Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Coming Clean ❯ Healing ( Chapter 35 )

Time passed slowly for those watching over the kitsune. Kurama lay in the bed, unconscious, for a week. Machines kept him breathing, and tubes fed nutrients into his veins, but any life he had was buried deep under the damage done to his body. Yukina had come to visit several times, and had tried healing him each time. But after about an hour one of Enma's soldiers would show up and threaten to arrest her. Hiei would bristle at this, but his own strength had not yet recovered enough to actually do anything about it.

 

The fire demon refused to allow anyone to heal him while his fox lay in the hospital. His recovery was slow for a demon. He barely left Kurama's side. He was unable to use his Jagan to probe for Kurama's consciousness because of his own weakness and the constant watch of Enma's guards. But he sat at the bedside holding Kurama's still hand, or touching his arm, or keeping some sort of physical contact with his lover. Although Kurama could not know that Hiei was there, the hiyoukai took some comfort in the time he spent with his kitsune. The hospital would allow one family member to stay overnight with the patient, and since Shiori had a family to tend to, Hiei was permitted to remain. At least they thought they were permitting him; just let them try to make him leave.

 

Shiori stayed by her son during the day and tended to her home at night. She was not sleeping much, and her nervous energy was obvious. She sat in her chair fiddling with her left ring finger for some time before Hiei finally asked her a question. "What is that thing you're playing with?"

 

Shiori stopped and looked up at the demon. "It's my wedding band," she answered, shocked that Hiei did not recognize it.

 

"Your other jewelry changes, but that one is always the same. You play with it when you are nervous or upset," the hiyoukai observed.

 

"A wedding band is a sign of marriage, so I never take it off. My husband has one that matches. It's more of a western tradition, but it is gaining popularity here in Japan. I guess I play with it because it provides me with security," she replied softly.

 

"Security? The ring makes you married to that human?" Hiei concluded.

 

"No. A marriage, by our human standards, is an exchange of promises between a man and a woman. They promise to remain faithful to each other and cherish each other forever. The ring is just a symbol of that. My ring is my security because I know my husband meant every word he said on our wedding day. So did I," Shiori replied.

 

"So, the ring is worthless without the promise?" Hiei asked.

 

"Yes. But the promise does not need a ring, or a church, or anything at all. Just sincerity. Many people make these promises without being 'married' in the legal sense. For example, same sex couples cannot be legally wed yet. But many couples make a life promise to each other anyway. Some even exchange rings as a gesture. The promise is the important part, though. Why do you ask, Hiei?" Shiori said, wondering why the demon was suddenly so interested in human tradition.

 

Hiei shook his head. "Because ningen are strange creatures, and the fiddling annoys me," he answered abruptly. Shiori chuckled nervously. Within ten minutes she was fiddling with the ring once more; she did not realize she was doing it. Hiei remained silent, watching her fidgeting with narrowed eyes.

 

On the eighth day after Hiei had arrived at the hospital, eleven days after Kurama was admitted, Hiei was sitting in the chair next to the bed, his head resting on the edge of the mattress, and his hand covering Kurama's. Usually he spoke to the fox, but today they were not alone. Kuwabara was visiting that afternoon. Shiori was downstairs in the cafeteria getting lunch with her husband. The tall human sat in a chair gazing out the window. He was staring at the clouds and pondering where Kurama was right now and what he was feeling. Since the red head's collapse at the final battle, his aura had been gone, as if his body were merely a shell without a soul. A flicker of light caught the sensitive teen's attention and drew his gaze back to the bed.

 

Hiei was laying his head on the mattress, facing Kurama's feet. He found it difficult to look at his lover's face in the past few days. The fox's skin has grown whiter, and the shadows around his eyes were darker. His dry lips around the breathing tube were pasty, and the sheer stillness of the form depressed Hiei. Although they had been together only a short time, Hiei knew Kurama was a part of him. He felt like his heart was dying when he looked at the fox. So he sat by the bed, holding the hand, and hoping his depressed visions of a life alone would not come to pass.

 

On this day, his attention was drawn to his hand. Hiei sat up abruptly. He had been dreaming about Kurama so much, now he was hallucinating, it seemed. No, that was not his imagination; he felt a muscle flicker in the kitsune's hand. Switching to hold Kurama's hand with his own left hand, Hiei stood and leaned over the form on the bed.

 

Kuwabara saw the light flicker around the fox again. It was life energy, pale, weak, and skittish, but life energy nonetheless. Jumping up, Kuwabara practically shouted, "I'll get his mom!" and ran out of the room. Hiei ignored him.

 

"Fox?" Hiei said softly, whispering into Kurama's ear, his lips an inch from Kurama's head. "I'm here, Kurama. Come back me. Listen to my voice, and come back to me." Another soft squeeze of his hand, only a slight muscle spasm, gave Hiei hope. He continued to whisper to Kurama, trying to coax him back to life. The fox's eyes twitched a few times.

 

After what seemed to be an eternity, Kurama's eyes slowly began to open. Hiei pressed his lips to the fox's temple, kissing him and murmuring his name over and over. Kurama, completely disoriented, tried to move, but discovered he was unable to do so. His eyes grew wide when he realized he had no control over his body at all. Panic seized him, and he would have struggled if he could have.

 

"Fox, Kurama, it's alright, relax," Hiei crooned quietly, seeing the fear in the wide green eyes. "There's a tube in your throat; it's making you breathe. Don't fight it, and don't chew it. Just stay still. Relax. Listen to me. Kurama, look at me." The fox's eyes were rolling back and forth, searching nervously for something. After a few more minutes, the green orbs finally focused on Hiei's face, and the search stopped, but the uncertainty remained.

 

"That's right, Kurama. I'm right here. Just relax. Let the machine breathe for you and just relax," Hiei said, as footsteps grew louder in the hallway. Kurama's fearful expression had just begun to soften when the running footsteps entered the room.

 

Shiori skidded around the corner into the room and ran to the bed. "Shuuichi?" she gasped, out of breath. The scared green eyes shifted to look at her. It took a few moments before recognition set in. "Shuuichi, my son!" Shiori cried, touching Kurama's arm and leaning in to kiss his cheek around the breathing tube.

 

Kurama had no idea what was going on. He thought he was dead. He didn't remember anything but a long fall into darkness. Then he was floating and warm. Nothing mattered, nothing hurt. There were no people, no places, nothing but a voice talking to him from a long distance. The voice brought him comfort, and he felt like a baby in a womb hearing the voice of one who loves it. Now he was cold, he hurt, and the lights and sounds were too strong, overwhelming his senses. He wanted to take a few deep breaths to calm himself, but even that was beyond his control. He felt weak and helpless and ashamed. Hiei and his mother both fussing over him was too much, and he closed his eyes to try to escape.

 

"No, Shuuichi, stay here. Stay with me, please," Shiori begged, stroking her son's face.

 

In his mind, Kurama was asking for space. He wanted everyone to step back and turn away, to give him time to think. He had no idea where he was or what was going on, and the pain was growing more intense by the moment. Every noise seemed to vibrate through his body painfully. He wanted it to stop. Where was his warm haven? This body, these sounds scared him. And the machine kept his chest moving at a steady rate, beyond his control. Like the voices. Like the pain. Like the light. The feeling of drowning took over his senses, and he tried to submerge himself more deeply, past the sound, past the voice begging him to stay, past the pain. He had almost succeeded when the noise stopped. One voice cut the silence to speak directly to him.

 

"Shuuichi. I know you can hear me. Open your eyes now, Shuuichi, I want to talk to you." Kurama waited a minute to see if it would go away. The voice stopped, but he knew the person was still watching him. Finally he relented; opening his eyes just a slit to try to look around. The light was waiting for him, driving into his head like daggers. He shut his eyes again.

 

"Turn down the lights," the voice called to someone. "Okay, Shuuichi, let's try that again. The lights are down now, so it shouldn't hurt to look around," the voice prodded softly. Feeling as helpless as ever, Kurama opened one eye. The light was there, but it was held at bay, no longer piercing his head. After a moment, the fox opened the other green eye, not looking at anything in particular.

 

"That's right, Shuuichi. Open them up. It's time for you to wake up now. You've been sleeping for a long time, and now it's time to be awake." Kurama allowed his vision to wander, searching for the sound of the soft voice. A woman in a doctor's labcoat stood by his side. She smiled sweetly at him. "Good morning, Sleepy Head," she said with a smile. "Ready to talk to me? I am going to ask you some questions; the answers will be yes or no. Blink two times for no, and three times for yes, just like the number of letters in the words, okay? Do you understand?"

 

Confused green eyes stared at the doctor for a moment, then blink, blink, blink.

 

"Great job. Shuuichi, do you know where you are?" the doctor asked.

 

Blink, blink.

 

"You're in the hospital. You were hurt very badly. We patched you up, but you're going to need more time to recover. There is a machine that is breathing for you with the tube in your throat, so don't try to breathe, speak, or chew. Do you recognize the people here with me?" the doctor continued.

 

Kurama looked around. His gaze fell on Shiori and Hiei hovering near the bed, and on Kuwabara, standing behind them, watching with concern. Blink, blink, blink.

 

"Excellent. Now, Shuuichi, are you in pain?"

 

Blink, blink, blink.

 

"Alright, we'll get you something for that. For now, I just want you to relax. Your family will be right here, but don't get overwhelmed. You have nothing to worry about; we'll take care of everything for you. Okay? So just relax."

 

The doctor stepped away from the bed and called for a nurse to get some medicine for the patient. She then addressed the visitors. "Shuuichi will be disoriented for awhile. After such a long period of unconsciousness, many patients experience complete overload upon waking up. Please keep your voices down and keep the lights low. Don't overload him with information; just reassure him that everything will be fine. We'll start running tests soon to determine how badly his body is still damaged. For now, just be with him," she instructed as the nurse handed her a syringe. She returned to the bed.

 

"Shuuichi, this will help with the pain. You may feel sleepy, and it's okay to go to sleep. Just plan on waking up, okay?" she said gently as she injected the liquid into Kurama's IV. With another smile, she left the fox with his visitors.

 

Hiei sat on one side of the bed, and Shiori sat on the other. Kuwabara resumed his seat a little further away. Kurama lay still, unable to move, and just wondered about his situation. Slowly his mind began to drift, and after some time he realized that the pain was slipping away. He still felt terribly cold, and his back ached, but even that was getting further and further away. He barely felt Shiori's hand as she swept his bangs off his face.

 

After the first day of being awake, Kurama was bored and depressed. He could not move. They kept him on pain medication, so he was merely uncomfortable, but he was embarrassed. Every two hours the nurse would come in and roll him to one side or the other to keep his lungs healthy. He could not speak, and he had even less control over his situation than he did when he was a ghost in Spirit World. At least then he was able to jump back into his body of his own free will.

 

Hiei had informed Kurama that Intaro was dead, and all the detectives were alive. He told Kurama of Enma's edict declaring the fox to be outside of Reikai jurisdiction to heal, but within jurisdiction to condemn. Again, Kurama felt like a marionette, dangling lifelessly by strings, and being led around pointlessly. The fox grew more forlorn every hour.

 

When nighttime fell, Shiori kissed her son on the forehead and promised to return the next day. Hiei remained by Kurama's side. He stroked the fox's soft hand lovingly. "My beautiful fox," he murmured. Kurama just closed his eyes. He was not beautiful, not like this. When Hiei repeated it, Kurama tried hard to keep his expression neutral, but Hiei saw the hurt on his face. Staying quiet, Hiei waited until the expression cleared from the face before him. When Kurama was peaceful and his eyes were closed, Hiei finally spoke again, "Fox, are you awake?" No response.

 

Hiei looked sadly at his fox's thin form lying still in the bed. His gaze wandered to the multiple wires and tubes connecting the red head to the many machines responsible for keeping him alive. With a soft sigh, Hiei turned his eyes to the kitsune's face. The handsome face was oddly eerie. The pale, wan features lacked their previous, healthy pallor. The normally round face was gaunt. The usual sparkle in the green eyes had been replaced with a fearful, insecure look. Those eyes were closed now. The fox was perfectly still, save for the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, movement governed solely by the respirator. The red locks, formerly so healthy and shiny, lay in a lackluster, disfigured halo around the boy's head. Reaching out, Hiei touched the hair, twirling it between his nimble fingers and playing with it gently.

 

"Kurama," he began. "I'm sorry. I should have protected you. I let the most important thing in my life be taken and broken. You shouldn't be like this. I feel powerless to help you. I let you down then, and I am letting you down now. It's strange, Fox; all I want right now is to hold you. I want to wrap my arms around you and protect you, to make you feel as safe as I do when you hold me. When I couldn't move, you were always there for me. Just the feel of your body against mine as you held me made me feel so safe, so wanted. Your patience and love made me live. I want to give this same feeling to you. But I can't. These wires and machines are in the way. Instead of me tending to you, you have strangers looking after you, and I cannot take their place. I want to pull these contraptions away and take you home right now, but without them, your human body will die. So I sit here and watch. I know you're hurting. I'm hurting, too, Kurama, because I cannot take away that pain." Hiei paused, staring forlornly at his hand buried in the red hair. Shifting his gaze back to the peaceful face before him, Hiei concluded, "This is it. This is all we have. For now this will have to be enough, for both of us. I love you, Kurama, more than anything. Please know that, my love, my fox."

 

Silently Hiei disentangled his hand from Kurama's hair. The hiyoukai sat in the bedside chair. Finally he tore his gaze from his lover, reclined the chair, and rolled over to try to get some sleep. He did not see the green eyes open, or the first of many tears slide down the pale face to land on the pillow.

 

In the morning, Hiei awakened early and just watched Kurama for a while. When Kurama finally awoke, Hiei was shocked at the change he saw. The green eyes were duller than ever and Kurama's general mood was dreary. Hiei knew his lover was depressed, and wondered what he could do about it. When Shiori came in to visit, Hiei left the hospital for a while to think.

 

It was dinnertime when the hiyoukai returned. He had a bag in his hand. When Shiori left to eat, Hiei pulled his chair even closer to Kurama's bed and set the bag in his lap.

 

"Well, Fox. It's been awhile since you've been up and about.," He began conversationally. "Remember those books you read to me when I couldn't move?" Hiei waited. Startled, Kurama realized he was waiting for a reply. No one had asked Kurama a question since he first woke up. Everyone told him plenty of things, but no one waited for a response. A small glimmer of light came back into his eyes.

 

Blink, blink, blink.

 

"Well," Hiei continued when he received his answer. "The next book in the series came out last week. I thought you would enjoy it." The hiyoukai pulled the book out of the bag. "I know you've been waiting for its release for some time now. Of course, so has every ningen in Tokyo. I had to sever a few arms to get this one, but I think the blood all wiped off." Hiei paused to look at Kurama; the glimmer was getting brighter. With a smile, Hiei opened the front cover and began to read aloud to his lover.

 

When Shiori approached the room, she wondered to whom Hiei was talking. When she got to the door she stopped and watched. Hiei was sitting in his chair with his feet propped up on the foot of her son's bed, reading to the red head! The woman waited and watched. She recalled her son doing the same for the hiyoukai during his convalescence. Wondering at the amazing bond these two shared, she cleared her throat and entered the room.

 

"Well, this is pleasant," Shiori noted, approaching the bed. She stopped and put her arm around Hiei. Kurama watched with interest. Hiei allowed a human to touch him. He wondered what all had happened while he was away, and made a mental note to ask Hiei about it at a later date, when he could speak again.

 

On the third day after Kurama woke up, one of his many doctors entered the room to check on him. When the doctor greeted him, Kurama weakly waved with his hand. He had regained small bits of movement over the past few days, and his rapid progress made the doctors optimistic that he may make a full recovery. Of course, Yukina continued to visit him every day, slipping some healing in when possible.

 

Botan had been forbidden to visit Kurama. Koenma was afraid that if she were even in the room when Yukina tried to sneak some healing, that she would be arrested for treason. Yusuke had brought in the communication mirror on each visit, though, and Botan sent her best wishes through that medium.

 

Genkai had not visited Kurama. Yusuke explained to the whole team that she had, strangely enough, accepted a mission meant for them. She was in Demon World hunting down Intaro's lab and destroying the remainder of his power enhancement drugs. No one knew how she had been convinced to take the mission except Koenma himself, and he was not talking. She had actually volunteered for it. Although she was never a Spirit Detective, she had fought many demons, and the ordeal her apprentice and his friends had gone through had struck a nerve with her: a being attempting to become more powerful by artificial means to seek death and destruction. This was her gift to her dimwit and the others: a mini vacation.

 

This morning, the third day of wakefulness, a different doctor checked over Kurama, and made some notes in the kitsune's file. "How would you like to try to breathe on your own today, Shuuichi?" the doctor asked. Kurama eyes lit up.

 

That bright, hopeful look was seldom on Kurama's face since he awoke. Hiei could coax it out of him by reading to him or making conversation with yes and no questions, but the others were lucky to even glimpse it. Every time Hiei called Kurama his beautiful fox, the light died immediately, and Kurama would close his eyes and try to turn his head as far as he could away. This troubled Hiei, but he decided to talk to his lover about it later.

 

The doctor made a few more notes in his file and placed the chart back on the footboard. He then sat the head of the bed upright and fiddled with the controls of the respirator. "Okay, Shuuichi, I want you to relax. When I disconnect the machine, the tube will remain in your throat. Don't try to gasp or speak; just try to breathe normally. We'll see what happens," he instructed. "Are you ready?"

 

Blink, blink, blink.

 

The doctor disconnected the air hose from the tube. Kurama's chest fell still. The fox blinked a few times. He tried to draw a breath, even a little one. But his body simply refused to cooperate. After a moment his head began to swim and he felt fear building inside of him. After another few moments the dizziness and panic went away. The respirator was reconnected and pumping air in and out of his lungs. Kurama closed his eyes in shame.

 

"Don't worry about it, Son, there's always tomorrow. It's a bit early, anyway. You have plenty of time," the doctor consoled him, before making more notes in the file and leaving the room. Kurama kept his eyes closed. A weight on the bed next to him drew his attention.

 

Hiei had climbed into bed with him, something he had not done in the hospital. "Relax, Fox," Hiei said softly, stroking Kurama's hair. "Next time." Hiei continued to pet the kitsune's mane until Kurama dozed off, leaning on the smaller demon. Hiei just watched his lover sleep, appraising the fox's condition. Kurama's life energy was creeping back slowly, but his youki was still absent. The pain medication numbed the worst of his pain, but the ache in his lower back remained; a constant reminder of what he had lost.

 

On day five after waking up, the doctor again suggested trying to take Kurama off the respirator. The fox was afraid of failing again, but the doctor insisted it would be fine. After some notes and some fiddling with the machine, the doctor again removed the air supply hose from the tube. After a few fearful minutes of still silence, Kurama shivered a bit and drew a shallow breath on his own. He exhaled, paused, and drew another, slightly deeper breath.

 

After a few more breaths, the doctor laid a reassuring hand on Kurama's arm. "Well, Shuuichi, it seems you're breathing just fine now. Keep it up. I need to leave the tube in your throat for a little bit, just in case we need to hook you back up in a hurry. But I'll be back, and then if you're still doing well, we'll get rid of that tube for you, okay?"

 

Blink, blink, blink.

 

With another smile, the doctor left. Shiori bustled close to her son, cooing and praising his breakthrough. Hiei hung back a bit. When Kurama glanced at the hiyoukai, a smile and nod conveyed Hiei's feelings. Kurama's eyes twinkled. That small acknowledgement meant more to him than all his mother's fussing did.

 

After about an hour, the doctor returned to check on his patient. The respiratory monitor had been recording Kurama's breathing, and had shown how much stronger the breaths had gotten. The doctor felt it was about time to pull the tube out of the boy's throat and let him breathe naturally again.

 

"Now, Shuuichi," the doctor began, as he deflated the sealing cuff on the endotrachial tube. "I'm going to take out the tube. Your throat may hurt a bit. I have a spray that will numb it. But I want to make sure you do not try to speak right away. Your vocal cords are probably strained right now, and you will have to wait for them to heal before you speak, or you may damage them permanently. Now, take some deep breaths, and on the count of three blow out hard, okay? One... Two... Three!"

 

On three, the doctor pulled the tube out of Kurama's throat as the kitsune blew out through his mouth. The tube had some blood on it and looked dry. Kurama fell forward, coughing uncontrollably. The doctor caught him as he leaned front, and just held him as spasm after spasm wracked his this body. It was a full six minutes before the coughing subsided.

 

Kurama lay forward in the doctor's grasp, unmoving. He was afraid to breathe again, afraid that he would cough as hard again. The coughing fit had hurt not only his throat, but also the pain in his lower back. Finally, though, the need for oxygen prevailed, and the fox drew a shuddering breath. After a few more shaky breaths, the doctor leaned Kurama back against the inclined mattress. "Open up," he directed, taking a small spray bottle out of his pocket.

 

Kurama did as he was told, and the doctor sprayed a fine mist of liquid into his throat. Within seconds the burning, dry sensation started to fade. Finally, the doctor instructed him to open up again, and examined the red head's throat.

 

"As I thought, your throat is very irritated. You'll have to stay quiet for a few more days until it heals a bit. We'll get you some ice chips to suck on; that will help with swelling and to keep the pain to a minimum. But, my boy, you are on your way to recovery," the doctor said with a smile as he left the room. Shiori followed to ask him a few questions, leaving the demons alone.

 

Taking a deep breath, Kurama moved his stiff jaw a few times. He was glad to be rid of that tube! Closing his eyes and working his jaw, Kurama laid his head back against the pillow with a soft sigh. Gentle, fleeting pressure on his lips caused his eyes to open. Crimson eyes, only inches away, looked deeply into his own green orbs. "I've been waiting to that for awhile, Fox," Hiei said quietly, pressing his lips to Kurama's again. Kurama smiled, allowing Hiei to remain pressed to him as long as the hiyoukai wished. Although Hiei wished for forever, eventually they had to part. Silently, they just looked at each other.

 

Kurama was recovering, but very slowly. He regained more movement each day, and could now turn himself over instead of having the nurses shift him, but he still could not walk. His first few attempts to hold down solid food resulted in miserable failure. Through everything, Hiei was by his side. Even as the food made him ill, Hiei always held him and encouraged him. Kurama was dropping into a depression again, though. He could not speak, could not eat, and his limited movement brought him no comfort. He began to withdraw into himself.

 

On the third day of trying to eat, Kurama glared at his food with wary eyes. It never stayed down; he was tired of trying. The nurse had tried to coax him to eat, but he refused. He was sick of being sick. His stomach hurt, his back hurt, and he was through with it all. This was the scene Hiei returned to when he came back from the store.

 

Setting his bag on the floor, Hiei took the tray of food and brought it closer to his fox. "Kurama, you know you have to eat. Please, just try a little," he prodded as he drew some rice to the kitsune's mouth. With a look that clearly said, 'only for you', Kurama allowed himself to be fed. As usual, after a few mouthfuls, the fox's stomach lurched. But this time was different. Kurama toppled to the side, clutching his stomach, his face contorted in pain. Hiei was calling to him when the nurse all but pulled the small demon away from the patient. The nurse hissed in pain at the burns on her fingers and called for help, not realizing how she had been injured. Other nurses ran in, and the doctor was not far behind. After a quick examination of the situation, the doctor ordered an ultrasound and told the nurses to call for an operating room. Hiei watched as his curled up, pain stricken fox was rolled out the door.

 

Shortly after that incident, Shiori returned from lunch. A brief discussion with the nurse yielded no results, so they waited. As he waited, Hiei melted little ripples in the window of the lounge to ease his worries. Shiori practically shredded a hanky in her hand. Finally the doctor approached them.

 

"Mrs. Hatanaka, Hiei, after Shuuichi's episode at lunch, we took him for an ultrasound. This revealed that his stomach was twisted. We believe that he may have had a partial twist resulting from his injuries. That would explain his inability to hold down food. Apparently he heaved so hard today that the partial twist became a full twist, and that's why he was in so much pain. He is currently in surgery to repair it. I believe this will also fix his nausea problems, or at least improve them. We need to get him to eat, or we will be forced to install a feeding tube. A human body can only survive so long on intravenous nourishment. But that is not now. Right now, Shuuichi will be in recovery for the rest of today, and in post surgical ICU tomorrow. Depending on his condition, he may return to his room after that. There are no visitors in either ward, so please go home and I will call you with any news." With that the doctor left them alone.

 

Shiori picked up her purse and wandered towards the door to go home. Hiei picked up his bag and looked into it. He looked at the book he had bought to read to his fox that night, and the other present in the bag, and had the sudden, overwhelming urge to throw the whole parcel through the window. He felt utterly helpless. Slowly he made his way back to the house he shared with Kurama.

 

Two days later in the hospital, Hiei and Shiori waited as Kurama was wheeled back into his room. When he saw them, his eyes lit up. Since he had lost the ability to speak, his eyes had become even more expressive, much like Hiei's face had been when the demon could not see. Kurama smiled at his loved ones as the nurses locked the wheels on his bed. Shiori greeted her son with a kiss on the cheek. Hiei came over, but instead of kissing the fox (as Hiei was not prone to displays of affection in front of people, even Shiori) he instead pulled out the same bag from his last visit to the hospital.

 

"I never got to give this to you, Fox," he said softly, reaching in and withdrawing green fabric. Kurama eyes the fabric with confusion. It looked fuzzier than a towel, and larger, too. He had no idea what his lover was holding. Hiei smiled at Kurama's confusion, and opened the fabric. It was a robe. The green matched Kurama's eyes, and the material was so soft and fluffy, it was unlike anything the fox had felt in this realm. Hiei gently helped Kurama slip into the robe. When Kurama was finally resettled, Hiei looked at him and said softly, "My beautiful fox."

 

At this, Kurama's face fell again, and he looked away. Hiei, who had let this behavior slip until now, reached out and grasped Kurama's chin, turning the kitsune to face him.

 

"Stop it, Kurama. You are my beautiful fox, no matter what. I don't care how you think you look, or how sick you feel, you are always beautiful to me, so get used to it," the hiyoukai said, almost sharply, but with an undertone of deep concern. Kurama raised his eyes to look Hiei in the face. Seeing Hiei's feelings in his eyes, Kurama managed a weak smile. Hiei smiled back, and settled into the bed next to his lover, leaning into Kurama slightly, and pulled out the new book to begin reading. Shiori watched the exchange silently. In her heart, she knew it was time someone said something to pull her son out of his funk. Her respect for the love these two shared multiplied, and she sat and listened as Hiei read.

 

The fire demon's voice, when not issuing death threats, was actually very pleasant, and quickly lulled Shiori to sleep. When Hatanaka came to pick her up for the night, he had to awaken her. He cast a glance at the two boys nestled in the bed. Even thought the blanket and sheets still separated them, he was obviously uncomfortable with their relationship. He roused his wife and left quickly; glad he had left his son at home.

 

Shuuichi-kun had only been in to visit Kurama a few times. Hatanaka had kept his son at home since he knew Hiei was always there, and wished to protect the boy from the demons' relationship. The boy had sent several homemade cards to his stepbrother conveying his wishes for a speedy recovery.

 

The next day the nurse brought a small plate of food to Kurama. The kitsune's eyes widened as he saw it, and he began to shake his head. Hiei picked up a banana and peeled it. Putting an arm around his lover, he tried to coax the fox to eat. Kurama just buried his face in Hiei's chest, unwilling to go through the pain his last attempt had induced.

 

"Kurama, they said you're better now. Please, just a few bites?" Hiei prodded. "Fox, if you don't they'll put a tube into your stomach and force you to eat. Just one bite?" Hiei took a bite of the banana himself. "It's a good banana, Fox," he said with a full mouth as he chewed.

 

Despite himself, Kurama looked up. Hiei was chewing away at his mouthful of banana, almost comically. Kurama smiled. "Just a little?" Hiei asked, swallowing the fruit. Kurama looked at the banana skeptically. He was hungry. He wanted it. It smelled so damn good! But last time...

 

"Just a little?" Hiei repeated, moving the banana towards Kurama's mouth. Licking his lips, Kurama glanced up at Hiei, then back at the approaching fruit. Finally, the kitsune opened his mouth and allowed Hiei to feed him some banana. Taking the tiniest, most delicate of bites, Kurama chewed a few times, then swallowed, awaiting the usual reaction. After a few minutes, Kurama realized he was not going to get sick. He looked at Hiei, who offered him the banana again. Taking a bigger bite, Kurama relished the taste, texture, and substance of the morsel.

 

When the banana was gone, Kurama looked at his plate, wondering what else they had brought for him to eat. A pear and some rice later, the fox was ravenously eyeing the empty plate, wondering if perhaps more food was hiding beneath it. When the nurse entered, she saw this and chuckled.

 

"Not just yet, Shuuichi! If you eat too much too fast we'll be right back where we started. We'll bring you another plate at lunchtime." The fox looked disappointed, but perked up considerably when his lips were mollified by Hiei's own lips. This type of feast would not upset his stomach, so the fox eagerly deepened the kiss, meeting no resistance from Hiei.

 

Later that day the doctor again visited his patient. "Well, Shuuichi, I heard the good news about breakfast and lunch. Now let's see if we can make it three for three. Open your mouth," he said, withdrawing a small flashlight from his pocket. Shining the light into Kurama's throat, the doctor was pleased with what he saw.

 

"Well, your throat looks like a normal throat now. Try to say something," he instructed the red head.

 

Without hesitation, Kurama immediately tried to speak. At first only a hissing squeak came out, but with a little more force, he managed to say one word, "Hiei." The fire demon just stared as the doctor beamed.

 

"Excellent, excellent. You're coming along just fine. I think we can start some physical therapy soon and get you back onto your feet," he said, making yet more notes in Kurama's already thick chart. Smiling, the doctor gave Kurama permission to speak as long as it did not hurt, and left the room. Beaming, Kurama turned to his lover. Hiei wore a strange expression on his face.

 

"Why?" the hiyoukai asked. "Of all the words you could have said, you said only my name."

 

"I've been waiting to say that for a while now," Kurama whispered, leaning in and kissing Hiei.

 

After a few more days, Kurama was eating regularly and gaining some weight back. Hiei still stayed by his side, and Kurama took every opportunity to have his lover feed him. Hiei enjoyed it, so he never complained. When Kurama's physical therapy began, Hiei sat and waited for the fox in the lounge.

 

Kurama would return exhausted from his therapy. Although he was doing very well, he was still healing at a human rate. His youki was not returning, and the base of his back began to hurt more with the increased exercise. One day, upon returning from therapy, the fox just curled up on his side in bed, not speaking, and turned away from Hiei.

 

"Kurama?" Hiei asked, concerned at the fox's odd behavior.

 

"My back hurts," Kurama whispered. Hiei looked at the fox with sad eyes. He knew the pain was due to the loss of the tail, and probably would not subside until the kitsune's energy began to balance out again. Not knowing what else to do, Hiei used his ki to warm his hand, reached under the covers, under the hospital gown, and gently rubbed small circles at the base of Kurama's spine, where his tail would be.

 

Strangely enough, the touch did not hurt the fox. Sitting hurt, bending hurt, laying on his back hurt. But Hiei's gentle rubbing felt soothing, relaxing. Within moments, Kurama was drifting off to sleep.

 

When Hiei realized that Kurama had fallen asleep he smiled. The fox had had some trouble sleeping when his back was hurting, and the youkai was glad he could help his lover find some rest. After a few minutes, however, Hiei became aware of something new. While Kurama's body was sleeping peacefully, his energy was anything but calm. It rose and fell in eddies, washing over and curling around the fox's body. Staying still and watching, Hiei waited as Kurama's youki began to settle, redefining itself and reestablishing its pattern.

 

By morning, the fox's energy was back to its normal state, as it was before Intaro had betailed the kitsune. When Kurama woke up, he rolled over and smiled at Hiei. "How do you feel, Fox?" the hiyoukai asked.

 

"Great. I feel great," Kurama answered sleepily, smiling broadly. The pain in his back was gone, for good.

 

From that point on Kurama began healing faster and faster. Now that his demonic energy was unsealed and accessible to him, his body thrived on it, knitting and mending so quickly the doctors and nurses were astounded. It wasn't all perfect; Kurama had a few setbacks. Some falls in physical therapy, and a few instances of his power slipping out of his control all made his recovery hard work, but at the rate he was going, the work would be over soon.

 

One evening, after several weeks of hospitalization, Kurama was sitting in his bed. The kitsune could not stay still. He was fidgeting, rolling over, sitting up, lying down, sighing, just constantly moving. Hiei, of course, noticed Kurama's malaise from his perch in the window. "What is it, Fox?"

 

"I want to go home," Kurama said testily.

 

"I know, but you're not..." Hiei began.

 

"I am ready. I am sick of being here. It's been over a month, and I just want to go the hell home!" Kurama snapped, rolling over again, twisting himself up in the sheets. Hiei sighed as he approached the bed to extricate his lover.

 

"Kurama, I know you want to leave. I want to take you home. But your body isn't quite ready yet. Just be patient," Hiei advised, straightening the sheets around the fox's thin form.

 

"I know. I'm just antsy tonight. I'm frustrated, and I feel like I want to...to...do something! Anything..." Kurama pouted. Hiei continued tucking Kurama in, remembering a day when he felt much the same. Looking slyly at the door, Hiei's eyes narrowed. Quickly he ducked his head under the sheets.

 

 

Hiei had never done this before. He had done some online research, unbeknownst to Kurama; about the ways lovers pleasured each other. He wanted to surprise his fox, and now seemed as good a time as any. Before Kurama realized Hiei had slipped under the sheets, the fox felt hot, moist pressure in his most personal area.

 

"Hiei, what are yooouuuuuu..." The word trailed into a throaty moan as the wet heat began to move, sending sensation all throughout the kitsune's body. Grasping the sheets, Kurama gave up on speaking for now and allowed Hiei free reign over him.

 

Hiei fought his gag reflex. Being new at this, he had tried to swallow Kurama too deeply at first. Using his hands to massage the fox's thighs and groin, the hiyoukai began a slower, less ambitious attempt to please his lover. Gently, he bobbed and sucked, using his tongue and lips to caress his kitsune. Like Hiei, Kurama had no body hair at all. Although his human body was capable of growing hair, the kitsune-turned-ningen found it repulsive. When he had reached puberty he had mixed a plant concoction that deadened hair follicles. He used this to rid himself of all hair below his face. He also used it on his face and neck to avoid the necessity of shaving. The effects were permanent, leaving clear, soft, bare skin all over the lithe body, and making Hiei's chosen task easier.

 

Kurama was breathing through his mouth. If he were capable of rational thought, he would be relieved that the respiration and pulse monitors had been removed, since he was gasping and his heart sped up dramatically. He fisted his hands in the sheets, unsure what else to do. He did not know Hiei had even thought about doing this. They made love often enough, and Kurama had pleasured Hiei orally, but the hiyoukai always seemed shy about reciprocating. This was not to say that Kurama did not receive his own pleasure! Hiei pleasured Kurama often with his body and his hands, but the small demon had not yet overcome his inhibitions about using his mouth...until now. Finally Kurama just closed his eyes and allowed the pleasure that was Hiei to engulf his body and soul. His legs opened wider, inviting Hiei to do as he pleased.

 

Hiei continued at a leisurely pace. He had no idea how fast to go, so he just did whatever felt natural. For an inexperienced demon, his instincts served him well, and he had the fox on the brink of climax rather quickly. As he felt the fox's muscles begin to tighten, he increased his pace. Within moments Kurama gasped, "Hiei, I...I can't stop..." and thrust his hips upwards in climax. Hiei was prepared, after hearing Kurama call out to him, and swallowed what the fox's body offered him. Gently, he licked all evidence of their escapade away before emerging from under the bedsheets.

 

Licking his lips, Hiei circled the bed and climbed onto the mattress, laying to the left of Kurama. Kurama turned his head lazily to face his lover, and slipped his arm around Hiei, drawing him near. Hiei looked at him for just a moment before surrendering, laying his head on Kurama's chest with a sigh. The fox's body was loose, almost boneless as he lay, basking in the afterglow of his pleasure.

 

"Amazing." was all Kurama said, very softly. Hiei smiled. After a few moments, the fox's breathing became deep and even. When Hiei looked up, Kurama was sound asleep. Hiei lay there for some time in the unconscious embrace, licking his lips and considering. He felt his first endeavor into the world of oral pleasure was a success. The flavor in his mouth was unlike anything he had ever tasted. He could not put a name to it; not salty or sweet, not bitter, just...just Kurama. There was something undeniably "Kurama" about the taste. The hiyoukai liked that notion, and decided he would have to practice this new skill to improve. And he knew just the practice partner to work with. The hiyoukai drifted off to sleep in said partner's arms, a sated smile on the fire demon's lips.

 

When Shiori arrived the next morning, she found the demons snuggled together, Kurama beneath the sheets, Hiei on top of them, arm in arm. She regarded them quietly as she sat in the visitor's chair. She took some time to reflect on her son's lifestyle and his choices.

 

She had come to terms with his choice of a male lover. She had her reservations about a demon lover, but as she got to know Hiei, those had faded as well. She was one of the few people who had ever seen what lay beneath the gruff exterior. She thought of Hiei's recent injuries, when her son carried him around. The red head had sacrificed his own health for the demon. A parallel thought occurred to her: Hiei's attempted suicide when they thought Kurama was dead. Although Hiei's self destructive tendencies terrified her, Shiori could not deny how quickly he had changed when he knew Kurama was "alive". She quickly considered both of their reactions to the others' incapacitation. Visions of Kurama feeding Hiei blended with more recent memories of Hiei gently coaxing Kurama to eat. Kurama carrying Hiei around brought images of the demon helping Kurama sit up, and helping him to put on the new robe. They went so far as to read to each other aloud when one was incapable of entertaining himself. Their devotion to each other was obvious.

 

As a mother, Shiori wished only for her son's happiness. Any lingering doubts she had evaporated as she realized that not only did her son find someone to take care of and love, he had found someone to take care of and love him just as much. Silently, Shiori watched the two lay together until the doctor came in to evaluate Kurama.

 

The doctor did not mention the loving embrace the two boys shared. He set about his routine as usual. His patient's lifestyle did not bother him as long as it was healthy. Having seen the support between the two before him, he had no criticism of them. He checked Kurama out thoroughly before looking at him square in the face.

 

"Shuuichi, how would you feel about going home?" the doctor asked.

 

Kurama nearly leapt out of his skin at the very idea. The doctor chuckled a bit.

 

"Not this instant! I was thinking in a few more days. You're doing very well in your physical therapy and overall you're healthy again. I think we could send you home the day after tomorrow. I want to see you walking just a little stronger before we let you go. Does that sound good?" the doctor asked. Kurama nodded happily. Shiori was beaming, and Hiei even cracked a smile in front of a ningen. The doctor made more of his infamous notes in the file, and smiled to the group before he left.

 

"Shuuichi! That's wonderful!" Shiori said, taking her son's hands in her own. "A few more days and you can come...go home. You're welcome to stay with us if you need more time to recover," Shiori volunteered. Before either demon could respond, she continued with a glint in her eye. "But I daresay you'd rather be at your own home with Hiei. Well, I hope you don't mind constant company! I'm your mother, and I want to take care of you!" Kurama's only response was to pull his mother into a huge hug. Stealing a glimpse at Hiei, Shiori noted that the youkai's expression confessed that he had no objection to the idea.

 

The trio spent the day together in the hospital. Kurama walked to the lounge with his mother and Hiei. His gait was slow, and he lacked his usual grace, but his steps did not falter. Shortly before dinner, Hiei did something unusual. He bid his fox good night, and left the hospital for the evening. Kurama was startled, and a touch nervous. He wondered if he had done something the night before to make Hiei want to leave. Silently he pondered this, as it was not something he wished to share with Shiori. Hiei made a few stops before he got home then got out various supplies and set to work.

 

The next morning the doorbell rang in the late morning. When the door opened, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Keiko were surprised at the sight that greeted them. They expected to see Hiei; he lived at the house. The surprising parts were the damp rag tied around the spiky, yet dripping hair, and the mop in the hiyoukai's hand.

 

"Hey, uh, Hiei," Yusuke stammered, not used to seeing Hiei look so domestic. The hiyoukai appraised his guests and turned to go back to his work, leaving the open door as the only invitation for his unexpected guests to enter.

 

The three teenagers entered and looked around. The house had been a wreck the last they had seen it. Things were broken after Kurama's fight with Intaro, and when the group had used it as a headquarters, they had not been the cleanest of houseguests. Their sudden departure and six weeks of neglect while Hiei stayed with Kurama had added up. The house had been a sty when Hiei had returned the previous night. Without a word, the hiyoukai resumes his diligent cleaning.

 

"We just wondered what you were up to when we visited Kurama and you were gone," Yusuke said, looking around the soon to be clean house. Keiko offered to help Hiei, but he refused. Finally the trio left the demon to his own devices.

 

By mid afternoon the entire house was spotless. The new mattresses Hiei had ordered the previous day arrived to replace the bloodied one that had lain in the master bedroom all this time. The door was repaired and restored. The house sparkled. Hiei made one more trip, to fetch some groceries, before he cleaned himself up and returned to Kurama.

 

When Hiei arrived at the hospital the fox did not ask where he had been, but the question was written in the curious green eyes. Regardless of the company, Shiori and her husband, Hiei's only answer was to pull Kurama into a deep kiss. When they broke, the hiyoukai took a seat on the bedside silently. Kurama, a little dizzy from the sudden, intense kiss, just smiled and blushed a bit. They were both looking forward to being at home, together, the next day.