Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Mating ❯ Dealing with Parents ( Chapter 8 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
"The Mating"

Disclaimer: Chapter one has it.

AN: This chapter is a bit heavy in the angst catagory, just a warning for all who may read it. Tissue warning applies.

Chapter 8: Dealing with the rest of the parents

Kurama changed back the minute they left the Makai. The four of them hurried back to Shiori's house.

"Hiei, will you stay?" Kurama asked him as the four walked in.

"Hn. I'll be around." Hiei affirmed. He was still trying to sort out these feelings that Shiori had caused. He fingered his pocket. Why did I purchase those? He had bought a necklace with a songbird on it for his sister, which he did not know how he was going to get the courage to give her. For Shiori, he had purchased a necklace depicting an owl. Both of these were remarkably lifelike. He then fingered the third gift hiding in his pocket. Shiori had caused him to do so strange things between yesterday and today. The third gift was for Shizuru, if he ever got the nerve to deliver it. He had purchased a charm bracelet for her. He had one charm put on, a black flame. Now all he had to do was deliver it and hope she understood the message.

"Thank you." Kurama replied gratefully. "Mother, we are going to put these things away and should be down before too long."

"Take your time, son." She smiled at him as the two mates hurried up the stairs.

"Hn." Hiei cleared his throat. He couldn't recall the last time that he was this embarrassed and he'd waited until the kitsune had left the room! "Bought something for you."

"Hiei!" Shiori said, shocked. Her face softened as she looked at the small fire demon. "You shouldn't have, but you did."

Hiei looked at the woman who'd offered a family to him. The first time anyone had ever tried to adopt him without wanting something in return. He slowly brought out the necklace with the owl pendant on it. "Here." The owl said everything that he wanted to say, but words always failed him when it came to expressing himself.

Shiori's hand trembled as it reached to take the beautiful necklace. It wasn't a sentiment that she would have expected, but she was coming to know that Hiei never talked about himself. She wondered just how much pain he had absorbed growing up. Physically, he was obviously mature, but emotionally, he had been terribly wounded. The mother in her cried out to heal those emotional wounds. "Thank you, Hiei, it's beautiful." She looked at the clasp. It was totally unfamiliar to her. She quietly asked, "If I sit down, can you put it on me?"

Hiei looked at her in shock. She not only accepted it, but wanted him to put it on her? His thoughts were reeling again. He nodded, "Hn."

Shiori sat and felt him reach around her neck, undoing the clasp and lifted her hair so that he could fasten the clasp again behind her head. The owl gained the coloring of the bird, causing it to be even more lifelike. "Oh!"

"It uses extremely small amounts of your energy to produce the colors. That particular stall sold beautifully crafted ornaments, but skills to make metals turn colors, such as Mosathar's, are rare. These types are far more common." Hiei told her as she picked up the owl to look at it. The wisdom shining through the owl's eyes matched the wisdom coming out of Shiori's. He was pleased at how she liked the necklace.

"Thank you, Hiei." She looked down at the shirts that he had purchased. "What are you going to do with those?"

"Not sure."

"Why don't you use some of the space in the hall closet? There are only a few light jackets hanging up there now." Shiori opened the closet that she was referring to.

Hiei swiftly figured out the hangers, though he thought them just a silly ningen invention. "Thank you."

"Why don't you go sit in the living room while I go hang up the things that I got as well?" Shiori suggested. Hiei nodded and moved into the mentioned room. Shiori went and got her own dresses off of the counter where she had placed them. She decided to hang two up and then change into the third. It looked so comfortable as well as beautiful. Those two were determined to spoil her. She quickly went up to the bedroom and hung up the two that she decided to wait on and put on the third. This one was in earth tones, complimenting the owl and her brown eyes. Fortunately the design was a simple pull over that had a belt for the waistline. She looked in the full length mirror and gasped. The dress had more shimmer to it. She spun slowly so as to appreciate the effect.

She came down and found Hiei sitting in the window seat, looking out at the trees. "Now for the hard part, waiting." It was twelve thirty.

Kurama and Keiko came down about twenty minutes later. Kurama was wearing one of his Chinese ensembles and Keiko was wearing one of the dresses similar to Shiori's. But where Shiori's was earth tones, Keiko's was all pastels. The collar clearly showed her mating mark and she proudly wore the ring that Kurama had commisioned to be made for her. Kurama sat down and Keiko sat down on his lap, leaning her head against his shoulder. She was clearly worried, but was trying to appear as if everything was fine.

Shuuichi and Hatanaka came in to this scene ten minutes later. Shuuichi chattering excitedly and Kazuya Hatanaka listening to him patiently. Shuuichi picked up on the atmosphere first and his speech died down.

"What's wrong, son?" Hatanaka asked.

Shiori got up and came into the doorway where they were. "Husband, why don't you finish unpacking the car. Shuuichi, bring your things to your room and join us in the living room?"

Hatanaka looked over at Shiori, "You look beautiful. Where did you get that dress from?"

"Shuuichi took me shopping." She caught herself just barely not calling her son Kurama. "Please join us in the living room after you've finished unloading the car."

Hatanaka picked up on the serious tone, "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

Shiori thought for a moment, "Yes, and no. Finish unpacking the car and then join us in the living room."

He trusted her to explain everything. "Very well. I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

Shuuichi came down and sat down on the couch. "Cool dress, mom." He looked at Hiei and his stepbrother who oddly had a woman nestled into his shoulder. "What's going on?"

Kurama looked at his stepbrother. "Do you remember the things that I've taught you about your awareness?"

"Yes." Shuuichi replied, puzzled.

"Good. That will make this easier on you." Kurama replied. "I taught you about the demon world and the human world. What I didn't tell you was that I was from the demon world and that my true name is Kurama."

Shiori hadn't realized that Kurama had taught Shuuichi any of this. Hiei didn't seem surprised.

"Really?" Shuuichi asked, showing signs of excitement.

"Yes. And this is my mate, Keiko." Kurama explained. "You've met her before."

"I have. She's one of your friends, right?" Shuuichi asked.

"Well, as of yesterday afternoon, she became my mate as well. There are going to have to be a few changes due to that as well. But I didn't want you worried when your father starts trying to scold me." Kurama explained, smoothing Keiko's hair.

"Am I going to cause trouble?" Keiko asked.

"No, our mating could not have been undone once it was begun." Kurama whispered into her hair. "Don't worry about it. The best we can do now is deal with the repurcussions of this situation."

Hiei piped up from the window seat having clearly heard Kurama's whisper with his demon hearing, "All else fails, you have a home in the Makai, Fox."

"I'd rather not do that unless we have no choice, though, Hiei. We are a family and you know how precious that is. Mother knows, Shuuichi knows. Now just for the one in this collection that I'm not sure of, my stepfather."

As if on cue, Kazuya Hatanaka walked in from the shed, having put the tent and fishing supplies away. He took a seat next to Shiori and frowned at his stepson, somehow knowing that he was the cause of this upset in his home. "Who is she?" He didn't even notice Hiei sitting behind him, watching to see if he tried to hurt any of them.

"That is what we are here to discuss, Father." Kurama stated. "We have approximately two hours before we have to face her parents. Would you like me to detail the situation now, or later when we have to discuss it with them as well?"

"Why, did you get the girl pregnant?" He asked bluntly.

"No." Kurama answered coldly as Keiko's face burned with embarrassment, burying it within his hair.

Keiko knew that this wouldn't be a pretty conversation and knew there had to be some good behind him. Right now, he was just a little intolerant. Her left hand came up to clutch his shoulder.

"What is that?" Hatanaka asked, seeing the ring.

"You have the honor of congratulating me, Father, I am engaged to be married." Kurama said, his face deadpan.

"You knew that I had made plans for you, son. How could you do this?" Hatanaka asked, relieved that his stepson was at least doing the honorable thing.

"Plans change, sir. These have had to." Kurama said, not quite as cold as he had talked to Touya earlier, then went on, "There is more to hear in this situation. I ask again, do you want to hear it now, or later?"

Hatanaka jumped as he heard a cold, deep voice coming from behind him. "You might as well tell all, Fox. He's the only one in your family who doesn't know."

Kurama nodded. "Hiei, I know you're right, but . ."

"Your brother accepted it."

"Yes, he's almost as aware as Kuwabara, and you know it."

"Hn. Just not as trained." Hiei replied, "Or as stupid."

Kurama nodded. "As you can see, Father, there is much more going on here than simply my getting engaged." He paused, wondering if he should have made some of his special tea. His mother deserved the gentle introduction into the life that he led. He plunged into an explanation. "There are many different beings in this world. Humans are only a small portion of them. There are also what are called demons." He saw his stepfather stiffen at the label. "Demons are not what are commonly referred to in western mythology. Fallen angels, cruel beings who relish human sacrifice. Those are a small portion of us." His stepfather caught the wording and glanced sharply at him. He nodded, "I am not completely human, nor have I ever been truly human. My true name is Kurama and I am a youko, a spirit fox. I explained this to Mother last night, after I mated with Keiko."

"Mated? You mean have sex?" He regretted the harshness of his words in front of Shuuichi, but had to understand what was going on.

"No, Keiko is my mate." Kurama's eyes took on a golden color. He kept himself back from full transformation with an effort as he went on to explain, "It is deeper than mere pleasure. She became part of me and I became part of her." He looked deep into his stepfather's eyes. "It is deeper than marriage. We can never be separated."

Shiori looked into her husband's eyes, trying to gage how he was taking this news. Her son seemed to be telling everyone about it in a slightly different manner based on what they needed to hear. He didn't seem on the verge of blowing up, which she had been afraid of. "Husband?"

Hatanaka was floored. He didn't know what to think. He'd always known that Shiori's son was quiet and a good studier, but not much else. He always kept to himself so well. He lived in the same house, but didn't open up, save to his mother. He looked over at his own son. Shuuichi didn't seem to be startled, scared or even worried. He was instead looking with a kind of fascination. He briefly thought about what would happen if he didn't let them stay, since it was obvious that there was nothing else that he could do, if he didn't want to start eating his own cooking. He sighed, not really understanding any of this, but seeing as the rest of his family accepted this, resigned himself to the inevitable. "Are you still going to live in this house?"

Kurama looked at his stepfather. "Am I allowed to?" Kurama bent his head and kissed Keiko's hair. "Understand this much. Wherever I stay, Keiko must as well. We will both only be able to sleep if we are together. She would be moving into my room." He lifted his head and saw his stepfather nod, obviously not happy about this, but able to accept it. He nodded. "Then we shall see what her parents say when we see them."

Shiori nodded. This had gone better than she had hoped it would. Now came the more difficult battle. Kurama never had been a normal child, but Keiko had. This was a more sudden shift on their part. Keiko was showing signs of strain by napping against Kurama's shoulder.

"Where did you two get those dresses, though?" Hatanaka asked, "They obviously didn't come from the mall, nor did that ring, which is one of the most beautiful rings I've ever seen."

"We did a trip to the Makai, the demon world." Shiori explained. "My son has obviously been keeping this secret for years. His closest friends knew, but that was it."

Kurama nodded. "Hiei was the first to figure out who I was, back when you were so ill. I was fifteen and owed you so much, Mother." He smiled over at Hiei ruefully. "I would have given my life willingly to save you. We organized a theft of some very powerful artifacts."

"Hn. You're still a baka kitsune." Hiei replied with affection.

"But you understand why now, though."

"We're both bakas." Hiei replied, warmth showing in his eyes when he looked at Shiori. He now understood why this fox would risk his own life to save the woman. "And now we both owe a debt to the Detective." Even after the conversion of Yusuke to demon lord, Hiei still called him by the nickname that he originally labelled him with.

"Always did, Hiei." Kurama replied. "Now, unfortunately we still have an hour and a half before heading over to Keiko's parents house. And Keiko and I still have school tomorrow. We never did finish that homework that you were having problems with, why don't we go finish that up while we wait?"

Keiko jumped, "Back to the Ningen world, eh? Come on," She climbed off of Kurama's lap. "Maybe you can unjumble my pre-calculus."

Kurama got up and offered his hand to his mate. "Sure. I saw the problem yesterday." He turned to Hiei. "Will you be coming with us over to Keiko's?"

Hiei looked back at him, then glanced at Shiori, "Would you like me there?"

The answer came from an unexpected source, "Please, Hiei. Can you come with us?" It was Keiko.

Hiei nodded abruptly. "Then yes, I will come." He didn't have many friends and these were counted amoung them. Kurama's stepfather and stepbrother he could care less about, though the boy did show some promise. He decided that tomorrow he would try to get the nerve up to tell Yukina who he was.

An hour and a half later, Kurama and Keiko came down the stairs. She was clutching her book bag in triumph. She kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Kurama, I would have never been able to do it without you." Then her face sobered, "Come, it's time to face the music at my house."

Kurama turned her to face him and tilted her face up to his. "We are in this together. From now on, we will always know where the other is. I won't let anyone take you from me, Keiko, and if they try it will be to their regret." He bent down to kiss her lips softly. "Now, let us all go and face this, together."

Hiei walked over to them, "As a family." He said, too low for anyone but Kurama and Keiko to hear. He then smelled something, "Can't the two of you keep your hands off each other for a whole hour and a half?"

Kurama nodded. "Now we should be able to settle down a little bit." He blushed slightly, feeling their bond. It was a very strong bond, able to last through the trials that the Makai could throw at a pair of mates. Now to see how such a bond would work in the Ningenkai.

Keiko could feel the awareness hum through her of Kurama's presence and his state of mind. He was not overly worried and seemed to have some kind of a plan, though he was still a bit nervous. "I can sense you." She said, wonderingly.

"And you always will be able to. You will be able to tell where I am and what state I am in." Kurama agreed, "And I will be able to sense the same about you."

Shiori came into the hallway, "Well, children, let's go finish this mess. Shuuichi is going to stay home and get a nap, considering how little sleep he had last night. It will be the three of you, my husband and myself." She led the way to the car. She was going to drive, with her husband sharing the front seat with her. Keiko would be sitting between the two guys in the back seat.

Keiko led the way into the house, Kurama following her, Hiei following after and then the two 'adults'.

Keiko led the way into the living room and had them sit down. "I'm going to go find my parents." She almost walked out of the room when she got pulled back. She went over to Kurama and whispered, "It's starting. I can't leave your side without physical discomfort."

He whispered back to her, "I know. We'll be able to get through school separated, but not much more. I'll come with you."

Keiko smiled at him. "Thank you. We'll be right back."

After the two of them left, Hatanaka said, "What was that about?"

"Their bond kicked in." Hiei answered coldly, once more in the window seat. "Physically, they cannot be separated after a certain time of day. It's timed for the most dangerous time periods in the Makai. A survival trait."

Shortly after Hiei explained what happened, Keiko, Kurama and Keiko's parents both came in. Her parents looked at the two of them, showing a high degree of curiousity about this girl who had brought home their daughter, and why her parents were present as well. They would expect this from a boyfriend, but did this mean that Keiko had a girlfriend?

"Mom, Dad, please have a seat." Keiko asked. She sat on the couch in front of Hiei and Kurama sat next to her. Keiko's parents sat on a love seat katty-courner from them while Shiori and Kazuya sat in two chairs by the couch.

Mrs. Yukimura looked around, "Keiko, who are these people?"

Keiko decided that was about as good a place to start as any. "Mom, this is Mrs. Shiori Hatanaka, Mr. Kazuya Hatanaka," She paused and gave a brief look at Kurama and noticed the nod, "Kurama Minamino, Shiori's son and Hiei, a friend of ours." Keiko pointed as she introduced them. "My father and mother."

Keiko's parents shook their heads to take in the fact that this apparent girl was, in fact a boy. It was cinched when he spoke in a voice that was too deep to be a girls' voice.

Kurama deeply thought and finally said, "Mr. and Mrs. Yukimura, we are here to discuss some unexpected developements that occured yesterday. Keiko requested to stay the night so that we could try to figure out what we should do about it." He threaded his fingers through Keiko's, reassuring them both. "We have been friends for years, hanging out with Yusuke and Kuwabara."

"What my son is trying to say, I think," Shiori explained, when Kurama didn't quite seem to know where to go from that, "Is that yesterday when Keiko came to get some help on her homework, they realized that they cared for each other much more than mere friends."

"But-" Mrs. Yukimura started, only to stop and start again, "But what about Yusuke? I know that you've been apart for a year, but I thought you'd eventually get together with him?"

Kurama firmly tamped down on his jealousy. He knew where Keiko's feelings stood and he knew where Yusuke's feelings stood, but these casual references to people assuming that the two were a couple were seriously annoying. He let Keiko answer for herself. He couldn't prevent the low growl coming from his throat, but only Hiei and Keiko could hear it.

Keiko smiled, "Oh, Mother, I could never love Yusuke like that! He's too much like my brother. That's the way he sees me as well, as a sibling. Kurama has always held my heart."

Keiko's mother nodded in acceptance. "I suppose I should get to know this young man. Does he go to the same school as you?"

Kurama nodded. "I am one class above her and will be graduating in a few months."

Keiko's father asked, "I see a ring on my daughter's finger, does that mean what I think it does?" He asked gruffly, but not unkindly.

"Yes, Father, I am engaged to be married after I graduate. I hope you don't mind?" Keiko asked, mentally hoping that the rest of this talk would go over as well as this seemed to be. It was a vain hope with her father's next words.

"Of course I mind. You've never breathed a word about Kurama before now and you come home and tell me that you're engaged to him? Is there a reason for this sudden engagement?" His eyes narrowed as he took in the flushed face of Keiko and Kurama kissing their joined hands. He looked at Shiori, "You couldn't have stopped your son from seducing my daughter? How did this happen?"

"Excuse me, sir," Kurama answered for Shiori, who was taken aback at this attack, "She could not have done anything to prevent this. Even Keiko and I didn't realize that we cared for each other in this fashion. When Keiko brought over her homework yesterday, she started a cycle that once begun could not have been stopped. I had told only one person of my feelings for Keiko. That was Hiei."

Keiko's parents looked confused. "What cycle?" Her father asked, confusion and curiosity clear in his voice.

Kurama met his eyes directly. He wasn't sure just what he would have to do to convince these two. "My mating cycle." He replied softly.

"Mating cycle?" Keiko's mother asked this time.

Kurama took a deep breath. There was no easy way to say this, "I am not fully human. My body is, kind of, my soul is not."

Both of Keiko's parents looked at him as if he wasn't all there.

Shiori broke in, "I assure you, he is speaking the truth. All of it."

"Do you have any proof?" Keiko's mother asked, as her husband was speachless.

Shiori thought briefly then said, "Hiei, this necklace, will the color fade when I take this off?"

"No." Hiei replied. "It forms a bond with the wearer."

Hatanaka added, "It doesn't matter what my stepson is. The point is that he compromised your daughter and is willing to do the right thing."

"I am sorry that I don't agree with you, Mr. Hatanaka." Keiko's father replied. "I want to know what my daughter has fallen in love with."

Kurama looked with saddened eyes. "Are you sure you want to know, Mr. Yukimura?"

"We need to know, Kurama. And what is this mating cycle that you spoke of?" Keiko's mother asked.

Kurama lifted Keiko's hand that was still entwined with his. "A mating cycle is a cycle where a demon has chosen a mate and the two can never be separated again." He told them, resigned to the truth. "As for what I am?" He stood, knowing there was no help for it. He reached in and changed into his youko form. He opened his golden eyes at them. He braced himself for the worst. "This is what I am."

Keiko's father's eyes widened on seeing the transformation. He moved very rapidly and grabbed Keiko, putting her behind him. "You are forbidden from ever seeing my daughter again, monster!"

Keiko's mother just looked. He was clearly humanoid, and if her daughter had 'mated' with him he had to be someone very special. Her husband had never delt with surprises well and this one took the cake in her book. She knew that she was in shock now and would be able to react in a more normal fashion later, after it had sunk in.

Hatanaka had known, intellectually, that his stepson hadn't been human. However knowing it, and seeing it, were two completely different things. He couldn't call his stepson a monster. He'd lived with him for too long and his eyes, while different in shape, showed the same soul that he had wondered about ever since moving in with Shiori. He felt like he was finally seeing the true person who was wearing 'Shuuichi' like a mask.

Keiko panicked. Her bond was already starting to kick in as it was and her inner self rebelled at the thought of anyone telling her that she couldn't see her mate again. She pushed her father away, but as it was earlier when she had picked up Shiori, her strength was much greater than she thought it was. When she pushed him, he went flying across the room and crashed into the far wall. She then flew to Kurama's side as Hiei went over to check on Keiko's father. Kurama caught her close.

"Hiei?" Kurama asked, feeling saddened that Keiko's father was so intolerant. He felt lucky in his stepfather. The two had never been close, but Hatanaka was gaining respect in his book.

"A broken nose and maybe a couple cracked ribs. Give him a few days to rest and I think he should be fine." Hiei reported. "Trying to keep mates apart like that, it's his own fault."

Keiko's mother was in shock. How could her daughter do this? Hurl her father across the room like that? Her thoughts were spinning and she fainted.

Shiori went and sat next to Keiko's mother, trying to bring her around. She had known Keiko's strength, and knew her son's as well. She figured that Keiko's mother, once she got over the shock, would try to help them.

Hatanaka was glad that he hadn't tried anything remotely similar to what Keiko's father had tried. He may have momentarily thought about throwing him bodily on the street, but that was if he hadn't done the proper thing. He looked over at the couple. Keiko's face was buried in his stepson's chest, sobbing. He looked back over to Keiko's unconscious father to see Hiei abruptly set the nose bare handed. He decided to help in what little way he could and found the kitchen, bringing a paper towel wetted down. He laid it on Keiko's mother's forehead. "Mrs. Yukimura?"

Her eyelids fluttered. "Did I just see what I think I saw?"

Shiori nodded. "My son is a youko, a spirit fox. Some day maybe I can tell you the whole story, which I myself only learned yesterday evening."

Keiko's mother sat up, "My husband? How is he? How's Keiko?"

Hatanaka motioned around. "Your husband is still out cold. I don't think my son's friend setting his nose helped any on bringing him around. Keiko's upset over the whole thing, I think."

Keiko's mother knew that her husband would not be able to think rationally for a couple of days yet. She swiftly went over to Keiko, who briefly stiffened, but when her mother made no move to remove her from Kurama's arms, relaxed. "Dear, you know this is not exactly the kind of choice we would have had you make." She started kindly. Keiko stiffened again, "But you two can clearly not be separated. I will try to make your father see some reason in that thick skull of his."

Keiko relaxed against Kurama once again. Her father hadn't always been the most tolerant and never took surprises well. There just hadn't been an easy way to break this news. Keiko felt her mother's arm go around her and lifted her head up to see that the other arm was around Kurama! "Mother?"

"Please, let me hug you both for now. Your father will be conscious soon and not going to take this well at all, as we both know." She turned to Kurama, who was holding his youko form so as to make sure that Keiko's father remembered what he looked like. "And you! I don't care what you are, you seem to care for my baby. Take good care of her."

Kurama nodded, relieved that they did have one ally in the household. "I will, ma'am."

Keiko's mother sighed. "Now we get to wake your father." She knelt down next to her husband, whom Hiei was still keeping a close eye on. She nodded to him in acknowledgement.

"I was wrong, by the way. It is only extensive bruising in the rib area." Hiei muttered to the man's wife.

"Thank you, sir." She looked at his size, but didn't feel that did him justice. She felt, young, next to this small man. She reached down and patted her husband's cheek, avoiding the sore nose.

Keiko's father's eyes opened to see the monster standing in his living room, with what used to be his daughter nestled in the monster's arms. "Out, out! Monster! I don't know what you did to turn my daughter into a monster as well, but she is no longer welcome in this house!"

Keiko's mother had known what he was going to do, but she didn't want to lose her baby so quickly. She cried, not knowing whether she could get him to relent, or not.

Keiko had been braced for the tirade, but it still hurt. She buried herself into Kurama's shoulder, once again he was the redheaded human. He picked her up and carried her to the car, bridal style as she wrapped her arms about his neck, tucking her nose against the place she had bitten him the previous day. He was followed by the rest of his family who all left without saying a word, though Shiori looked back at Keiko's mother, who gave a small nod.

The Hatanaka family quickly made their way back home, Keiko never shifting positions.

To be continued . . .