Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Akambo ❯ Resolution ( Chapter 14 )

After a few seconds, Hiei realized smoke was billowing out of the pan on the stove. Walking forward, he numbly turned off the burner. Slowly he looked around the room, as if to confirm his mate was gone. He was. A sniffle from his arms made Hiei look down.

 

Kisuke looked up at him with wide eyes. The baby had stopped crying, but his pudgy little face did not have a happy expression. His eyes were not as expressive as either of his father's eyes were; they had not yet changed from blue to his true eye color, but shimmering tears were welling up in them, demonstrating his displeasure. He didn't know what was wrong, just that something was not right.

 

Hiei gently bounced the baby, but he was not as energetic as he was a few minutes ago. In his mind he kept reflecting upon what he had done. He had sent his mate away with harsh words. Meandering out of the kitchen, Hiei began to walk aimlessly around the house, bouncing away to keep his son quiet and wondering what to do next and where Kurama had gone. He could use the Jagan to find his mate, but after their argument he knew Kurama would object. Not wanting to anger his lover further, he just walked as the regret settled in his heart.

 

A few blocks away, Shiori sat her son at the kitchen table. "Shuuichi, what happened?" she asked, sitting across the table from him.

 

"Hiei and I had a fight," Kurama replied.

 

"Everyone has fights, Sweetheart," Shiori consoled him. Kurama shook his head.

 

"It's not just one argument. Hiei had been spending every waking moment with Kisuke. He greets the baby first thing in the morning. He pampers and feeds the child all day long. He's too busy to talk or spar or even take a meal with me. At night he stays in the nursery until I've gone to sleep. We never see each other anymore. Last night he pushed me away while we were..." Kurama fell silent and averted his gaze. Shiori understood.

 

"Go on," she urged softly.

 

"He has no time for me at all anymore; I've been replaced. This morning he told me that if I can't handle that, I should get out of his way. So I did, and I'm here," Kurama concluded.

 

Shiori thought about what her son had said and frowned. "Shuuichi, how much time have you spent with your son?" she asked.

 

"What? None, really. Hiei has him all the time. Hiei feeds him and changes him. He holds the baby, plays with the baby, puts the baby to bed. I'm just... in the way," Kurama responded sullenly. Shiori looked at her son with a critical eye.

 

"Sweetie, I know it's tough for you right now. I want to tell you some things you probably never knew," she began. "Shortly after you were born, your father and I had a tough time adjusting. He felt very much like you do now. There was a big difference, though." Kurama looked up at his mother. "He was always there to help me with you. He shared the feeding and diaper duties. He played with you. He wanted to be the best father he could. And you know what?" Kurama shook his head. "That helped me so much.

 

"Hiei is trying very hard to be a good father, but he's doing it alone. I'm sure he misses you, too. But Shuuichi, first he had to take care of a new baby and a sick mate. Now he has a new baby and an angry mate. Think of what he's going through."

 

"But, Mother, he only wants to spend time with the baby. I prepared a special dinner last night. I made it romantic and planned the whole night for us. Then Kisuke cried and I was pushed aside. I feel invisible," Kurama said.

 

Shiori sighed. "I'll admit, every time I was over there, Hiei was more interested in the baby. But that's what happens when you have a son, when you admit to yourself that you have a son. Shuuichi," Shiori paused until Kurama looked her in the eyes. "You have to get to know your son. You're missing so much."

 

Kurama let his gaze fall. "I know, but it hurts when Hiei passes me by for the child," he mumbled.

 

Shiori smiled. "I know, Sweetie. But please remember this, even if you remember nothing else from this conversation. Never make him choose. Never try to force Hiei to choose between you and the baby. There is no answer to that dilemma, and I guarantee you will not want the outcome," she said in a serious voice. Kurama looked up and saw the look in her eyes and nodded.

 

"I understand that now," he said.

 

"Good. I don't want to nag you, so I'll keep my mouth shut for now. Did you want to do anything in particular?" Shiori asked.

 

"How's your garden?" Kurama responded, glad for a change of subject.

 

"In dire need of my son's green thumb," the woman replied with a smile. Together they arose and went to the backyard, and Kurama spent the rest of the day with the plants, using his ki to restore the once-beautiful garden to its former splendor. Every time he used his energy, though, he was reminded of the part of himself he had just walked away from; correction, the parts. He realized as he was digging in the dirt that he did consider Kisuke a part of him, too. Although he was still hurt, he hoped that the demons could work through this problem and return to normal.

 

Hiei placed Kisuke in the stroller and wheeled it out back. Leaving the infant in the shade of a tall tree, the hiyoukai tossed his shirt aside and took out his katana. In a flash he was off, flitting around the backyard faster than the eye could see. A shrill cry interrupted his training, though.

 

Kisuke saw his father disappear. Since his young eyes could not follow Hiei's superhuman movement, he thought he was alone and began to wail. The fire demon stopped beside him and the baby quieted.

 

Raising an eyebrow, Hiei took off again, only to stop when another scream tore through the peaceful yard. Approaching the baby, the demon watched his son gurgle and coo at the attention. "I think Kurama is right; you are an attention hog," Hiei said softly, kneeling next to the stroller. Thinking about the past few days, he realized he had not been out of Kisuke's line of vision when the baby was awake. Even when the infant slept, Hiei had been only a few feet away most of the time. Pondering this, Hiei released the brake on the stroller and took the baby back into the house and into the living room. Resetting the brake, he left the child in the stroller as he picked up the first of the child-rearing books Shiori had gotten for them, books that had sat untouched on the bookshelf until now. Sitting on the sofa, in plain sight of the baby, Hiei opened the cover and began to read.

 

As Shiori put the last plate from dinner into the dishwasher, she looked out into the living room. Her husband had been only a little surprised to find Kurama in the house when he got home from work. The man had changed a lot from the day he had kicked his stepson out for being in love with a man, and with no prompting from his wife, he had readily offered the redhead a place to stay for as long and as often as he needed. As Shiori cleaned up the kitchen and Shuu-kun went upstairs to finish the last of his homework, Hatanaka had asked Kurama into the living room to talk.

 

"Shuuichi, I know what you're feeling right now," the human said. Kurama looked up at him, curious. "My late wife and I went through similar problems when Shuu-kun was born. But it was a little different. She got very depressed after he was born. Later we realized that post-partum depression is far more common than you would think, but at the time we just kept telling everyone how happy we were and how wonderful everything was. I mean that's what people expect you to say. I love my son. I have loved him since before he was born. But once he came along, there was not a day that passed that I didn't wish I could go back in time and get my wife from before. I missed her so much. I spent so much time trying to take care of her, that I missed some very important time with Shuu-kun. Once you miss that, you can never go back."

 

"What would you do if you could go back?" Kurama asked. "If you could go back as far as you wanted, when would you go and what would you do differently?"

 

Hatanaka thought for a moment. "I would change only one thing about our lives then and since," he said. Kurama waited patiently for him to finish. "I would get help sooner. I would never change our lives before the baby, and I certainly would never change the baby. Everything I have is Shuu-kun now, and every day I am thankful for him. But it took us months to admit we had a problem find someone to help us through it. I would start right away. Children can be a blessing, or they can destroy your family. But it's up to you. Kisuke didn't ask to be born. He didn't ask to come between you. All he needs is a chance, Shuuichi." Kurama nodded. His mother and stepfather had given him a lot to think about today.

 

"Well, look at the time," Hatanaka said suddenly. "It's about time for bed! If you'll excuse me, Shuuichi. I won't make the same mistake twice; I'm taking every minute I have now." With that the older man arose and joined his wife in the kitchen. With a few whispered words, he took her hand and they headed towards the stairs. Shiori stopped before they got there, though.

 

"Shuuichi? Your room is as you left it; we keep it as a guest room now. There are clean sheets on the bed already, and I'm sure Shuu-kun has some pajamas he's willing to part with for the night. Will you be okay?" she asked.

 

"Yes, Mother," Kurama replied with a smile. "I'll be fine. Good night." With that the kitsune arose to go to bed, as well.

 

As Hatanaka turned to go upstairs, Shiori stopped short. "Oh! I forgot to put the leftovers in the fridge! I'll be right up, Darling," she said. Hatanaka smiled and released her hand then ascended the stairs to await her in their room. Alone downstairs, Shiori quickly put the leftovers away, turned off all the lights, and made her way back to the steps. She was almost there when she heard a soft knock at the door. Wondering who would be visiting so late, she opened the door.

 

She was very surprised to find Hiei on her doorstep with a sleeping baby in his arms. The hiyoukai looked at her with a face carefully devoid of expression, but Shiori could see the concern in his eyes.

 

"Is Kurama here?" Hiei asked.

 

"Yes, he is," Shiori responded.

 

"May I speak to him?"

 

Shiori glanced upstairs and slipped outside, pulling the door closed behind her. "Now is not a good time, Hiei. He's just gone to bed. Whatever happened between you, he's pretty shaken up over it," she said. Hiei looked down at the ground.

 

"I was cruel. I said things that were unfair. I wanted to apologize," he murmured, wanting to explain himself to Shiori but not knowing why.

 

"I know. And I know things have been rough lately," Shiori said. "For both of you." Hiei looked up at her.

 

"I know you've had your hands full, too. I think you two need to communicate with each other, and I know Shuuichi needs to spend time with his son," she said kindly.

 

"And I need to spend time with my mate," Hiei concluded. Shiori just smiled. "I read some of the books regarding child care that you brought, and perhaps we could start over. All three of us."

 

"That would be wonderful, Hiei. I want it to work out for you," Shiori said. "But for right now, I think Shuuichi needs some time to himself. I think maybe you do, too. I'm sure he'll come home when he's ready, but I will not rush him. He needs to adjust and be prepared for the changes that are happening." Hiei nodded. "When you two are ready to talk, call me. I can take Kisuke for a little while, even a few days if it will help. I know you don't want to part with him at all, but I promise you'll get him back."

 

As the human turned to re-enter her house, Hiei spoke once more. "Shiori?" She turned to look at him. "When Kurama leaves to come home, call me and tell me? And I might...take you up on that offer."

 

Shiori smiled and nodded. "Good night, Hiei." With that, she went inside, closed and locked the door, and went upstairs to bed. Hatanaka was waiting for her.

 

"Was that Hiei?" he asked as she closed their bedroom door.

 

"You heard us?" Shiori said, amazed.

 

Hatanaka shook his head. "I heard a knock and then you stepped outside and closed the door. I know you wouldn't go outside with a stranger this time of night. Besides, I had a feeling he would come by tonight looking for Shuuichi."

 

Shiori nodded as she climbed into bed. "There may be hope for them yet," she said light heartedly as her husband wrapped her into a hug with one arm and turned off the light with the other.

 

Kurama lay in his bed. He had felt his mate's ki very close, but then it left. He knew Hiei had not used the Jagan to find him; he would have felt it. But as he lay he wondered about his life right now. He missed his mate. Except for when he was ill or incapacitated, he had not slept apart from Hiei since before they had mated, barring the time Hiei had slept on the windowsill when the Hatanakas had stayed at the demons' home. Kurama smiled weakly at the memory. He felt very alone and very small right now, like he was only half of himself. He missed his family. Kurama stopped and thought about that last feeling. He missed them. Both of them. Curling into a ball under the covers, he willed himself to stop thinking altogether and gave himself up to sleep. He'd worry about it again in the morning.

 

In their home, Hiei put the baby to bed. He had picked up a small radio/cd player for the nursery and he put on soft music to keep the child from getting lonely. He placed a toy with his scent on it in the bassinet and kissed his son goodnight. Leaving the door open a crack, he stepped outside and waited to see what would happen. Kisuke fussed a little, but the soft music and relative darkness won him over and he fell asleep quickly.

 

Once the baby was sleeping, Hiei made his way to the master bedroom. Stepping in he looked at the bed. Walking past it, he sat on the windowsill and settled himself for the night. Dozing lightly, alert for any sound from the nursery or any flare of youki from the direction of the Hatanaka family's home, he waited for night to pass.

 

The next two days passed slowly for both demon mates. Kurama was not yet ready to face his lover and child. The things his mother and stepfather had said to him were still too fresh in his mind. And over the course of his stay with his mother's family, he had come to a few conclusions himself. He resented his son. He could admit that to himself now. But deep under the jealousy was guilt. He felt guilty for resenting the baby. His mother's warning about not making Hiei choose and Hatanaka's observation that Kisuke was not interfering intentionally added to both feelings. He hated having to share his mate. But as the hours passed, he realized he missed Hiei and the child.

 

Shiori did not say another word to her son about his situation for most of his stay. She avoided the subject and kept things light-hearted around him. She could see the shadow of his thoughts reflected in his eyes, and that shadow grew darker every hour.

Back in their home, Hiei was working on a new schedule with Kisuke. Slowly he began leaving the room, just for a few minutes at a time, and then returning. He wanted the infant to know he would always return. It started working, and soon the baby did not fuss as Hiei left the room. Using the books, the fire demon employed a few other tactics to make sure his son felt secure and loved, but was not totally dominating his time. Over the course of two days Hiei felt he had made real progress in making time for his mate. Now if only said mate were present to share that time...

 

On the second day, a dreary, rainy day, Hiei made a discovery that amazed him. He was able to tell the difference between Kisuke's cries. What was originally an indistinguishable wail changed into several very different noises. When the baby shrieked at the top of his lungs, he was desperate for companionship because he was scared. A soft "woo woo" cry meant he was hungry. When he wrinkled up his nose and made an "eeeeeee" cry, he needed to be changed. Most importantly, Hiei realized that when he made "wa wa wa" noises, as if he were trying to speak, he did not want attention. He only fussed to hear himself, like a child speaking to its toys. Shaking his head, Hiei marveled at his son and at the accuracy of the ningen who had written the books Shiori had brought.

 

Late afternoon on the third day, Kurama had to cut his gardening short as the dismal skies opened and rain began to fall. Standing under the overhang by the door, the kitsune watched the freshly turned flower beds soak up the drops of water as the rain came down more and more heavily. Wiping the back of his hand across his forehead, the fox opened his senses and listened to the plants around him. They drank eagerly, thankful for the fresh soil and water. Kurama stretched his senses further, opening up to the world outside their yard to hear the trees and shrubs. Plants were always so content when it rained.

 

As he listened, Kurama felt Hiei's ki in their home a few blocks away. After trying to forget their problems and block it from his mind, the flash of ki felt was like a knife in his heart. Seeking the calmness that his plants enjoyed, Kurama stepped out from under the shelter of the roof and turned his face towards the skies, letting the cool water fall on him. Each drop seemed to wash away the tension, guilt, resentment, and anger he had bottled up inside.

 

"It looks beautiful, Shuuichi. You always save my garden when I'm sure it's past the point of no return," Shiori said, stepping out under the eaves. When her son turned to face her, she wasn't sure what she saw. The rain was washing down his face, collecting in small rivulets that trickled down either side of his sad smile. She couldn't tell if he was crying or if the liquid was only rain, but before she had a chance to say anything, her son spoke.

 

"I think I understand now," he said softly.

 

Shiori did not ask what he understood. She just smiled and said, "Are you going today?" Kurama nodded and Shiori stepped out into the rain to hug him.

 

The rain, while heavy at first, was short lived. Within fifteen minutes the sun had come out once more and the ground was drying nicely. Within an hour, Kurama was ready to head home. Shiori hugged him goodbye and watched as he walked down the driveway and turned onto the sidewalk. Going to the kitchen, she immediately picked up the phone.

 

When a deep voice answered the call, she said, "He's on his way home."

 

Hiei voice came over the line, "Could you watch Kisuke for a while? Maybe two days?" Shiori readily agreed and told Hiei to take his time reconnecting with her son. Within seconds after she hung up, Hiei was at the door. He had already packed a little bag for the baby and had only to get the child and the bag and flit to the nearby house. After giving Shiori an account of the schedule he had worked out, as well as a written copy, and kissing the child goodbye, he flitted home to arrive before his mate. Hiei had concealed his ki the entire time, hoping Kurama was too distracted to notice his passage. The fox was.

 

As Kurama walked, the doubts and fears resurfaced in his mind. Wondering what he would say to his mate, he paused at the step to his house. Turning, he sat on the step and let his thoughts turn darker. After all, he was the one who had left. He had taken off rather than try to work with Hiei to find a solution. He was returning to a mate he had abandoned and a child he had neglected. Perhaps returning was not a good idea. Maybe Hiei was happier to be rid of him and have all day to dote on the baby.

 

As he was considering taking off and living in the forest as a fox, Kurama remembered something his mother and stepfather had told him. Shiori was grateful to have her husband's help when he was born. Hatanaka reminded him that Hiei was dealing with parenthood alone, and that he, Kurama, was in control of whether or not the baby ruined his marriage. The fox was so caught up in his conundrum, he did not notice the crimson eyes that peeked out the window to see what was taking him so long to enter the house.

 

Hiei watched his mate with regret and guilt. Kurama sat on the step, his shoulders already hunched in defeat. The hiyoukai was immediately guilt ridden for putting his mate through this pain. He had forgotten how precious his fox was to him. Determined to make it up to his lover, the demon left the window and quickly continued his preparations.

 

Finally Kurama reached a decision. He had to give it a try. He loved his mate, and yes, also his son, too much to walk away twice. He never should have walked away once. Standing up wearily, he turned and took his keys out of his pocket. 'Here goes nothing,' he thought to himself as he unlocked the door and opened it.

 

The first thing that Kurama's senses registered was the smell. The aromas of fresh roses and gently scented candles reached his nose. He recognized the scent of the candles; he had made them. The store-bought candles in Ningenkai were too perfumey and too strong; the poor substitutes for floral aromas gave him a headache and offended his senses. He had made some candles with extracts from plants from both the human world and the demon world. He had even managed to procure some fraililly from the spirit world, through illegal means, of course, as the plant was prohibited in all forms outside of Reikai. That was the soft, tender scent in the air now, gently graced by the aroma of the roses.

 

The next thing Kurama noticed, a fraction of a second later, were the rose petals. There were bright, red petals on the floor around his feet. Looking to his left, he saw the petals continued up the stairs, forming a trail. His weariness slowly faded as curiosity took its place. Closing and locking the door behind him, Kurama toed off his shoes, dropped his keys and followed the trail.

 

At the top of the stairs the trail continued to the right, following the hallway to the door of the master bedroom. Slowly making his way along the petal-laden hall, Kurama paused to peek into the nursery. The room was empty, but the scent of the baby was fresh; he had not been gone long. With a sigh, Kurama turned and continued his journey towards the bedroom.

 

The door to the demons' bedchamber was slightly ajar, and Kurama could see that the petals continued into the room. Silently pushing the door open, he entered. The trail of rose petals spread out to form a pool around the bed. There were red petals on the bed itself. Bunches of red roses sat in vases placed around the room. On the dresser and nightstands, the candles Kurama had made burned brightly, their soft aroma filling the room and giving it a peaceful atmosphere.

 

Kurama was still looking at the intricate arrangement when small arms wrapped around him from behind. "Welcome home, Fox," Hiei whispered, burying his face in Kurama's red hair and inhaling deeply. The hiyoukai had missed his mate, and the mere scent of the fox drove him almost insane with need. But Kurama did not turn around.

 

"Why, Hiei?" he asked softly. Hiei relaxed his grip on his mate.

 

"What?" he asked, confused.

 

"Why the elaborate setup? And where is the child?" Kurama elaborated, still not turning around.

 

"Because I hurt my mate and with your mother, respectively," Hiei answered, feeling the tension in Kurama's posture. "Do you not like it?"

 

"I love it. But," Finally Kurama turned around. Hiei's heart jumped when he saw the dark look in the fox's eye. "Will it solve anything?"

 

"Probably not," Hiei admitted. "But I thought you would enjoy being pampered."

 

Kurama regarded the answer for a moment. "Normally I would. But we have to resolve some things before we can heal," he said in a much gentler tone. Hiei nodded and quickly left Kurama's side to snuff out the candles. Standing across the room, staring at his mate, he waited for the kitsune to begin.

 

Kurama took a deep breath. "It was inappropriate for me to leave, but I felt I was in the way. I'm not asking you to decide between the child and me. I just want to know if you still want me here," he said, never taking his eyes off his mate.

 

"I do," Hiei replied. "But our son, Kisuke, needs me. No, he needs us, Kurama. You're his father, too, and it's time you accepted that."

 

Kurama nodded, closing his eyes. "I realize that. But our dynamic is skewed. We need to come to terms with the changes and our relationship. Now." At the last word, Kurama looked up. In his green eyes a fire burned, almost tingeing the viridian irises gold. A chill shot through Hiei's body. In the blink of an eye, Hiei had flitted out the sliding glass windows, taking only a second to open them and not bothering to close them behind him, and took off. Kurama stood where Hiei had been, a predatorial gleam in his eyes.

 

Kurama was correct when he said their dynamic was skewed. They needed to re-establish their relationship and grow closer. They had defined their roles, in a general way, when they performed the demon mating ritual, and now those roles had been challenged. As demons, and particularly as mated demons, they had to settle this discrepancy before they could heal and forgive each other. Not fully aware of the instinct driving their actions, the same instinct that guided them through the ritual unharmed, Kurama seemed to disappear from sight as he leapt out the window and gave chase.

 

Three and a half hours later, Hiei landed hard on the ground in his backyard, his katana drawn and the Jagan released from its ward and glowing. The small demon was gasping for air and leaning heavily on his sword as he pressed the sharpened tip into the ground to give him support. The wards on his right arm were burned off, but he could no longer summon the dragon. The large swath of burnt trees in the forest gave silent testimony to the power he had unleashed just over an hour before. But his nimble mate had evaded the beast with only a few minor burns to show for it. Hiei had been too exhausted to try to control the behemoth any more, and abandoned the attack as he fled into the remaining foliage. He had come to rest in his own yard, hoping the fox was far enough behind to allow him to catch his breath this time. Slouching his shoulders, he winced at the pain from the rose-whip induced slashes across his right thigh and his back. The fox had gotten close. Too close.

 

Kurama relentlessly pursued the smaller demon. Although he did not shift to his silver youko form, he used all his demon senses to track and hunt his prey. He also managed to blend his ki with the forest around him enough to make Hiei unable to track him, even with the Jagan. If the kitsune had tried to hide his ki, the fire demon would have been able to search him out instantly. But by allowing his energy to flow through all the plants around him, he created a web of his ki, and by constantly moving, he ensured his mate could not pinpoint the source of the web - him.

 

The demons fought hard. If they held back, the exercise would be pointless. This was necessary for them to heal; they needed to challenge each other and find their new balance. Hiei started as he felt a presence behind him, but he was too slow. A weight crashed down onto his shoulder from behind, pressing him face first into the soft, wet ground and knocking his katana out of his reach. Arms encircled his neck and held him in a chokehold from behind as the body of the attacker pinned him down and allowed no room for a counter attack. Hiei's vision began to swim and he felt his body began to heave for air.

 

Kurama sat up and leaned back before his mate passed out. This was an extremely long and difficult fight for both of them. Neither truly wanted to hurt the other, but they were demons. They needed to loose their frustration and find their balance the demon way, and that meant fighting. Still, neither sought the other's death. As Mukuro had once observed, Hiei's dragon attack, while incredibly powerful, obeyed the unspoken wishes of its master's heart; it had not tried to kill the fox, only to slow him down in his own vicious, yet not lethal, attacks.

 

despite his reservations, Hiei had fought valiantly. In addition to the minor burns the dragon had given him, Kurama's torn shirt was red with blood from a deep gash on his side, where Hiei's katana had glanced off his ribs and torn the flesh. As Kurama sat back, though, Hiei did not arise immediately. The fire demon knew he had lost and was at the mercy of the fox spirit.

 

Slowly, when he realized that his attacker was not going to continue, Hiei sat up and turned to face the victor of their fight. Kurama looked as tired as Hiei felt. Before the fire demon could take in the extent of his mate's injuries, Kurama leaned forward once more and pressed his lips to Hiei's with crushing, bruising force. The force toppled the hiyoukai over backwards and the fox followed, pinning the smaller demon down once more as he ravished Hiei's mouth with his tongue. Hiei did not struggle, but accepted Kurama's will since the fox had won their battle.

 

Kurama, caught up in his demon instinct, grabbed Hiei's shirt and ripped it, tearing it open piece by piece. Pulling and rending the fabric, the tank top was soon reduced to scraps and Kurama began on the fire demon's pants. When the fox removed his mouth to lean back and pull off the black trousers, Hiei did not move. Within a few second, the fire demon was lying naked on the ground and Kurama was quickly shedding his own clothing.

 

Neither demon stopped to consider their surroundings, but it was very fortunate they had a privacy fence surrounding the yard and think trees above them. No neighbors or passers-by could see them. Within a few more seconds Kurama was bare as well, and leaned down again to pin his mate. Both were so hot from their fight and from the feeling raging within that the late fall weather did not chill them at all.

 

Hiei gasped as Kurama's hot, naked body pressed his into the damp ground once more. The earth beneath him stung the whip mark on his back, but the pain only aroused him further. He did not try to reach up to his fox, though. Kurama controlled this, controlled him. The fox continued to kiss Hiei and to let his hands roam the petite figure, scratching and grasping roughly.

 

Kurama wanted, needed, his mate. His arousal was painful and his instincts told him to take his mate forcefully. But the fox did have enough sense to reach his right hand into his hair, withdraw a seed, and press it into the ground. The flower that bloomed only minutes later dripped with sweet, thick nectar. Taking some of the slippery substance in his hand, Kurama quickly prepared his mate - not to the extent he would have if they were making gentle love, but enough to prevent the hiyoukai from being physically damaged, and then sheathed himself in his mate in one hard thrust.

 

Hiei cried out as he was impaled. It hurt a bit, but he realized Kurama had been kind enough to prepare him. The fox gave him no time to adjust, though. Grasping both the fire demon's wrists and holding them tightly above his head, Kurama began pressing into Hiei and the withdrawing, only to press in harder the next time. Within a few minutes, Hiei began to cry out in time to Kurama's thrusts. Shifting his grip, the fox held both slender wrists in his right hand and dropped his left to squeeze Hiei's right thing, the thigh with the whip mark. Hissing, Hiei tried to hold in his moan, but as the fox thrust and squeezed in tandem, Hiei lost his control and groaned in both pain and pleasure.

 

Changing his position, Kurama released Hiei's wrists and grabbled both the demon's legs. Pushing the legs up and onto his shoulders, Kurama sat up and began a faster pace, penetrating deeper and hitting Hiei's prostate unmercifully. Coherent speech was lost as Hiei began to make guttural and throaty noises. Within minutes the fire demon felt his release building in his groin. With an obscene cry, Hiei arched his back and his climax washed over him. Seeing his mate below him, exposed, the dying sunlight reflecting in his sweat, Kurama's peak followed and he spilled his seed deep within his mate's body before he allowed the slender legs to fall from his shoulders and he leaned forward to cover his mate with his own body.

 

The demons stayed in that position for a few minutes, gasping and saying nothing. Finally Kurama sat up. Hiei did not move. He kept his eyes lowered. Their positions as dominant and submissive had been renewed, and they had taken out their anger and frustration in the process. In a sense, they had renewed their vows to each other.

 

Kurama looked at his mate's body for a few minutes before speaking. Hiei lay on his back, his legs open and his entire body exposed to his dominant lover. His downcast eyes were calm, peaceful. He had just been dominated, in battle and sexually, and he lay in the grass, sated and content. Finally the fox did speak. "Hiei, look at me."

 

Quickly Hiei raised his gaze to meet that of the kitsune. Slowly, deliberately, Kurama bent down and gently kissed him, breaking the soft contact before they needed to gasp for breath. "I love you, Hiei, my mate," the fox whispered, staring into the crimson eyes of his lover.

 

"I love you, Kurama, my mate," Hiei whispered back, never breaking the eye contact. Now that they had settled their issues, they would return to the equality and respect they had enjoyed before Kisuke had been born. Each would know Kurama was dominant, but the fox never flouted his position to his mate. Now they could go back to normal, to demon normal.

 

Both demons rose to their feet unsteadily. The furious fight and the equally furious sex had left them both a little dizzy. Once they had regained their balance, they flitted in through the still-open door of their bedroom and immediately went to their bathroom to bathe.

 

In the shower together, they gently cleaned each other's wounds and caressed each other's flesh. Neither apologized for hurting the other, emotionally or physically; it was in the past. Now they were free to move on.

 

Once they were clean, they re-entered their bedroom. Hiei quickly lit the candles again as Kurama towel-dried his hair the best he could. This time, the calming fragrance of the fraililly soothed them and they quickly climbed into bed together.

 

Despite their exhaustion, they did manage to make love. This time, though, it was gentle. Softly whispered words and caring caresses punctuated their joining, and both were quickly satisfied. As they drifted off to sleep, they held on to each other. Both slept deeply until morning, safe in his mate's arms.

 

The next morning, Hiei awoke to an empty bed. This was highly unusual, as he usually awoke before the fox, but as he moved to get out of bed, he realized why he had slept so long. His stiff muscles protested as he forced them to move. Slowly he donned his robe and left the bedroom in search of his mate.

 

His search was short. He found Kurama in the kitchen, talking on the phone. "Are you sure, Mother? If it's an inconvenience I can come pick him up now," the fox said. Hiei smiled. Kurama had called his mother to make sure Kisuke was alright. The fox finished the conversation quickly, arranging to pick up their son in two days. As he set the receiver on the hook, Hiei wrapped his arms around the kitsune from behind. This time the fox leaned back into his lover's embrace, enjoying the warmth, both physical and emotional, he found there.

 

The demons enjoyed two days of running around the house naked and making love at will. They did not speak of their fight, nor did they mention the emotional turmoil they had faced before it. They just reveled in each other and their newly restored, much deeper bond. On the evening of the second night, however, Kurama seemed quieter than usual.

 

"Fox?" Hiei asked as they sat in bed together. "What is it?"

 

"I want this to last forever, Love," Kurama responded with a soft, wistful smile.

 

"It will," Hiei replied.

 

"But tomorrow we'll have to face some changes," Kurama replied.

 

"I know. But there will be changes for all of us, Fox. I've worked out a new schedule, and if Shiori stuck with it, I think you'll find we have a lot more 'us time' to share," Hiei said, wrapping an arm around his mate. Kurama smiled. Picking up on Kurama's good mood, Hiei continued, "Of course, we can't run around the house naked anymore. But we can always return to the back yard for that." Although they had not spoken about that, Hiei's comical reference to it made Kurama laugh.

 

"We could," the fox mused. "You have no idea how hot you look writhing naked on the ground, surrounded by grass."

 

"No hotter than the sunlight on your sweaty hair," Hiei replied. Smiling at the compliment, Kurama leaned in and kissed his mate. Tomorrow would bring changes, but tonight they had each other and nothing else mattered.

 

It was close to ten in the morning when the doorbell at the Hatanaka residence rang. Shiori answered it, but she already knew who was there. As she predicted, her son and Hiei stood on the porch. She motioned them in and led them to the living room.

 

Kisuke's bag was packed. Hatanaka sat on the floor, the child propped upright in his lap as he made a small stuffed fox "dance" around on the floor with his hand. With every movement of the toy, Kisuke gurgled and squealed with glee. Hatanaka himself looked years younger as he played with his grandson. He was grinning and singing some strange, tuneless song as he continued to maneuver the stuffed animal.

 

After watching for a few minutes, Shiori approached her husband. Smiling, she said, "Okay, Kazuya, you had your fun. But it's time for Kisuke to go home now. If you're a good boy, maybe he can come over and play again soon." Hatanaka looked up, laughing. When he saw the demons standing in the doorway, his face turned red in embarrassment.

 

Laughing gently, Shiori reached down and relived her husband of the baby. Bringing him over, she began to hand him to Hiei, but the fire demon stepped back.

 

"Mother?" Kurama asked, reaching out. With a twinkle in her eye, Shiori handed the baby to her son.

 

Kurama shifted the infant in his arms a few times before finally achieving a comfortable hold. He was a little nervous about holding his son, but now that the child was in his arms it felt...right. Smiling, he gazed at his son.

 

Kisuke felt that he was being held by someone new. He looked around a bit until her decided he liked this new arrangement. Finally he turned his big, baby blue eyes upwards and looked at Kurama. He cooed happily, and within a few second, his tiny hand shot out and grabbed one of Kurama's forelocks. The fox froze, unsure what to do. But Kisuke did not pull the red hair. He just waved his hand around a bit, watching the silken strands bounce and tumble. Kurama couldn't help but laugh, and the deep, content noise rumbling in his chest made Kisuke gurgle contently. When he looked up, Kurama saw his mother beaming at him. Looking at his mate, he could see the same emotion on Hiei's face, although anyone who did not know him as well would say he looked the same as always.

 

Hatanaka came over, the toy fox in his hand still. "So, do you need any help getting him home?" the man asked.

 

"No, thank you. We'll be fine," Kurama replied. Hatanaka knew his stepson was referring to more than their trip home, but he just nodded.

 

"If you do need anything, let us know," he offered, waving the toy at his grandson once more.

 

"That toy is unfamiliar," Hiei said. The hiyoukai looked around and saw many unfamiliar toys strewn about the living room.

 

"We went shopping," Shiori explained.

 

"Right. What's the point of going to visit Grandma and Grandpa if they don't spoil you and have fun toys to play with? Right?" Hatanaka asked Kisuke in a high-pitched voice.

 

Kisuke just waved his hand, still clutching Kurama's hair, around and said, "Gaaaaaaaaah!" The adults present took that as a yes.

 

Before the demons left, they made arrangements for Shiori and her husband to baby-sit Kisuke one day a week, from one morning until the next. This way the demons were guaranteed one day and one night to be themselves and be by themselves. Finally both grandparents kissed Kisuke goodbye, and the demons left to go home.

 

When Hiei and Kurama re-entered their house, Hiei began to get a bottle ready for the baby. This time, though, Kurama watched and learned, still holding his son. When the meal was prepared, Hiei handed his mate the bottle and coached the kitsune. Kurama also got to burp and change the baby. After that, Hiei told his mate it was time for a nap. Together, the demons put their son to bed. Hiei made sure Kurama's scent, as well as his own, was on the toy he gave Kisuke to sleep with, set the radio on soft music, and pulled the door mostly shut. With a smile, he took Kurama's hand in his own.

 

"It's naptime, Fox," he said mischievously. Kurama smiled as Hiei led him to their bedroom. Sleep was not on the agenda, though...

 

Kurama kissed Hiei passionately. For some reason, seeing his son, holding the baby, seeing the combination of both demons reflected in a living, breathing child, made him treasure his small mate even more. Shifting his body, he pressed deeper into his lover, enjoying their joining and allowing his body and soul to meld with his mate's. Gasping for air, he pressed his lips to Hiei's once more, plundering the hiyoukai's mouth and sharing his emotions wordlessly with the other demon.

 

Hiei arched and flexed his back. In his eyes, Kurama was especially sexy today. Seeing his mate holding the baby - their own child - made him crave the fox's touch and the love they shared. He could feel his climax growing inside him, and he knew his fox was close, too.

 

Suddenly both demons heard a noise. A cry was coming from the nursery. Kurama paused for a moment. Reluctantly, the fox began to roll off his mate. Hiei, however, held him close.

 

"But Kisuke..." Kurama began. Hiei shook his head.

 

"He cries like that when he wants to hear himself speak. He'll fuss a little, but he's fine," the hiyoukai said. Kurama wrinkled his brow, wondering how Hiei could tell this. But sure enough, within a few seconds the noise grew softer and stopped. Kurama was about to ask how Hiei knew what that cry had meant when he felt Hiei writhe below him. "Fox, please," the youkai muttered. Smiling, Kurama obliged his mate, sending them both over the edge together.

 

As Hiei was drifting into a satisfied slumber, he felt Kurama get up. Opening his eyes, he saw the fox put on his robe and leave the room. He heard the gentle footfalls of his mate as the fox walked to the nursery and peeked in the door. Satisfied that Kisuke was sleeping peacefully, Kurama returned, removed his robe, and climbed into bed. Smiling, Hiei nuzzled into his mate's neck. This might just work out, after all.

 

Four and a half weeks later the phone in the demon household rang. Kurama got up to answer it, leaving Hiei and Kisuke on the floor where the three of them had been playing. The baby still could not sit up all the way on his own. He was getting close to rolling over, though, a feat most human babies would not accomplish until their fifth month of life. Being a demon, Kisuke was developing much faster than a human baby could.

 

Kurama spoke on the phone for only a few minutes before hanging up and returning to the living room. "Hiei, there's something I need to tell you," he said softly. Hiei instantly looked up.

 

"What is it?" he asked.

 

"That was Kuwabara. He told me to tell you," Kurama paused and Hiei narrowed his eyes. "'Congratulations, Uncle Hiei.'" Ruby eyes grew wide.

 

"Yukina?" the fire demon asked.

 

Kurama nodded. "She had the babies overnight. They're all doing well. Kuwabara asked if we wanted to visit." But Kurama was speaking to an empty floor. Hiei was already up and putting a coat on Kisuke. Kurama just shook his head and got his own coat.

 

Normally a human baby would be sheltered from visitors, especially other children, immediately after being born, giving it time for its immune system to begin to develop. But demon babies were a little different. Since some of their immunity was linked to their parents' ki, as long as the parents were nearby, the infant was resistant to most disease. For the same reason, Yukina had not yet seen her nephew. Since she was expecting, and carrying twins no less, her immunity was particularly compromised. Once the babies were born, her immunity would be back to normal within a few hours, and the strain on her would be less since the children could also leech ki off their father. So Hiei and Kurama were able to visit, and to take Kisuke along with them.

 

When they arrived at the temple, Kuwabara greeted them and ushered them into the small bedroom to see his new family. Yukina sat up in her futon, smiling radiantly as she held her children. One, a girl, was identical to Yukina in every way. Of course, she was technically only Yukina's daughter, since she was pure ice maiden. But sharing a womb with her twin, Kuwabara's child, her body recognized Kuwabara's energy and she accepted it as if he were her own true father. The twin was a little smaller. His eyes, instead of the soft, blue eyes of a newborn, burned with a dark burgundy color, a little darker than Yukina's eyes, but still red. He looked up at the newcomers curiously. Had he been completely demon, he would have inherited the volatile nature of the imiko, the fire child forbidden among the Koorime. But his violent demon nature was tempered with Kuwabara's human blood and his calm, protective energy. This child would not be the threat a true imiko could be.

 

Kuwabara sat next to his wife and took one baby from her gently. Every time he left, he would return to sit on the other side of his wife, and that way alternate which baby he held. This time, he was holding his son. Hiei watched as the taller human gently handled the newborn, holding it close to this chest and supporting its small head carefully. Kuwabara was far too enthralled by his new son to notice, but Hiei smiled warmly at him, for just a second, before the stoic mask slipped back into place on his face. Hiei was happy. His nephew would never suffer as he did. He would never be cast aside, thrown away to die, and forced to live a life drenched in blood and hatred. His niece would never become a frozen bitch like the Koorime elders. They would grow up knowing love and contentment, even it was with a human father.

 

The demons stayed for a little while, complimenting the couple on their beautiful children. Kisuke watched his cousins with bright eyes. When Yukina looked up from her own daughter, she saw his intense look as he tried to figure out who these other little one were.

 

"Oh my! Kisuke has the most beautiful eyes!" Yukina exclaimed. Hiei smiled with pride and Kurama graciously thanked her.

 

"They only changed a few days ago," Kurama explained. "They were blue when he was born."

 

Yukina just stared. "They are such a lovely hazel now," she said. Kurama smiled. The hazel of Kisuke's eyes was a mix of colors. While many hazel eyes had light and dark brown and green flecks, the light brown in Kisuke's eyes was more of a deep gold. And if one looked very closely, they sound see a dark red in place of the dark brown flecks. But the overall effect of the colors was still hazel, and he did not look out of place among humans.

 

Kurama and Hiei departed soon after that. They saw that Yukina was growing tired, and the babies seemed hungry. They made arrangements to get together in a few weeks so their children could start to bond as cousins. On the way home, the demons stopped for ice cream at their favorite shop. Selecting their usual, secluded table, they enjoyed their treat in companionable silence as Kisuke enjoyed a bottle. Each was content with his life and his family.

 

When they arrived at home, Kurama took Kisuke upstairs and put him down for his nap. Turning to leave, he saw Hiei standing in the door, a hungry glint in his eyes. This was part of their new routine. When Kisuke took his afternoon nap, the demonic couple did the same. Sighing and smiling, Kurama followed his mate to the bedroom for their "nap."

 

--

 

A/N - well, it's done. I know, the ending was blah, but I thought it was fitting leaving it where they are going into their bedroom for some "us time." And Kisuke's hazel eyes need a little note here. I have seen eyes that look like they have flecks of gold and red and green in them. This is not a Mary Sueism I made up. I thought that color would be appropriate for him. I also figured I have enough leeway with demon genetics to make it plausible. If you want me to figure out the actual, demonic genetics and provide an explanation, I will. But for now I am too tired to do so, and it is too much detail for the story. E-mail me if you require me to make an explanation.

 

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you have enjoyed the journey so far. I do have some ideas for other stories, and some even follow in this arc! I have two more stories to write for this arc at this time. But surprisingly enough, I have not started them yet! I have this habit of starting sequels before I finish the current story. But this time I have no more works in progress! It feels weird... Maybe I will try my hand at a Saiyuki fic.

 

Enough rambling; I'm beat. This chapter wanted to be finished tonight, so here it is. I really hope you liked it, and the rest of the story. Please, please take a few seconds and leave me a review. They're like crack to me, you know.

 

Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed! Apparently it is now the thing to not list the reviewers or to include replies (thanks ff(dot)net) so if you have any questions or comments that require a reply, PLEASE leave an e-mail address, as there will be no more chapters in which to resolve issues. Before anyone asks, the fraililly and the demon immunity thing are my own creations.

 

^_^