm afraid that's rather boring compared to what you do."

Machi's husband had passed away at a young age but left her a small fortune in his passing. She had downsized from the large, lonely condo they lived in and moved into her current residence long before Kurama. She had enough to live on but would spend one day a week doing door to door sales to supplement her income. She liked her job, it rather suited her and helped to take the edge off of her loneliness. Snooping was another tactic she used to save herself from boredom.

Kurama tensed when Machi started asking questions and wondered how he might gracefully rid himself of her presence. An easy excuse would be to explain that Hiei and himself needed to finish their dinner preparations, but that would be a lie. Although he wasn't as bothered as Hiei by telling the occasional lie to hide his demonic identity, Kurama usually tried rearrange half-truths in a way that wasn't exactly lying.

Shuichi was pleased when Hiei responded in a suitable manner. It appeared he hadn't given his friend enough credit. Still, Kurama feared prolonged interaction with the annoying human female. He immediately picked up upon Hiei's concealed sarcasm but didn't chastise him for it. The fox found the situation rather amusing although Shuichi remained tense.

"Did the two of you meet at work then?" asked Machi suddenly. She wondered if perhaps Hiei served the lab complex that Kurama worked at.

Hiei's face twitched as he fought not to say something rude. The woman was unbearably thick. 'Can't she tell she's not wanted?' "No." He caught himself before he could call the fox by his real name. "We know each other....socially." He finally settled on a word that seemed to fit, looking vaguely uncomfortable for the first time in the conversation. He wasn't sure how to classify their previous relationship as teammates and partners, at least not in a way the human woman could understand and accept. He was not aware that his vague choice of words, combined with the hesitation and slightly nervous expression, could easily lead someone to jump to the wrong conclusion about his current relationship with the fox.

OOC: Not to mention he's wearing a shirt that is obviously not his. :rofl: This is really fun, ne? ^_^

((I'm glad you're enjoying it. Though Machi was just meant to be an extra in the beginning she's turned into quite the character. ^_^))

Kurama was about to say "yes" when Hiei interrupted him. Technically they had met while "working" together towards a common goal and in Kurama's mind it wouldn't have been bending the truth too much to respond in that manner. Hiei however didn't take the same approach but offered a much vaguer answer that left much up to supposition. Still, vague answers were better than saying anything to reveal them. Uncomfortable about where this line of conversation might lead, Kurama attempted to interject with a change of topic but Machi interrupted him.

Machi leaned to the side to get a better view of Hiei as he responded to her question. Finally getting a better view of the little man, she noticed for the first time that he was wearing a shirt that had obviously been borrowed. Her suggestive mind immediately began to jump to conclusions, "So you two are a couple then?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. She noticed the way Hiei was standing somewhat protectively behind her red haired neighbor and recalling his profession began to wonder if it might not be best to leave the two of them alone. especially given the way the shorter man's eye was twitching.

Kurama nearly choked, his usually perfect composure breaking. An icy chill rose up the length of his spine and he felt the color drain from his face. He hoped fervently that Machi wouldn't notice his distress and tried to sift through feelings of panic for a suitable response.

OOC: *dies* :rofl: This should be fun. Let's see what Kurama makes of this. lol

Hiei turned red and his temperature flared in embarrassment. He wasn't sure what he had said to lead the woman to that conclusion. He opened his mouth to deny it, but snapped it shut again almost immediately. 'She's flirting with Kurama and won't take a hint. He wants her to go away. If she thinks he's taken she'll give up.' He thought logically. He relaxed slightly as he came up with a way to respond that would most likely get rid of the woman without being a lie. It was going to be embarrassing to say it but the only other options would most likely result in the fox having to move. "He's mine." He said stiffly, eying how close she was leaning to his fox. His what, he did not specify. He stepped forward, purposefully letting his arm brush against the redhead's side to further the woman's false impression and to make room for himself in front of his friend. "I have to go check on dinner." He told the annoying woman before turning to look at the sputtering fox. "Don't be long." He said with a smirk, amused to see the usually composed demon in such a state. It was rather endearing.

((Oh my! *Blushes* But also... ROFLLLLLL!))

Kurama fumbled for something to say but Hiei saved him the trouble. 'He's mine... he's mine... he's mine...' The words echoed over and over in his head until physical contact drew them away. The fox nearly melted as he felt Hiei's arm gently graze his side which likely only served to loan Hiei's actions more credibility. He gaped at Hiei as he turned to look at him, just what was he playing at? The fire demon seemed to be enjoying himself in any case despite the fact that the mixed signals he was sending were turning Kurama's overly analytical mind to mush.

Machi blinked as Hiei protectively staked his claim. "Oh!" was all she managed to reply, a bit taken aback by the sudden revelation. She grew nervous as the tiny man approached her but stood her ground. "It was nice meeting you Hiei-san..." she said hesitantly as she watched the black-haired man retreat to the kitchen. "I'm sorry to interrupt..." she added to Kurama when the other had disappeared, for once looking humble, "Have a good evening," she added with a slight bow before retreating to the safety of her own apartment.

Kurama nodded absentmindedly as Machi took her leave, still too stunned to speak. After closing the door behind the unwanted guest, he didn't return immediately to the kitchen; instead he stood in the hallway and tried to sift through distracting emotions to figure out just what Hiei had been playing at. As the shock of the encounter began to wear off, Kurama began to wonder if Hiei had not used the tactic merely as a means to getting rid of the annoying female. This theory was both comforting and disappointing. Still, he had to know for sure. Making his way down the hall, he stopped to stand in the kitchen doorway, "What was that about?" he asked in the most normal voice he could muster at the moment.

Hiei hid his blush in the oven as he smeared more apple goo on the roasting meat, not minding the heat at all. Now that the annoying woman was gone he was thoroughly embarrassed by his actions and afraid his territorial display would upset the fox. He tried to play it off with a half truth. "You wanted her gone." He said, his voice carefully flat.

He was hoping Kurama wouldn't catch his lingering blush, nor the way his hands shook as he rinsed them in the sink. His insides were doing that fluttery twisting thing again and he didn't know whether to be alarmed or relieved that he had started to like it. Feeling like a coward for hiding, he forced himself to look at the redhead, fairly certain that the last of the redness was gone.

He wished he believed the inquisitive fox would let it go at that but he doubted it would happen. Kurama never could stand a puzzle and Hiei had given him a number of interesting pieces. If the redhead stopped to think about them... A small part of him really wanted Kurama to show some interest in the subject so he might figure out what the redhead felt for him in return but most of him was afraid to find out. The thought brought the redness back to his cheeks and he averted his eyes to the boring floor tiles. 'Coward.' He was struck by the idea that the fox might be angry with him for his interference and his claim....or worse, disgusted at the idea of sharing more than friendship with the forbidden child. Hiei felt vaguely sick but tried to hide it behind a blank expression. 'What have I done?'