Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Akambo ❯ The New Addition ( Chapter 12 )

Yusuke and Kuwabara began to gather the experiment log and several other journals and diagrams from the lab to take back to Koenma. Within about twenty minutes, the detective group was ready to return to the human realm. Hiei arose, still holding the baby. Kurama stood up next, but faltered.

 

"Fox?" Hiei, asked, concerned.

 

"I'm fine, Love. Just some lingering effects of the spider demon's venom," Kurama replied. Hiei did not look mollified.

 

"How badly were you bitten?"

 

"It was just a nibble. Don't worry; I told him that you are the only one who can nibble me," Kurama joked, but Hiei didn't laugh. The demon was worried. Kurama looked pale and had sheen of sweat on his face. But the hiyoukai kept his mouth shut. What could they do out here, anyway? The best thing now would be to get home as quickly as possible.

 

As the group made their way out of the cave, Kurama remembered something. "Mother," he called. "This is yours." Shiori tore her gaze away from her new grandson to find the redhead holding out his left hand. Reaching out she took the object he was offering; it was her necklace. Smiling, she put it back around her neck.

 

The trek back to the portal point was slower than the rush to rescue Shiori. Hiei continued to carry the child, and Shiori was never far from his side. She pointed out to him the need to support the baby's head and neck, and kept an eye on the scarf wrapped around the tiny form to make sure it was not slipping open to admit any drafts. Luckily, the weather in this part of Makai was very warm, unlike the human world in this season. Hiei just kept staring at the baby, watching its reaction to new things, like sunlight and the wind. Each little reaction reminded him that things he took for granted and saw, felt, heard, and smelled every day were brand new to his child. Neither he nor Shiori noticed that they had gotten farther ahead than the others. Kuwabara trailed a few paces behind them, watching with interest. Soon, very soon, he would be the new daddy holding his children, so his thoughts strayed to his wife as he watched the new infant in its father's arms.

 

Yusuke was paging through the records that they had taken from the lab when he looked up and noticed the group spreading apart. They were drawing close to the portal site, so he not concerned that they would lose each other. But the figure in the back of the group caught his attention and he slowed to let his friend catch up.

 

"Hey, man, are you okay?" he asked when Kurama finally drew up next to him.

 

"Yes," the kitsune answered, but his normal smile was pinched.

 

"You still bleeding?" Yusuke asked, trying to get a closer look at Kurama's shoulder.

 

"No, I think it's almost stopped. I just need to dress it and I'll be fine,"
the fox replied.

 

"Did you..." Yusuke began.

 

"Please, Yusuke. I'm fine. I just need to get home," Kurama interjected. Yusuke nodded, but stayed near his teammate anyway.

 

When Botan opened the portal for the group, she was shocked to find the extra person in the group. "You can't import a demon into the human world," she objected. "Not even a little one." She blanched when Hiei practically snarled at her.

 

"He is my son, and he is coming with me."

 

Botan opened her mouth to respond, but could find no words. Hiei's son? Yusuke stepped between her and the irate demon before she could speak.

 

"Here. The book explains it all," he said, thrusting the logbook into her hands.

 

Botan opened the book to the final few pages. "Wow," she said distractedly. "This explains the soul activity. It explains the baby, too." Looking up she nodded. "Okay, I'll take you to Spirit World. Lord Koenma will have to approve the transfer."

 

Kurama was about to speak, but Yusuke saved him the trouble. "Take the others home. Kuwabara and I will talk to the toddler and sort everything out." Kurama smiled his thanks. Hiei still glared at the ferry girl. With a quick look around the group, Botan nodded and opened the portal back to Ningenkai.

 

The portal deposited Hiei, Kurama, Shiori, and the baby very close to the demons' home. In the brisk evening air, Hiei raised his temperature to keep the baby warm. A short walk later, they entered the house.

 

As the door opened, Hatanaka and Shuuichi-kun arose. When they saw Shiori walk in first, they all but pounced on her, tears in their eyes. Shiori hugged them back, grateful they were there, waiting for her. But she released them quickly and moved in to allow the demons to enter their home.

 

"Shiori, dear, are you alright?" Hatanaka asked, not wanting to let his wife out of his embrace.

 

"I'm fine. The boys rescued me very quickly. And I have big news," Shiori said, grinning. Hatanaka was a little startled. He had expected his wife to be scared or crying, possibly hurt. He did not expect her to be smiling and happy. With a curious shrug he awaited her news.

 

Shiori turned and motioned to the door, where Hiei and Kurama were walking in. Hatanaka was startled to see the blood staining his stepson's clothing, but even more shocked to see the smaller demon cradling a baby in his arms. With a wide smile, Shiori announced, "I would like to introduce my grandson!" Hatanaka and Shuu-kun just stared.

 

It took a few moments for either human to find their voice. Finally Shuu-kun asked the burning question on both their minds. "Huh?"

 

As Shiori began to explain the details of the experiment and the lab and her kidnapping, Kurama leaned over to whisper into Hiei's ear, "I'll be back, Love." Hiei nodded and Kurama began climbing the steps to go to their bedroom.

 

Once he closed the door, the fox found a change of clothing and entered the bathroom. Turning, he tried to get a closer look at his wound in the mirror, but it was in a difficult spot to see or reach. He did determine, however, that it was still bleeding slightly. He wasn't surprised; spider demon venom prevented clotting. Carefully he peeled away the tunic and undershirt. Getting out the first aid kit, he began to clean the wound carefully, noting that it was starting to get sore. Apparently the numbing effect of the venom was wearing off. From the dull ache beginning in his shoulder and back, it seemed the venom also had an effect on muscles; he was getting a little stiff. Ignoring that, the fox cleaned his wounds and applied a light dressing as best he could. He then put on his jeans and a loose shirt and left to rejoin his family downstairs. He was halfway down the steps when there was a knock at the door.

 

Shiori answered the door. Hiei sat in the chair, still holding the baby. Hatanaka and Shuu-kun were on the couch with a dazed look on their faces. The man turned to his son.

 

"Shuu-kun?" the man asked awkwardly.

 

"Yeah, Dad?" the teen replied.

 

"I know we don't talk about this stuff a lot, but you know that's not where babies normally come from, right?"

 

"Yeah, Dad."

 

"You know where they do co.."

 

"Yeah, Dad."

 

"Okay." Both humans turned to look at the baby once more.

 

Shiori was a little surprised to find Koenma, in his teenager form, at the door. She had met him before, when Kurama had "died" at the hands of Intaro. Since then she had associated the godling with death and loss. Seeing him now scared her. She drew in a sharp breath.

 

"Koenma, please come in," came a soft voice behind her. Shiori jumped and turned to see her son. With a brief nod, the demigod entered the house.

 

When Koenma entered, Hiei was instantly on guard. He had not forgotten that Botan wanted to take his son or that Koenma had to give the child permission to be in Ningenkai. Of course, Hiei could return to Makai to raise the child, but he thought Kurama might be reluctant to do so. He narrowed his eyes as the Junior Lord of Hell approached.

 

"May I see the child?" Koenma asked. Hiei was still on guard, but shifted his hold just slightly to expose the infant's face. Koenma looked at him for a few minutes, and the baby gurgled and cooed. "He's cute," Koenma said, stepping back.

 

Drawing up to his full height, Koenma began speaking in an official tone. "I have reviewed the documents presented by Yusuke and Kuwabara regarding the laboratory and the experiments conducted there. I have also spoken to Enki and the Makai governors, including Yusuke. The demon world government has agreed to allow us, Spirit World, to sort out and clean up the mess of souls and bodies in that lab. Yusuke will lead a group there tomorrow for that purpose. That leaves only the question of this child.

 

"The records have indicated that the child is a combination of Kurama and Hiei's genetic material. Furthermore, one look at the infant reveals this to be true. Therefore, as the governance of souls is my duty, I hereby relinquish this child to the custody of its biological parents, Kurama "Shuuichi" Minamino and Hiei Minamino, and grant it residency in Ningenkai and the right to traverse with its parents between this world and Makai." Dropping the formal posture and tone, Koenma added, "Congratulations, guys. I hope I can still expect one of you to show up for missions." With that declaration, the demigod left the new family to begin sorting themselves out.

 

As she shut the door, Shiori breathed a sigh of relief. No one was going to try to take away her grandbaby. Turning to her son she smiled. The smile Kurama returned did not quite reflect in his eyes, but Shiori was distracted from commenting by a tiny wail from Hiei's direction. Going to his side, she looked to see what was wrong.

 

"I think he's hungry," Hiei commented. The baby had been born some time earlier, and usually babies eat quickly after birth. Realizing that the demons had nothing with which to care for a newborn and most stores would be closing soon, Shiori took charge.

 

"Kazuya, could you go to the closest store and buy diapers, a bottle, and formula? When you return we have to go shopping for more detailed baby supplies, but we'll need those things first," she asked pleasantly. Hatanaka nodded and arose to leave. On his way out, Kurama handed him some money for the purchases. Still a little shocked by everything going on, the human did not argue.

 

While her husband was running the first errand, Shiori looked at Hiei and Kurama. "Where will he sleep?" The demons looked a little confused. "We need to set up a nursery. Where will his room be? You'll want it to be close to your room, but all the guest rooms are full of furniture. He won't be able to use real furniture for a few years, so perhaps a smaller room? You can always give him his own big bedroom when he's old enough for a big-boy bed."

 

Kurama looked around. "There's a small room next to the master bathroom. I believe the architect intended it to be a home office or upstairs den, but we just use it for storage and.... We can put him there." Kurama did not mention that the stored items were his plant concoctions and seeds, and Hiei's ward wrappings, or that he used the space to prepare these items. He could find another workshop area easily enough.

 

"A big-boy bed?" Hiei asked, confused.

 

"Babies sleep in special beds at first so they don't fall or wander away. We had a nursery for Shuuichi and then moved him into a bigger room when he got his first big-boy bed, his first grown up bed without rails," Shiori explained. Hiei looked at Kurama with a surprised expression. Kurama just closed his eyes and blushed a little. So much for maintaining the imposing image of the fearless sex fiend, Youko Kurama.

 

Shiori went upstairs to look at the room her son had mentioned. It was not as large as the guest rooms, but it was comfortable. Nursery furniture would fit in it perfectly, and the window overlooked the backyard. The only drawback was that the master bathroom was situated between the demons' bedroom and this one, but with their keen senses, the demons would hear the child cry in the night as easily as if he were in the same room with them. Nodding her approval, Shiori helped Kurama move the boxes of plant material and ward bandages to the hallway closet. Although he did not complain, Kurama's arm began to throb more as his shoulder continued to stiffen.

 

Hatanaka returned from the store as Shiori and Kurama finished emptying the room. Immediately, Shiori set some water to boil on the stove and opened the diapers. She called Hiei over with the infant and began to show the new parents how to put a diaper on a baby. Kurama closed his eyes for a moment as a particularly painful throb shot from his arm through his chest. When he opened them again, he found he had missed most of the tutorial. Sighing, he decided to just ask Hiei later. Shiori was already mixing formula and talking about sterilized bottles and infant water.

 

When Shiori handed the bottle to Hiei, he looked at it as if he were waiting for it to do something. Smiling, Shiori guided his hand to tilt it and place it at the baby's lips. Hiei snorted at the inane contraption, until the infant latched onto the rubber nipple and began sucking in earnest. With a few minor adjustments to his hold and the angle of the bottle, Hiei discovered the joy of feeding the baby.

 

As the baby ate, Shiori asked softly, "So what are you going to name him?" Hiei and Kurama looked at her with blank expressions. "I know you have not had a chance to think about it or discuss it, but do you have any ideas?"

 

"We'll have to get back to you on that," Kurama replied. He didn't really want to think anymore today.

 

The baby finished the bottle quickly and Shiori showed Hiei how to burp him. When he settled down, she finally said, "Well, there are a few hours left before the last of the stores close. We should pick up a few things for him."

 

"Mother, you've had a trying day, would you rather go home to bed and go shopping tomorrow?" Kurama asked softly.

 

"Nonsense!" Shiori exclaimed happily. "I finally get to shop for my grandson. I'm not tired at all!" Kurama just nodded wearily. Apparently his mother had gotten her second wind after being abducted.

 

It was only a few minutes before Shiori was bustling everyone into the car. Without a baby seat, she determined it would be safest for Hiei to carry the infant and travel in his usual manner. Hiei agreed; there was no way he was climbing into that ningen contraption. He was surprised, though, when Kurama declined to accompany him but instead climbed slowly into the back of Hatanaka's minivan.

 

Hiei did not comment on this, but merely arranged where to meet the others and flitted off into the night. While he was out, Hatanaka had also gotten a white, one-piece baby garment of some sort, so the baby was not naked, but the thin cloth was not enough to keep him warm. Hiei raised his body temperature again to keep his child comfortable against the night chill.

 

Hiei arrived at the store well before the vehicle containing the Hatanakas and his mate got there, so he waited in the shadows, watching. Many people left the store, but few entered; business was winding down for the day. Although the store would still be open for several hours, it seemed that most ningen did not take their children shopping after the sun set. Most of the people entering at this hour were picking up diapers or formula, much like Hatanaka had earlier.

 

In the car Shiori could not stop talking about her new grandson. Between the excitement of being kidnapped and getting the grandchild she had long for, she would definitely sleep well that night! She pressed Kurama for any ideas he might have for names for his son, but the fox had none to offer. She did not mind as he fell silent and closed his eyes; she had already moved on to talk about cribs and bassinets.

 

When they got out of the car, the Hatanakas scanned the area, unable to see Hiei. Kurama, on the other hand, knew exactly where his mate was skulking and started walking over. The family followed and the whole group entered the store.

 

The store was huge. It had things for newborns, things for pre-teenagers, and things for every age in between. The only furniture they carried, though, was for a nursery. This did not, however, limit the selection. There were wood furniture sets, plastic sets, Formica sets, metal sets, and more. Each set came in a wide variety of colors and color combinations. The prices ranged from economical to extravagant. In the next section, coordinating bedding and accessories were displayed on every end cap and with every floor model. All these items were before the clothing and toy sections even began.

 

Hiei looked around in awe. In the demon world, a parent was lucky if he could find a safe place to sleep with a child, if just for one night, forget a plush bed or soft bedding. In his own life, the hiyoukai had never slept in an actual bed until his first encounter with Kurama, when the young kitsune-turned-human sneaked the demon into his own room to heal his wounds. Starting down the first aisle, Hiei wondered how they would ever select what they needed among the sheer volume of stuff.

 

It turned out to be much easier than he had thought. He and Kurama had both walked right past the pink and purple cribs, the cribs with the inane pictures of clouds, butterflies, baseballs, birds, and ponies on them, and all the white, yellow, and orange ones. Kurama flatly refused anything that featured oversized flowers with comic faces drawn onto them. The demons approached a red and blue furniture set, but the glaze on the pieces was offensive to their demonically sensitive noses. Even the baby whimpered when they approached it.

 

Finally they found a set they both liked. It was made of dark stained wood, but the wood was sealed so it would be easy to clean. The bassinet fit nicely into the top of the crib and the whole arrangement was very sturdy and secure to prevent tip-overs or escapes. The matching changing table had plenty of table space, drawer space, and some cubbies to hang on the wall, and there was even a matching swing with a basket for the baby for now and a seat for when the child got bigger. A few accessories, like a mobile and a few toys that attached inside the crib, were displayed as well. As they were looking at the set, the baby reached out to try to grab the mobile. Being a newborn, he did not got too far; he was still too little and uncoordinated. But he got much further than a human newborn would have, and succeeded in casting his vote for the set in question. With a smile and a shrug, Kurama selected the ticket for the complete set. When they checked out, they could pick up the furniture at the pickup window around the back of the store. It took only a few minutes for them to select some bedding to complete the set.

 

With one task accomplished, Shiori led the new parents to the department that carried strollers. These, unlike the crib displays, were set up on two shelves, the higher of which was at eye level for Kurama. The family tried to flag down an employee for assistance, but the workers were busy cleaning the shop in hopes of getting out early that evening. Hiei just snorted. He didn't understand why anyone would bother to engage the services of the adolescent ningen on staff in the store in the first place. Deciding not to wait, Kurama, Shuuichi-kun, and Hatanaka began pulling down strollers to examine.

 

Most of the strollers they saw were either too generic or downright ugly. The bright, garish colors were definitely out. The few darker models they saw were all designed for tall people, so they did not fit Hiei at all. The demon eyed the wheeled menaces sourly. He thought it was ridiculous to even buy one, since he was plenty strong enough to carry the child until it learned to walk. But Shiori insisted that they would want one, and so he humored her. He refused, however, to even consider any stroller that was so large it made him look like "a prepubescent ningen sibling" next to his son.

 

As the group was getting utterly frustrated with the search, Kurama spotted one stroller at the end of the upper shelf that might be a good fit. Leaving the rest behind, he walked over and looked at it. It was grey and black and very streamlined, almost petite. It also had another feature; it had a baby carrier on top of it. The baby carrier was for the baby when he was very tiny, and could detach to be carried around. Under the carrier, when it was detached, the stroller featured a normal seat, for when the baby got bigger. The seat reclined and had a detachable tray on the front. What's more, it had a telescoping handle, so it would not come up to Hiei's chest. Reaching up, Kurama grasped it and picked it up.

 

The repeated exertion of his stiff shoulder was finally too much. With a gasp, Kurama felt the wound on his should tear open a bit more. It had never fully stopped bleeding, but this time the pain lanced down his right arm. Biting his lip, he placed the stroller on the ground and closed his eyes. Luckily his family was behind him, so they did not see the pinched expression on his face. By the time they approached, he had once again mastered his appearance.

 

"That's a nice model," Shiori commented. Hiei examined it from several angles and agreed. Finally, they had selected one of the things, and they were free to leave the department. Shuuichi-kun picked up the ticket for the stroller, and they began to walk towards the clothing section.

 

As the group turned the corner to look at some of the newborn baby clothing, Kurama stopped short. His arm was throbbing now. Grimly he recalled that last time he had slept through the discomfort associated with the spider demon's venomous bite. He would not be so lucky this time. Wearily, he used his left hand to guide his right into his pocket; swinging it was hurting and moving it was agony. Within a few moments he had rejoined his family.

 

Shiori was like a bee, dashing between the aisles ooohing and aaahing over every garment. She had already selected a rather impressive pile of clothing including both the necessities and some frivolous items. Hatanaka stood patiently as his wife tossed outfit after outfit into his arms. The human was finally getting over the shock of the new baby and was even getting excited about this situation. He really did like children, and although he had had some rough times accepting his stepson's lifestyle, he was thrilled to have a new grandson as well. Regardless of their preferences, he knew both Kurama and Hiei would be fierce parents, protecting their child from any harm and providing everything the child could want, in both the tangible and emotional sense. While Shiori was running around, he selected a few items for the baby, too.

 

When the clothing frenzy was finally curbed, the group wandered into the toy section. They had selected a few things and were meandering around looking at the new and fascinating playthings available. Kurama had hung back. He really wanted to sleep. But the sparkle in his mother's eyes was undeniable, and although the demon would never admit it, Hiei was having fun spoiling his new son, too. Unwilling to interrupt, Kurama just stayed back and leaned against a shelf. The store may be open later than most, but it would be closing in about an hour.

 

Hiei was walking around looking at the things ningen bought for their young. Some of the toys were too cute for his taste. Others had fabrics that smelled funny. A few were downright awful; Hiei saw a toy he recalled clearly from one day he had been stuck in Kurama's apartment while the kitsune was at school. The hiyoukai had begun to watch the television, but had turned it off in disgust when he saw a large purple thing that he had dubbed, "It of the One Tooth" singing and dancing with ningen children. Here in the store, he was confronted by that very likeness in a stuffed toy. Luckily he was holding his son, so he could not incinerate the toy and everything else within a ten-foot radius. But he did take the baby away from the vile thing immediately.

 

Rounding the end of the aisle quickly, he ended up face to face with Kurama. Stepping to his left, the hiyoukai began to walk past the red head. The kitsune did not look up as Hiei approached, which gave the demon pause. But even more disturbing was the scent he picked up as he passed his mate. Kurama smelled like fresh blood. Stopping, Hiei looked over his shoulder at the fox. Kurama stayed still. He knew Hiei had picked up the scent of his blood, but he said nothing.

 

Hiei turned to the rest of their group. "We're done here," he said decisively.

 

"Oh, but there's more," Shiori began, but Hiei shook his head.

 

"We can buy more things for him as we need them. We're going home," the hiyoukai said. Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked towards the exit. Hatanaka and Shuu-kun followed, and Shiori took a slight detour to pick up an infant seat for their car before joining them at the register. Kurama came last, grateful to leave, but unhappy to be the cause of their sudden departure.

 

When they checked out, the cashier looked at the mountain of stuff they had bought with disdain. It would figure that the biggest purchase of the month, possibly the year, would come in so close to closing. With a sigh, she began to ring up the items and buzzed the stock room to get the furniture set ready.

 

Since they had only one minivan, Hatanaka managed to fit the crib/bassinet combo into the car along with the bedding, clothing, and toys. The rest of the furniture and the stroller would have to be delivered by the store delivery crew the following day.

 

As Kurama climbed into the back of the minivan once more, Hiei gave him a questioning glance. Kurama just shook his head slightly, and the hiyoukai flitted off towards their home, the baby still in his arms. On the ride home, Kurama shifted a little and felt a trickle creep down his back. Biting his lip, he moved slightly to prevent his shirt from pressing against the blood. He did not want to alarm the others. When they got home, he slipped into the downstairs bathroom to apply some more gauze to his bite wound.

 

Hatanaka and Shuu-kun brought in the crib and lugged it up to the empty room.

There was still some assembly required, so Hatanaka went in search of tools. Hiei and Shiori were in the kitchen preparing another bottle, so he started looking for his stepson. He found Kurama in the bathroom, shirtless, trying to apply a dressing with one hand to a wound on the back of his shoulder.

 

"Shuuichi?" the human asked softly, entering the small room. "What are you doing?"

 

"Oh, it's nothing. I just need to dress it," Kurama answered, turning so the wound was less visible.

 

"That's not nothing. Have you been bleeding since you brought your mother back?" Hatanaka asked, reaching for the younger man. "Turn." Kurama tried to protest, but his stepfather would not hear of it, and reluctantly, the kitsune admitted to himself that it would be easier to tend his wound with help. Turning, he heard his stepfather gasp at what he saw. Hatanaka was concerned that his stepson had not stopped bleeding yet. Unsure how to treat the wound, which looked a lot like a huge spider bite, he stepped out of the bathroom to call for Hiei.

 

Once the bottle was prepared, Shiori asked Hiei if she could feed the baby. The small demon agreed. Although it would be unheard of in Demon World, he did trust this ningen as if she were his own mother, and possibly more than he would trust his own mother, and it gave him a chance to check on his mate. He was entering the living room when he saw Hatanaka step out from the hallway where the bathroom was. The man motioned for him to approach.

 

Upon entering the bathroom and seeing the fresh rivulets of blood on his mate's back, Hiei asked Kurama to sit down. The kitsune sat on the commode backwards, with the lid down, straddling it, so his mate could see the wound more clearly. Hatanaka stayed in the doorway to help if he could.

 

"Fox, you should have told me it was this bad," Hiei said softly, dabbing at the bite with a damp cloth.

 

"It's nothing," Kurama replied.

 

"Nothing? Last time you bled uncontrollably. These bites will not heal on their own. I didn't realize you had received this much venom. It's bleeding more, not less," the hiyoukai said. "Last time I cauterized it, but you were unconscious. This time... The bleeding has to be stopped."

 

"I'm fine," Kurama said, turning to face his mate. He was surprised when the room spun a bit as well. Even a small trickle, over a few hours, would release a large quantity; perhaps he really was losing too much blood. But Kurama resolutely refused to admit his weakness.

 

Hiei pressed his lips together. He could not take Kurama to Yukina because the ice maiden was too close to delivering her own children, and using her healing powers now might induce early labor. He knew he had to stop the bleeding, but the only way he could would be to burn the flesh again.

 

Kurama just wanted to go to bed. He was tired and sore. Shaking his head, he tried to stand up, but stumbled a bit. His earlier lack of energy was progressing towards dizziness. With a resigned sigh, he sat back down, faced the wall again, and whispered, "Okay, go on."

 

Hiei blinked a few times. He did not want to do this to his mate, especially not while the fox was awake. But he had to do something. The wound had been unattended for far too long, and although Kurama had held up rather well during the shopping excursion, the kitsune was no longer able to maintain his front of adequate health.

 

"Do it, Hiei," Kurama repeated, turning his head slightly. "Get it over with." Hiei nodded.

 

Before he started, the hiyoukai gathered a few clean washcloths. Running the cold water in the sink, he soaked one and laid another aside. The third he folded and rolled up. Holding the roll horizontally in front of Kurama's mouth, he whispered, "open up."

 

Hatanaka watched as the red head opened his mouth and Hiei laid the rolled cloth between his teeth with the ends sticking out of either side of his mouth. Kurama leaned forward and braced himself against the back of the commode. Hiei took the dry cloth and blotted the wound a few more times to clear away the fresh blood. "Ready, Fox?" he asked as he blotted. Kurama nodded, closing his eyes.

 

Hiei blotted a couple more times and then quickly plunged two fingers into the twin holes of the bite wound. Kurama tensed, but Hiei wrapped his left arm around his mate and restrained him. Grinding his teeth, Kurama would have cried out, but the cloth in his mouth stifled the noise and only a whimper escaped. The kitsune balled his hands into fists so tightly that his knuckles turned pure white. Within a few seconds, Hiei pulled his fingers from the wound and Kurama slouched forward.

 

"I'm sorry; I'm sorry, Fox," Hiei whispered to his mate, using both arms to support Kurama's limp form. Green eyes fluttered open for a few seconds, but then rolled back as Kurama passed out. Shifting the fox into his left arm, Hiei quickly pulled the cloth from Kurama's mouth, allowing it to drop to the floor. He used the wet cloth the clean the wound area. The bleeding has stopped completely. Tossing the cloth back into the sink, the hiyoukai easily lifted his unconscious mate and turned to carry him out of the small bathroom. He walked past the human in the doorway and turned left, to carry the fox up the back staircase and to their bedroom.

 

Hatanaka watched as the demons ascended the stairs. Shaking his head, he turned to clean up the washcloths they left behind. He as he reached down to pick up the rolled cloth off the floor, he stared. The cloth was in three pieces, two ends and a half-moon shaped middle piece that were connected to each other by only a few this threads. Kurama had bitten through every layer of the thick cloth roll.

 

Shiori had finished feeding the baby and was walking around the kitchen, patting his back to burp him when movement from the exposed upstairs hallway, the one openly visible from the living room, caught her attention. Hiei was carrying her son along the hallway towards their bedroom. Shiori was puzzled, but when the baby began to squirm and fuss, she continued patting him. She was just starting to go to the stairs to follow the demons when her husband emerged from the hallway to the downstairs bathroom.

 

"What happened? What's wrong with Shuuichi?" Shiori asked.

 

"His wound was still bleeding," Hatanaka replied. "Hiei treated it, and he needs to rest now. Hiei is putting him to bed."

 

"Why was he being carried?" Shiori wondered.

 

"He... he's very tired and he passed out. He'll be fine; he's in good hands," Hatanaka replied, wishing to spare his wife the mental image of what he had just witnessed. Although he knew it was the only alternative, he also knew that image would haunt him for a while. Knowing his wife would want to rush upstairs to her son's side and that Hiei would also need time to clean and settle his mate, Hatanaka touched his wife's arm before she could turn to leave.

 

"Hiei has things well in hand. Perhaps you and Shuu-kun could help me set up this crib? As much as you want to, I doubt you will be able to hold that baby all night, Dear," he suggested softly. Shiori opened her mouth to argue, but instead a huge yawn was all that came out. She realized suddenly that she was tired; it had been a very full day. With another glance at the now closed door to the master bedroom, she nodded and followed her husband up the stairs to the new nursery.

 

Hiei took Kurama into the bathroom and stripped the fox's clothing off. Gently, he bathed his mate with a damp cloth, removing the blood and any residual dirt and sweat from their earlier fight. Carrying his mate back into the bedroom, he tucked him into bed naked and sat with him, stroking the long red hair back, off Kurama's forehead. The fox had no expression on his face; he was completely out cold. Hiei thought about this for a few minutes. He wished he could grant his mate such blissful oblivion for a few more days. After the last bite, Kurama had slept through the worst of his injuries. If this time was the same, the fox had some severe discomfort in his future. But nothing could be done about that now. Perhaps when he awoke, Kurama would be able to make some herbal painkillers for himself, or at least an herbal sedative to allow him to sleep more. Hiei leaned over and nuzzled into his mate's cheek.

 

"You crazy fox, hiding your injuries like that. I can't take care of you if you don't let me," he whispered gently before kissing Kurama lightly. After a few more minutes, when he was convinced Kurama would stay asleep and be okay on his own, the hiyoukai slipped out of the bedroom to find the others.

 

To the Hatanakas' surprise, they entered the new nursery o find that Shuuichi-kun had already read the instructions, unpacked the crib, and sorted the pieces. He had retrieved the tool kit from his father's minivan and had begun putting the frame together. It was a short job to finish the assembly, and Hatanaka was just arranging the bedding in the completed crib when Hiei entered.

 

"My son?" Shiori asked immediately.

 

"He's sleeping. His injuries were more serious than I realized. He'll be fine, but his arm and shoulder will be sore for a few days," the hiyoukai replied softly. His expression was troubled, but when he looked at his own son, dozing off in Shiori's arms, he brightened. With a smile, Shiori surrendered the baby to its father. Quickly, Shuu-kun and Hatanaka showed Hiei how to work the features of the crib and Shiori showed him how to settle the baby securely in the bassinet.

 

Tucking in the tiny form, Shiori gave him a soft kiss on the forehead. "My grandson. Sleep tight," she murmured before standing up. Hatanaka likewise bid the baby farewell; Shuu-kun settled for just words. With a promise to be back tomorrow to help set up the rest of the nursery, the Hatanakas left Hiei with his own family. Before they departed, Shiori got Hiei's permission and looked in on her son. Kurama looked like he was sleeping peacefully. His face bore no expression of pain and his breaths were deep and regular. Smiling, Shiori pulled the door shut quietly and went out to the car.

 

Hatanaka pulled into his driveway and turned off the ignition. His son got out of the car immediately, but his wife didn't move. Looking over, he wasn't surprised to find she had already fallen asleep. After such a long day, he was amazed she had lasted so long. Smiling, he walked around to her door and gently picked her up. He carried her from the car to their bed, and carefully tucked her in. Looking at her, he smiled. She finally got her wish for a grandchild. Kissing her on the forehead, he got changed and climbed into bed. Tomorrow would be another day to spoil their grandson.

 

Hiei stayed in the nursery for a long time after the baby fell asleep. He wanted to be with his mate, but he was reluctant to leave his son. He kept thinking he would stay a few minutes more, just to make sure everything was all right. He was therefore surprised when his gaze drifted to the window and he saw the sky getting lighter as dawn approached. He had spent all night in the nursery. Being a demon, he wasn't that tired from staying awake. Turning to go back to Kurama, a cry behind him made him stop. Looking at the baby, he approached and sniffed. It was time to put Shiori's diaper lessons to the test.

 

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A/N - I hope you enjoyed it! I had fun focusing on what two demons would buy for their baby in a ningen store. By the way, anyone recognize the toy Hiei wanted to incinerate? (I've wanted to myself, a few times!) Also, my personal fanfic site, mhmartini(dot)com, is coming up on a milestone in the next day or two, so I need to thank everyone who has visited it.

 

Thanks to all my reviewers. There should be two more chapters to this story. I say "should be" because my plans tend to change if I see something neat that I want to add. But I really think two will be plenty.

 

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