Kurama trudged up the stairs in a daze. His red hair swung in front of his face, obscuring his vision, but he didn't bother to brush it away. He was only concerned with getting to his room, his sanctuary. Away from all of this.
He flung open the door and closed it hastily. Then he collapsed, his back sliding against the hardwood door. He threw back his head and tok a deep breath. It helped a little. The scents of his potted plants were comforting, and the breeze coming from the open window felt pleasant against his face. Wait...the window was open?
"What's wrong?" said a pair of crimson eyes floating in the darkness.
Kurama jumped, and soon he had slapped on a facade of composure and walked to his desk to turn on a lamp.
"Oh, hello Hiei," he said cheerfull. "What brings you here tonight?"
The harsh light revealed the demon sitting on his desk, looking at him with complete and total disbelief. Kurama help his false smile for a few more moments, then collapsed under Hiei's stare.
"Oh, I knew I couldn't fool you." He sighed, and slumped into the chair which was conviently below where Hiei was sitting. He was staring at him curiously from his cross-legged perch on Kurama's desk.
"So, what's wrong?" he repeated.
Kurama let his palms slide up against the sides of his head and his fingers sink into his hair. Eyes wide open, he stared at the floor but he didn't really see it. "You could just read my mind if you really wanted to, Hiei." He didn't really feel like re-living anything right now, and it was reflected in his sour tone.
"I wouldn't do that," said Hiei. "I'd only invade the privay of someone I despise."
Kurama pushed his hair behind his left ear to look up at Hiei. Obviously, he didn't realize the significance of this statement, for he still had that analytical glare on his face.
"Well?" he said.
"Fine," said Kurama. He leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling. "It's just..." He passes a hand across his eyes. "Shiori..."
Ah. That ningen mother of his. Hiei had long ceased trying to understand his attachment to that woman, but he accepted it anyway. It made Kurama a better fighter.
"I'm worried about her," he continued. He wove his fingers together in his lap, exploring intricate patterns as he spoke. "She's so exhausted...she works all day, and comes home later than she'd like. I try to help out with the house and cooking, but I have final exams coming up..." He rested his forehead inbetween his thumb and forefinger. He saw his kasaan, trying ot nap on the couch while his younger brother pestered her for something or other. Kurama had tried to shush him from the kitchen where he was washing the dishes, but that had made him whine even more, which had aggravated his mother further...
He sighed. He didn't know when he'd just explode. There was just too much to do; too much to take care of, to be responsible for right now.
Hiei couldn't understand these worries. They hardly seeked akin to the things he worried about, such as the tenacity of his own life. Well, he did worry about Yukina sometimes. And Kurama did seem particularly crushed by whatever recent events...
Kurama was brought back to reality by the realization that Hiei was absent-mindedly playing with his hair. It had happened before, when they were alone together, but Hiei had always caught himself after a few moments, and looked away, embarassed. But he hadn't stopped this time. Not that he minded. It was rather relaxing now; his tensions slowly slipping away as those calloused hands ran through his locks.
Hiei was staring off into space. What could he say to make Kurama feel better?
"You'll be fine," he said. Kurama looked up as Hiei continued. "Your mother is probably just going through a hard time right now, but its sure to pass. She'd probably want you to focus on your schoolwork anyway." He suddenly looked down and found his hands immersed in Kurama's hair. Within an instant, his hands were shoved back into his pockets. Damn! Why did that always happen when he was with Kurama?
Kurama sat up in the chair to look at Hiei. His eyes kept darting back and forth from him to the floor to the ceiling. Why was he so embarassed?
Hiei let out his breath in a quick sigh, the crossed his arms across his chest. "Anyway," he had finally found a spot in the corner of the rom to concentrate on. "She still loves you."
Kurama smiled, and his unshed tears disappeared. He knew that Hiei would have never shown this much kindness to anyone else. He was, well, flattered. He alone knew how caring Hiei could be.
Hiei still felt embarassed. Not only had he been playing with Kurama's hair, he had actually shown emotion and caring for Kurama...why had he said those things? Simple. He had wanted Kurama to feel better. They were companions, after all. And...Hiei supposed they had become friends. He couldn't deny that. So why did he feel compelled to help Kurama. He was perfectly capable of dealing with his problems himself. Why did it hurt him to see Kurama like this? But when he looked own, he saw that he was smiling. That made him feel better somehow.
"Well," said Hiei, hopping off the desk. "I should go." He must have made a mistake. Kurama must be tired after all, and he was probably preventing him from getting his rest. It was a mistake to reveal his emotions too...
Kurama was still smiling. "Hiei..."
"No, you need your rest," he insisted, and turned towards the window.
No, he couldn't leave now! "Wait!" said Kurama. Hiei turned around and looked up at him with cynical, impatient eyes.
"What?"
Suddenly, he was caught in Kurama's arms. He was being squeezed very tightly, and Kurama's face was pressed against his shoulder as he knelt.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Kurama knew he was taking a risk. This would either destroy their friendship or take it to the next level. He begged that it would be the latter. After coming to this realization of his feelings for Hiei, he knew that he could not live without him.
Hiei was shocked at first; frightened. He didn't know how to react. He kept thinking about what his actions would say to Kurama, how his opinion of him might be changed, but soon all inhibitions fell. Kurama had made the first move after all.
Kurama relaxed as he felt Hiei's arms around him. "I..."
"Don't say it," Hiei cut in. He shut his eyes. 'I love you' was too much of a commitment. If he said 'I love you' he'd be obligated to stay with him. Not that he minded. he just didn't want to feel trapped by Kurama's words alone.
Kurama stood up, smiling. He understood Hiei's need for independance. He knew that he'd have to make the decision himself.
"So," he said, "Are you going to stay for a while?"
Hiei looked at the floor to hide a grin. "I suppose the great treasures and notorious demons of Makai can wait."
The cloak that Hiei wore to guard against harsh winds and rain dropped to the floor, along with his katana. Kurama turned out the light. They only needed the moon to see by. Kurama sat on the bed and waited for Hiei to join him.
Hiei approached him somewhat timidly at first, but Kurama's smile reassured him. Finally, Hiei kissed him, and wrapped his arms around Kurama, making his way onto the bed. Kurama shut his eyes tightly, preserving this moment in his memory forever. He knew he wouldn't have any trouble sleeping tonight.
He flung open the door and closed it hastily. Then he collapsed, his back sliding against the hardwood door. He threw back his head and tok a deep breath. It helped a little. The scents of his potted plants were comforting, and the breeze coming from the open window felt pleasant against his face. Wait...the window was open?
"What's wrong?" said a pair of crimson eyes floating in the darkness.
Kurama jumped, and soon he had slapped on a facade of composure and walked to his desk to turn on a lamp.
"Oh, hello Hiei," he said cheerfull. "What brings you here tonight?"
The harsh light revealed the demon sitting on his desk, looking at him with complete and total disbelief. Kurama help his false smile for a few more moments, then collapsed under Hiei's stare.
"Oh, I knew I couldn't fool you." He sighed, and slumped into the chair which was conviently below where Hiei was sitting. He was staring at him curiously from his cross-legged perch on Kurama's desk.
"So, what's wrong?" he repeated.
Kurama let his palms slide up against the sides of his head and his fingers sink into his hair. Eyes wide open, he stared at the floor but he didn't really see it. "You could just read my mind if you really wanted to, Hiei." He didn't really feel like re-living anything right now, and it was reflected in his sour tone.
"I wouldn't do that," said Hiei. "I'd only invade the privay of someone I despise."
Kurama pushed his hair behind his left ear to look up at Hiei. Obviously, he didn't realize the significance of this statement, for he still had that analytical glare on his face.
"Well?" he said.
"Fine," said Kurama. He leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling. "It's just..." He passes a hand across his eyes. "Shiori..."
Ah. That ningen mother of his. Hiei had long ceased trying to understand his attachment to that woman, but he accepted it anyway. It made Kurama a better fighter.
"I'm worried about her," he continued. He wove his fingers together in his lap, exploring intricate patterns as he spoke. "She's so exhausted...she works all day, and comes home later than she'd like. I try to help out with the house and cooking, but I have final exams coming up..." He rested his forehead inbetween his thumb and forefinger. He saw his kasaan, trying ot nap on the couch while his younger brother pestered her for something or other. Kurama had tried to shush him from the kitchen where he was washing the dishes, but that had made him whine even more, which had aggravated his mother further...
He sighed. He didn't know when he'd just explode. There was just too much to do; too much to take care of, to be responsible for right now.
Hiei couldn't understand these worries. They hardly seeked akin to the things he worried about, such as the tenacity of his own life. Well, he did worry about Yukina sometimes. And Kurama did seem particularly crushed by whatever recent events...
Kurama was brought back to reality by the realization that Hiei was absent-mindedly playing with his hair. It had happened before, when they were alone together, but Hiei had always caught himself after a few moments, and looked away, embarassed. But he hadn't stopped this time. Not that he minded. It was rather relaxing now; his tensions slowly slipping away as those calloused hands ran through his locks.
Hiei was staring off into space. What could he say to make Kurama feel better?
"You'll be fine," he said. Kurama looked up as Hiei continued. "Your mother is probably just going through a hard time right now, but its sure to pass. She'd probably want you to focus on your schoolwork anyway." He suddenly looked down and found his hands immersed in Kurama's hair. Within an instant, his hands were shoved back into his pockets. Damn! Why did that always happen when he was with Kurama?
Kurama sat up in the chair to look at Hiei. His eyes kept darting back and forth from him to the floor to the ceiling. Why was he so embarassed?
Hiei let out his breath in a quick sigh, the crossed his arms across his chest. "Anyway," he had finally found a spot in the corner of the rom to concentrate on. "She still loves you."
Kurama smiled, and his unshed tears disappeared. He knew that Hiei would have never shown this much kindness to anyone else. He was, well, flattered. He alone knew how caring Hiei could be.
Hiei still felt embarassed. Not only had he been playing with Kurama's hair, he had actually shown emotion and caring for Kurama...why had he said those things? Simple. He had wanted Kurama to feel better. They were companions, after all. And...Hiei supposed they had become friends. He couldn't deny that. So why did he feel compelled to help Kurama. He was perfectly capable of dealing with his problems himself. Why did it hurt him to see Kurama like this? But when he looked own, he saw that he was smiling. That made him feel better somehow.
"Well," said Hiei, hopping off the desk. "I should go." He must have made a mistake. Kurama must be tired after all, and he was probably preventing him from getting his rest. It was a mistake to reveal his emotions too...
Kurama was still smiling. "Hiei..."
"No, you need your rest," he insisted, and turned towards the window.
No, he couldn't leave now! "Wait!" said Kurama. Hiei turned around and looked up at him with cynical, impatient eyes.
"What?"
Suddenly, he was caught in Kurama's arms. He was being squeezed very tightly, and Kurama's face was pressed against his shoulder as he knelt.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Kurama knew he was taking a risk. This would either destroy their friendship or take it to the next level. He begged that it would be the latter. After coming to this realization of his feelings for Hiei, he knew that he could not live without him.
Hiei was shocked at first; frightened. He didn't know how to react. He kept thinking about what his actions would say to Kurama, how his opinion of him might be changed, but soon all inhibitions fell. Kurama had made the first move after all.
Kurama relaxed as he felt Hiei's arms around him. "I..."
"Don't say it," Hiei cut in. He shut his eyes. 'I love you' was too much of a commitment. If he said 'I love you' he'd be obligated to stay with him. Not that he minded. he just didn't want to feel trapped by Kurama's words alone.
Kurama stood up, smiling. He understood Hiei's need for independance. He knew that he'd have to make the decision himself.
"So," he said, "Are you going to stay for a while?"
Hiei looked at the floor to hide a grin. "I suppose the great treasures and notorious demons of Makai can wait."
The cloak that Hiei wore to guard against harsh winds and rain dropped to the floor, along with his katana. Kurama turned out the light. They only needed the moon to see by. Kurama sat on the bed and waited for Hiei to join him.
Hiei approached him somewhat timidly at first, but Kurama's smile reassured him. Finally, Hiei kissed him, and wrapped his arms around Kurama, making his way onto the bed. Kurama shut his eyes tightly, preserving this moment in his memory forever. He knew he wouldn't have any trouble sleeping tonight.