Under the Rose

Fanfic by Sandy Youko  

Six

It was good to have his own place to go back to after a working day. Every time he entered his own apartment, back from work,  he recalled for a split second that tragic evening when he had parted from his family. But Kurama sighed, always counting on Hiei's presence to make him forget the hurting.

His steps were slow, and his shoulders bent by the tiresome day. It seemed his stepfather was pushing tons of work on him. It was most likely an attempt to make him give up and quit his job.

But Kurama would not give up so easily. Mainly because it had been his mother's insistent efforts and persuasion which convinced Hatanaka not to fire him. It was the only action she took on his behalf. Shiori had uttered the most decisive argument in telling her husband he should not mix the professional and private life of his employees - It had been enough for his son to be cast out from home; taking the job from him would have been too cruel.

Kurama remained in Hatanaka's staff in regard for his mother's attitude.  Fortunately he just needed to be face to face with his stepfather during very occasional business meetings, or in the elevator lobby - In both occasions they'd just exchange a polite, although resentful compliments and then keep on their separate ways.

Kurama avoided any further contact with his stepbrother. A lie about his urgent need to live nearer Tokyo University because of  a course he was taking was engendered. Kurama and his stepbrother just talked briefly on the phone, once in a while, and it seemed Shuuichi-kun soon got used to his absence - His phone calls were getting more and more sporadic as time passed.

And about his mother...

Kurama had been there with her several times since that decisive evening, and yet, they didn't talk much. It seemed both were hurt; it was as if the love and confidence they had always shared between them, always so dear and precious, had been broken into sharp, accusing pieces - pieces neither of them could ever mend again.

The times he needed to go back to his home, to collect his things were very hard. Shiori was still nice and sweet, showing her concern as always; but yet, Kurama felt something  in their relationship was missing. To face his mother's betrayed, painful stare was excruciating. He'd be silent mostly. And Shiori kept on asking him about material things, if he needed money, help on finding an apartment, if he had all he needed to furnish his place... Above all she avoided asking about Hiei. It seemed she was obviously overlooking the subject so as not to suffer any further.

In fact even though she had accepted his feelings for Hiei, she must always have hoped it to be a passing phase. Probably, deep in her mind, she always wished him to have a straight way of life - that's why she must have been so shocked.

When they met, Kurama gazed at Shiori yearning to be forgiven, and the Ningen woman also stared at her son longing to forgive him. And yet, they remained distant, resentful, hurt.

Maybe time would help to blow away Kurama's guilt and shame, and Shiori's hurt feelings.

It was Hiei's presence that made it all bearable for Kurama. While the fox was at work, Hiei stayed home, sleeping most of the time, or watching piles of Kung-Fu and terror movies. The youkai laughed his head off  then, uttering the harshest criticism on what he said to be "Stupid Ningen videos" and eating boxes and more boxes of  chocolate candies.

It was good to know Hiei didn't put on weight, or he'd soon turn into a couch potato living like that.

Kurama had never complained about any of Hiei's behaviour. It was good enough to have him there in the Ningenkai with him. The youkai helped Kurama moving in. It had been the two of them, solely, who carried all the furniture in. They also had done the cleaning and the decorating together. The only incident was when Kurama disagreed vehemently with Hiei's suggestion of  painting the walls black...

The redhead took his shoes off, shut the door and threw his briefcase onto the sofa. Then he moved into his favourite armchair, falling heavily into the seat while calling his youkai's name, announcing he had just arrived home.

Home... It was such a sweet word.... And even sweeter now that it was actually their home - Their own den in the Ningenkai, in which they could feel free to live and love the way they preferred.

If Kurama had known that living with Hiei on their own would be so good, he'd have moved to his own place sooner.

Kurama took a distracted glimpse at small corridor giving way to the kitchen entrance, and he almost choked with such a surprise. His exhausted expression changed into a bright, amused face, and he showed a wide smile when he saw his youkai standing there. If he just had a camera to take a snapshot...

Hiei stood in the way very resolute, with an indignant glint in his eyes, while wagging a rumpled pack of 3-minute ramen in the air. Worse than that, there was something that urged Kurama to cover his mouth with his hand, not to allow giggling about it  - Hiei was wearing one of his pink aprons, with hand-painted roses up the front...

Gods! It was too funny!

He rushed towards his lover, chewing his lips to avoid laughing at such an entertaining sight. He kissed Hiei, then; a quick, yet tender kiss, while he fondled with a long, sliding movement, the shoulders and the back of the youkai. Kurama was too happy to be back home, into the arms of his warm companion.

"What are you doing, Hiei?"

"Dinner."

"I don't believe it...."

"Hn... Stupid Fox..."

Kurama for a while didn't know whether to laugh or cry in anticipation of a terrible meal. He loved the youkai dearly, but he had to admit - Hiei didn't know how to make a tuna sandwich!

"This is a Lie, Fox! I followed the instructions! But where's the meat and the vegetables they show in the picture?" Hiei roared, showing the pack's cover picture to Kurama.

The fox patted Hiei's head, and his restrained laughter turned into a gentle smile. He placed a quick kiss of the tip of Hiei's nose, playfully.

"Hiei, it doesn't come all in the pack; it's optional. See? Read the small print..." The fox commented then, delicately, very aware he'd better watch his tone; Hiei hated to be ridiculed in any way, and he didn't want to ruin the surprise his youkai had planned.

Hiei shoved Kurama away, with a gesture which was a perfectly balanced mixture of harshness and tenderness, shifting his attention back to the pot of  boiling ramen left on the fire.

"Damned Ningen ramen! K'so!" He exclaimed, still ranting while glaring at the cooking pot.

"Do you need help, koibito?"

"Nah!"

Kurama shook his beautiful head very slowly, with a smile full of love and admiration for his partner. The kitchen was a mess, Hiei was not at his best mood, and he knew there would follow an indigestible meal. But he loved all the surprise.  The redhead didn't care at all if  dinner would be edible or not, or that he would be the one to clean up the whole kitchen afterwards.

After all, living with a Fire Demon had advantages, and drawbacks. But most times, the pleasure of sharing his life with Hiei was far too compensatory for him to complain.

He stood by the kitchen entrance, letting his fingers cleverly cover his lips, to avoid any sudden chuckling he could not hold back in time. Then he watched patiently as Hiei set the table, and included a bottle of sake and two nice, small china cups for them.

A sudden emotion struck Kurama's heart.... Hiei, one of the most powerful demons of the Makai getting dinner ready for them? It was absurd - And the absurdness of it made it all more lovely.

Kurama could not resist any longer. He moved towards Hiei in delicate stealth. He embraced the youkai from behind, nuzzling the nape of his neck, making the small fire demon twitch and twist.

"Hey! It tickles!"

"Koibito... Say... What's the special occasion?"

Hiei closed his eyes for one very short moment, while he rested his body against Kurama's, so he could appreciate better the tender warmth, and the comforting, welcoming curves of his lover's body. He moaned softly, starting to feel his bad mood melt under his fox's touch.

"Hiei?"

"Hn?"

Kurama fondled Hiei's body, stroking his vigorous chest, holding firmly the delicate, slender waist in his hands. It was when he noticed that under the apron Hiei was wearing his "Makai outfit" - His worn, black baggy trousers, and his ragged black tank top. Usually Hiei wore jeans, T-shits, even bermudas; stuff Kurama had bought him over the time they had been together.

It could only mean one thing.

A sorrowful shadow seemed to cover Kurama's semblance when he guessed why Hiei had been so attentive - It must be a farewell dinner then...

"Baby, are you planning a trip?" Kurama asked the youkai, with a heartbreaking tone of voice.

Hiei said nothing. He winced away from Kurama's embrace with one slow, almost hesitating move, and placed the pot on the counter, to start serving them dinner.

"Hn... I think it's ready..."

Hiei didn't seem to care about answering Kurama's question. In fact the youkai even tried to avoid his stare.

Kurama approached Hiei once more, and his hand slipped along the youkai's hair and shoulders in one long, slow caress which continued all along his arm, till he held his small bandaged hand with a tender grip. He caressed his fingers, facing Hiei, trying to get the truth out of him.

After some time, after exchanging concerned, loving, confident glances, Hiei was able to sustain the fox's beautiful stare, being eye to eye with him.

"I need to go back to the Makai, Kurama."

Kurama sighed deeply. He looked down, bent by sadness. This time he was the one who avoided staring at Hiei. He just sat down by the table, at a loss for words at such a miserable piece of news.

Hiei kept silence while he served the fox dinner, very carefully, trying not to mess it all too much; he was not very good with such things...

After serving, he sat, facing the redhead. And none of them cared about the meal at all. The ramen, just remained there, forgotten in the china bowls, while they gazed at each other.

"I'm not doing it because I want to..."

Kurama nodded, but his eyes showed nothing but a deep desolation.

"I understand it, love..."

Hiei tried the food; he made a disgusted face  then - It was horrible! He must have left it cook too much, or too little... He didn't even know what was wrong with it.

He didn't mind much. At least it was a chance to avoid Kurama's gaze upon him. His green eyes revealed all the abandonment he must be feeling then.

"You've been here in the Ningenkai for two months. It must be hard for you, I know... You just stay here, closed in, with nothing better to do than watch that stupid TV and...

"No, Kurama, it's not because of that..."

"No?"

Hiei stood up and left towards their bedroom for a short while. He came back slowly, carrying something in his hand, which he showed Kurama.

It was a small crystal sphere - And both knew it carried a holographic message inside.

Hiei rolled it in his hand, admiring its luster with discontentment for a moment. Then he raised his almond-shaped eyes towards Kurama. His face became tense when he spoke.

"A youkai courier brought it to me this morning.

Kurama felt a shudder cut through his body, anticipating the worst...

"Aren't you going to break it open?"

Hiei held the sphere firm, with a disdainful smile. Hn... He didn't need to shatter the sphere open to know what kind of message it carried.

"No. I know very well who sent it. Mukuro is after me."

Silence fell between them, heavy and cold like a shroud. Hiei watched the crystal sphere with a stern countenance while Kurama played with the sticks and the food; his hand started to tremble slightly. His face became paler, and yet he commanded his alluring expression not to show his nervousness. Mukuro... How long would she remain between him and Hiei?

"Oh... Your boss..."

"Hn... Not for very long..."

Kurama turned wide, surprised eyes to Hiei. He parted his lips, giving out a low, almost imperceptibly shocked gasp. The hope he had always bore about Hiei giving up his position on Mukuro's lines... Was it really becoming a reality?

"What?" He retorted, amazed at the sudden decisive attitude Hiei showed him then.

"I'm gonna quit."

The Demon extended his arm, balancing the sphere on the palm of his hand. He stared at Kurama then, with very loving eyes.

Hiei invoked a dark flame which grew from his right arm, rising like black smoke from within his bandages, materializing into twisting fires which enveloped the small sphere, vaporizing it into nothing in an instant.

"We must live together, Kurama. Here, in the Makai or elsewhere, it doesn't matter - We just need to be together."

The redhead reached out to bring Hiei closer, pulling him towards his embrace. He shifted on the chair, to make Hiei stand between his thighs, while resting his face sweetly on his youkai's chest. His arms wrapped his slender waist, his hands fondled the graceful curves of his back.

"Hiei..."

"Can you stand to be alone here till I'm back?"

"Yes... I'll be waiting..."

"You're the one I want to live with, Fox. To Hell with the rest!"

Kurama's hands stroked the youkai, avidly cupping his buttocks. Then the redhead smiled mischievously while rubbing his face against his youkai's warm belly.

Both of them looked at the forgotten meal left on the table with one same amused, conspiratorial smile. It was time for them to feed on love, not food.

"I've had enough"

"Me too. I loved your dinner, Hiei, But what's for afters?"

The fox nibbled Hiei's robust chest, kissing his nipples over his clothes.

"What do you want, Fox?"

"Youkai's butt?"

Hiei hid his satisfied and excited smile, covering his mouth with the back of his bandaged hand. He hissed his reply to Kurama's enticing proposition

"Yes... As much as you can have..."

The redhead wasted no time any longer. He stood up, grabbing his small lover, lifting him across his arms and carrying him to their bedroom.

The lovers giggled together, and Hiei's hands closed tenderly around his fox's neck, while he rested his face on his shoulder, allowing himself to be taken and dropped onto their own wide, double bed.

Kurama joined him, and they snug together, to delve into the delicious passion they shared.

Kurama didn't care to lock any doors then.

The End

Characters are property of Yoshihiro Togashi, Fuji TV, Shueisha, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot. The events portrayed are not necessarily present in the original series Yu Yu Hakusho