Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Coming Clean ❯ The Ties that Bind and Epilogue ( Chapter 36 )

The next day Kurama was up and dressed at six am, and ready to go home. When the nurse came in at eight she chuckled, and reminded him that discharges were not released until ten. He sat in his bed. Shiori, Hatanaka, Shuuichi-kun, and Hiei sat around the room with him. At ten-thirty a nurse came in.

 

"I'm so sorry, Shuuichi. I know you really want to go home, but the doctor was called into emergency surgery, and is not available to sign your release papers. We can't let you go without his signature. Please be patient," she said. Kurama nodded, smiling. Inside he wanted to just run out the door and flee.

 

Finally, a bit after three in the afternoon, the doctor came in. He was disheveled, and had obviously just come from surgery, as he was wearing scrubs instead of his suit and labcoat. "I'm sorry, Shuuichi, there was an emergency. Now, let's get to the business of sending you home." The doctor took a quick look over his patient, and signed the forms. In no time, Kurama was wheeled to the door and released. Hiei flitted off in the direction of home, while Hatanaka drove the rest of them to the demons' house, stopping along the way to drop Shuuichi-kun at a friend's house. Sitting all day in the hospital left the boy hyper and he needed to burn off some energy.

 

When Kurama opened his front door, a loud "SURPRISE!" greeted him. The whole gang was there. Yusuke, Keiko, Kuwabara, Yukina, Genkai, Botan, and even Koenma had come to welcome him home. They had brought pizza and snacks, and the entire gang enjoyed an afternoon with no missions, no fears, and no one dying.

 

As the sun set, Genkai left to return to her temple. Botan and Koenma also left, knowing that the paperwork was piling up in the godling's unannounced absence. When the crowd had thinned, Kurama excused himself to go to the kitchen to get more soda.

 

Upon his return, Kurama approached the sofa. Before he could take a seat next to his lover, Hiei took the fox's hand and led him closer. The fire demon quickly moved so he was sitting on the back of the sofa, and gently pulled Kurama's hand to guide him to sit in Hiei's old place. Kurama ended up sitting on the couch properly, leaning against the backrest. Hiei was behind him, sitting on the backrest, with one leg on either side of the kitsune, toying absently with the long, red tresses. Kurama relaxed and leaned his head back against Hiei's stomach, closing his eyes.

 

No one else said anything. Shiori smiled brightly as her husband glared. The man was glad his son was at a friend's house and not watching this spectacle.

 

Yusuke gawked at the two demons. Although he knew of their relationship, seeing such a gentle, caring gesture from the usually stoic half-koorime seemed out of character. Keiko smiled at the lovers, until she saw Yusuke. She slapped him lightly on the arm and shot him a dirty look. Yusuke stopped gawking, and pulled Keiko into a one armed hug instead. Mollified, the girl leaned her head into his shoulder.

 

Yukina watched fondly as her brother continued to play with the fox's hair. Kuwabara looked at the beaming ice maiden and gingerly slipped an arm around her shoulders. The human had come to terms with his teammates' relationship, and had even begun to envy them. He hoped that someday he and his Yukina could share the same deep feelings. When the koorime leaned into his side, Kuwabara began to believe that it might be possible.

 

Hiei continued playing with Kurama's hair silently. He was uncomfortable enough showing this much of his feelings in front of the others; he had no idea how to do what he wanted to do this night. All the plans he had made fled from his mind now that the moment had was upon him. He remained silent, hoping an opportunity would arise for him. Little did he know his chance would come from the most unlikely of sources.

 

The first to break the quiet stillness of the room was Hatanaka. The older man cleared his throat uncomfortably. Shiori looked at him. "What, Darling?" she asked softly.

 

"Oh, nothing. It just became very quiet suddenly," he replied sheepishly.

 

Shiori smiled. "We're just watching Shuuichi and Hiei. They seem so happy to be together again. You're uncomfortable with this?" Hatanaka nodded. "You're not uncomfortable expressing your affection for me when we are with friends. Why does this bother you so?"

 

Hatanaka looked at the two demons, who were looking at him awaiting his response, as was everyone else in the room. "Well, they're not, I mean, because you and I are..." He wanted to say straight, but he knew that would not be received well. So he settled for the next best adjective. "...Married," he finished quickly.

 

"Kazuya, you know Shuuichi and Hiei cannot be legally married," Shiori chided softly.

 

"Hn. Legal ningen marriages. What do they mean anyway? Half of the ningen marriages fail and separate. What good is this 'legal' marriage? Marriage is a promise; an oath to cherish and to protect, to love and to honor, and to remain faithful. How does a piece of paper make people keep this promise? This oath should mean more than the paper declaring it 'legal,'" Hiei interjected. Those words, spoken in his usual, scornful tone, seemed awkward and surprised everyone present.

 

"You're right, Hiei," Shiori agreed, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room. "The paper is irrelevant if the vows are taken lightly."

 

"So then the paper is also irrelevant if the vow are taken truly," Hiei concluded. Everyone in the room paused for a few moments in thought then nodded their agreement, even Hatanaka.

 

Hiei looked down at Kurama's head. The fox was facing forward, away from his lover. He had a thoughtful expression on his face. Kurama had no idea Hiei had even considered what ningen marriage meant, and the fox was flattered that the fire demon had not only thought about it, but had analyzed it so deeply.

 

Hiei took a deep breath. He slipped his right hand into his pocket and pulled out a small box he had concealed there. He had picked up this small box the night he left the hospital and started cleaning the house. He had ordered it far earlier. Directing his voice towards his fox, he said in a gentle voice, "Then all that matters is the willingness to accept that vow." Hiei flipped open the box and held it in front of Kurama, showing him its contents. The hiyoukai held his breath. The way the box was positioned, no one but Kurama could see into it.

 

Kurama was thinking about Hiei's words. Demons did not marry. There existed an ancient mating ritual to bind two demons as mates, but most demons did not bother with it. They would call themselves mates, or married in ningen terms, without performing the actual ritual. In his life of over a thousand years, Kurama had never encountered a truly bonded demon.

 

When Hiei's hand holding the open box appeared in before him, Kurama' whole world went silent and black except for that object. Inside the box were two rings, one small and one slightly larger. The bands were platinum. They were large enough to be seen easily on the hand of a male, yet delicate enough to be beautiful and not look ridiculous on very small male hands. Each ring hosted five stones set in a row, chamber style, on the top third of the band. The center stone, a brilliant white diamond, was slightly larger than the others. On one side of the diamond was a green emerald, flanked by a red ruby. On the opposite side was a black diamond, flanked by a stone not natural to the human world. The deep red, almost black depths of the gem confessed its identity: one of Hiei's own hiruseki, cut and mounted expertly. Except for the size, both rings were identical.

 

When Kurama could breathe, he turned to face Hiei, so he was sitting up on his knees, backwards, on the sofa. "Are you...proposing?" he asked in a whisper. The silence of the room allowed that whisper to carry to every ear present.

 

"I'm making that promise. I can't marry you, in the 'legal ningen' sense, but, Kurama, I promise to protect you and stand by you forever; to remain faithful, and to love you always," Hiei said softly. Tears welled up in Kurama's eyes.

 

Kurama rose higher on his knees and pulled Hiei into a deep kiss. Hiei was startled at first, but easily melted into the passionate embrace. After several minutes, the fire demon pulled away. "Is that a yes, then?" he asked breathlessly.

 

"Of course it's a yes!" Kurama said, blinking away the moisture in his eyes that threatened to fall.

 

Hiei smiled widely, a great surprise to many in the room who had never that expression of the surly demon. "Fox, hold out your hand," he said in a choked up voice.

 

Kurama held out his left hand, fingers spread. His whole body shook. With a likewise shaking hand, Hiei gently slid the larger of the two rings onto the third finger. Hiei reached back into the box, only to find it empty. He quickly looked down to see where the other ring had fallen, but he looked back up when he felt Kurama grasp his left hand. The King of Thieves held the smaller ring in his own hand, poised to slip it onto Hiei's ring finger.

 

"I love you, Hiei. I will always love you, and stand by your side to protect and support you. You are my life, my only one, my love," Kurama whispered, sliding the ring onto Hiei finger.

 

Both demons were shaking and smiling as they embraced each other and enjoyed a long, binding kiss. Only the applause of their friends and family brought them back to reality. Both blushed as they looked around the room. They had completely forgotten that they were not alone.

 

"Congratulations, you guys!" Yusuke said, getting up to shake both their hands. The others followed suit. Yukina hugged both her brother and her new 'brother-in-law.' Shiori wiped tears from her eyes.

 

"Shuuichi, where is your camera?" the fox's mother asked.

 

"In the den, I believe. Why?" Kurama replied.

 

"Well, I want wedding pictures, of course!" Shiori gushed as she left the room to find the camera.

 

"So, does that make you Mr. and Mrs. Shrimp now?" Kuwabara joked nervously. He hated situations like these. After such a beautiful exchange he felt inadequate to even consider courting Yukina, so he tried to compensate with a joke, a bad joke.

 

The room fell silent at his words. No one was sure whether to laugh or try to hide from the impending bloodbath. All eyes fell to the newlyweds for their response.

 

Hiei glared at Kuwabara for a few seconds before replying, "Mr. and Mr. Minamino will do." The whole room chuckled in amazement. Keiko shot Yusuke a victorious glance. Not only had Hiei not even threatened Kuwabara, he had just admitted his role as submissive to the fox demon. The two humans had an ongoing bet about who was on top ever since they had discovered the demons' relationship. No one else present picked up on the admission, however, so Hiei was unconcerned about any teasing from Kuwabara.

 

Shiori came back into the living room with the camera and began posing the demons for pictures. She took group pictures, pictures of the newlyweds' hands with the matching rings, and many others. One picture, in particular, came out extremely well. In it, Kurama and Hiei were standing, facing slightly to their right. Hiei was in front of the fox. Kurama's arms were around the hiyoukai. Hiei's left hand was raised, resting on Kurama's left forearm. The picture showed both demons, together, smiling, and presented a beautiful view of both the sparkling rings. Hiei, although completely embarrassed, tolerated the ningen frivolities rather well.

 

After the pictures, the group crowded in to ooh and aah over the rings and compliment the demons on what a wonderful couple they made.

 

Finally, the excitement and hubbub began to take their toll on the fatigued, recently recovered fox. Hiei felt his lover lean heavily on his shoulder for support. The hiyoukai led his beloved back to the sofa to sit down. As Kurama sat, he closed his eyes and sighed his relief.

 

The guests saw this and realized how exhausting today must have been for the Kurama. They each said goodnight and made their way to the door. Shiori was the last to leave.

 

"Shuuichi, I am so happy for you!" she crooned. She turned to Hiei. "You had better take good care of my son," she said, smiling. Then she turned back to Kurama. "And you had better take good care of my son-in-law," she said. With a final hug, and the promise to see them tomorrow morning, she left.

 

Hiei closed the door behind the departing guests and returned to the sofa. Kurama was admiring his ring with a content smile on his face. The hiyoukai sat down and snuggled into the fox's side, sighing happily.

 

"Love?" Kurama said after a few minutes of silence. Hiei looked up at him. "I love you, and I meant every word I said tonight. But I want...I need...more," the kitsune said haltingly. "I can't stand being separate from you. I want us to be one, not just in the ningen sense, but in the demon sense as well. I...I want to bond." Kurama's voice trailed off at the enormity of the favor he was asking.

 

Hiei sat up and looked at Kurama. "You want to attempt a mating ritual?" he asked incredulously.

 

"Yes," the fox said softly.

 

"You know how dangerous that is, don't you? If something goes wrong, or if our bond is not strong enough, we will both die. Also the Jagan or the dragon could break loose during the ritual and kill us both as well," Hiei said. Kurama nodded.

 

"I understand if you don't want to take that risk," Kurama said in a whisper, his eyes downcast. His answer came in the form of lips pressed to his own.

 

When they broke apart, Hiei said, "Fox, I want, no, need the same thing."

 

Kurama looked at his lover, now husband, and smiled. "So we're agreed? We will mate?" he asked hopefully.

 

"We will mate," Hiei said.

 

"Tonight?" Kurama pressed.

 

"But, Kurama, you're still weak. You need more time to recover," the hiyoukai objected.

 

Kurama shook his head. "My physical state is irrelevant; the ritual will work or we both will die," he pointed out. "Besides, it's our wedding night. It's the perfect night for us to bond." Hiei searched his lover's eyes for a moment then nodded his assent.

 

The demons headed upstairs. Before going to bed, Kurama took a sheet of paper and wrote a note to his mother, just in case the ritual failed. Then the two demons climbed into their bed and snuggled up to each other.

 

They lay together, staring at each other for long time. Hiei caressed Kurama's face lovingly. He opened his mouth to speak, but one look from the green eyes silenced him. Leaning close, the two began kissing and exploring each other's bodies. They took their time, enjoying each other fully. When they made love it was slow and passionate. Their long abstinence from each other and the knowledge that this would be their last night together if the ritual failed added a bittersweet desperation to their joining, a desperation that could only be quenched by time in each other's embrace, warm breath on hot skin, and slow, deep kisses. No words were spoken; none were needed. When they reached their climax they collapsed to lay together, still joined, panting and savoring their shared moment. Finally Kurama shifted and moved to lie beside Hiei. Both knew what was next, but neither wanted to break the love spell they had woven around each other. Lying together, they just held each other.

 

Kurama brought Hiei's hands to his mouth. He gently kissed and licked every finger. As he did, the shine of the new ring fascinated him. Hiei has put quite a lot of thought into their rings. Each stone had a meaning. The fire demon did not need to explain to Kurama the significance of each stone; the fox knew instantly upon seeing the ring what every symbol meant. The red ruby was a symbol of Kurama's humanity: the fiery red head who welded the deadly rose whip. The green emerald represented his plant powers, his kitsune heritage. The black diamond was Hiei's black flames, his fire demon heritage that he knew so little about. The hiruseki was evidence of his forbidden Koorime ancestry; a stone he, alone, could produce. The larger white diamond set between them was their bond: white for purity and larger because they were far more together than they were separately. The ring told their story in the simplest terms; a story that culminated in this moment. No matter what the future held for them, they would be together. They made their promises to each other, and now was the time to seal those words with blood and energy.

 

When Kurama was done fondling Hiei's hands with his lips, the fire demon whispered, "Fox, are you certain about this?"

 

"Positive," the kitsune responded, drawing Hiei close for a brief kiss. The demons smiled at each other before they sat up to prepare.

 

Very little was known of the ritual of demon mating. Many stories had evolved over time. Some claimed that the demons bite each other's necks and drink the blood, like vampires. Some claimed they must bite each other at their climax during intercourse. Most of the stories had something to do with a bite of some sort. Some legends maintained that the bite was permanent, leaving an eternal scar. Others claimed the bite must be ritualistically renewed on a regular basis. Other stories omitted the whole biting thing completely, favoring sexual pain and bloody dominance. Most stories, no matter how bizarre, often found their roots in some shred of truth. The extent of the truth hidden by these tales was unknown, however.

 

The only certainty still known about the ritual is that it involved blood and energy transfer. If the ritual began successfully, the participating demon's instincts would guide them through the rest of it. The entire path was fraught with danger, however. If the ritual were not successfully invoked, both demons would bleed to death. If the ritual were started poorly, without complete dedication from both demons, their blood would poison each other. Once the energy transfer began, if either demon held back a portion of their ki, the resulting energy clash would tear both apart. Finally, if the demons were not one hundred percent dedicated to each other and their bond, both would die of youki loss as their energies collided endlessly.

 

The ritual also defined who was dominant and who was submissive; two demons seeking dominance over each other could not complete a bond, nor could two demons seeking submission. These were the reasons so few demons ever attempted the ritual. That, and this ritual bound the demons to monogamy. Most demons craved freedom, and were indiscriminant in their choice of sleeping partners. Yet Kurama and Hiei wanted this. No, they needed it. They were drawn to each other and felt they could not be whole without being one. For this they chose to attempt the ritual.

 

After getting cleaned up, the two demons sat on their bed. Kurama sat with his legs extended in front of him, the pillows behind him. Hiei sat on his knees, straddling Kurama's lap. They faced each other, and this position brought them to nearly the same height. Both were bare, hiding nothing. On the bed next to them sat two sharp knives and a long strip of white cloth.

 

The two regarded each other silently. Over the course of their relationship they had said all the words they needed to say. This was all that was left. Slowly, Kurama raised his hands and unbound first Hiei's Jagan, then the dragon concealed on his right arm. Energy wards could not be worn during the ritual. There was a very real possibility that either the dragon, or more likely, the Jagan, would reject the bond and kill both demons when their energies were low. But both were willing to take this chance.

 

When the wards were discarded to the floor, each demon picked up a knife. Staring intently at each other, each laid the knife across his left wrist. Simultaneously, both drew the sharp blades across their skin and through their flesh to the right and downward. The deluge of blood from both wounds sent their heads spinning, but they ignored the dizziness, never faltering.

 

The two extended and crossed their wrists, pressing the wounds together. Kurama picked up the cloth, and together, using their right hands, they both tied the material tightly around their wrists, binding the wounds tightly again each other. Once that was done, they waited. There was no turning back now. If the ritual were successfully invoked, their demon instinct would carry them from here. If not, they would both die. The stakes of a demon marriage were far higher than those of the ningen version. Silence lay heavily, like a wet blanket, over the room.

 

The fox and fire demon looked at each other, waiting. They were nervous about the outcome of this endeavor, but each felt confident because of the other's presence. Looking into Hiei's eyes, Kurama smiled. Hiei returned the smile fully. Each was willing to forfeit his life to be with the other. So far all each felt was a burning sensation at the cut on his wrist.

 

After some time, Kurama reached out his right hand to stroke Hiei's cheek. Both were getting antsy waiting for something to happen, and Kurama just felt like touching his love. He gently traced Hiei's cheekbone to his nose, then his lips, up his jaw to his ear, and then down his neck to his throat. The fox could easily have killed the smaller demon with a squeeze and a jerk of that hand, but that thought never crossed either demon's mind. Kurama rested his hand idly on Hiei's exposed throat, and Hiei never flinched.

 

After a few more minutes, Hiei reached out and touched Kurama's hair. He gently played with the strands, watching them as they slid through his fingers. His hand traveled to Kurama's face, exploring, as the fox had done to him. Although he had stroked the kitsune's skin before, and was intimately familiar with the face he now caressed, at this moment, each touch was new, each inch of skin a new treasure. Kurama's hand crept back up to Hiei face again. Gently, both demons continued to touch and explore each other's faces as if for the first time. Neither knew or realized why they were doing this, only that something inside drove them to do it. When their hands finally came to a rest, Kurama's hand was on Hiei's throat again, and the fox stared right at Hiei's face. Hiei's hand rested lightly on Kurama's chest, and the fire demon's gaze was lowered; his eyes were closed.

 

After a brief moment, Kurama slid his hand around Hiei's neck and drew him closer. Likewise, Hiei slid his hand around Kurama's back. They met in a deep kiss, neither seeking dominance. The kiss ended, only to be followed by several shorter ones. They nuzzled into each other's cheeks, planting random kisses, as each grew more impatient with some undetermined need. They licked each other's jaws, nibbled at ear lobes, and rubbed noses. Their hands traveled down around each other's backs, pulling them impossibly close.

 

Kurama's cuddling took on a frantic fervor as his licked and sucked his way down the left side of Hiei's neck. When he reached the junction of the hiyoukai's neck and shoulder, he stopped and sucked hard on the flesh there. Hiei had found his way to the same spot on Kurama's neck. Their one-armed embrace around each other tightened to a painful degree, almost as if they were trying to squish each other into one body. Neither could breathe, and neither cared; their bodies were consumed by a blazing fire radiating from their bound wrists.

 

Kurama felt something building deep within him, some drive to act. Without conscious realization, he felt the urge explode within him, and he clamped his teeth down hard on the skin he was sucking. He was only vaguely aware of the sharp sting of a similar wound on his own neck.

 

The urge to act again flooded his being. Kurama tightened his jaw and released all of his energy, youki, reiki, life energy, everything he had into the bite. His head swam from the energy drain and the lack of oxygen, but he made no move. Suddenly a blinding white light and searing pain engulfed his mind, emanating from his forehead.

 

Hiei had felt Kurama bite him at the exact same moment his sharp teeth had pierced Kurama's thin skin. The demon had been moved by some irresistible force to bite the fox, and now he was likewise moved to release all of his energy into the wound. He bit harder as his consciousness reeled. He felt the dragon tugging to escape, freed of the ward and of his control. The dragon did not care about the bond, only the chance to escape and wreak havoc. The Jagan, on the other hand, was very interested in the bonding ritual. The third eye snapped open and bright white light flashed through Hiei's mind as raging pain assaulted his senses; the Jagan was unbound and unrestrained by its host. Hiei knew that these two forces, the Jagan and the dragon, could tear him apart if he did not retain enough energy to control them, but he did not care. Holding Kurama, he released everything.

 

Two forms sat on the bed, bound together at the wrist, clutching onto each other desperately, teeth planted in each other's neck, as both their energies coursed around them. Wave after wave of ki, fox and fire demon, human and koorime, bounced and rebounded around the area in a discordant frenzy. The two forms began to rock back and forth amidst the torrent of power released from their shells. Their rocking motion gained shaking as the cacophony reached its climax.

 

All was still. A red headed figure fell backwards onto the pillows behind it, it's teeth pulled free from the bloodless wound on the neck of the smaller figure. The smaller fell with it, pitching forward to land on the larger. The dark form rolled to its right, coming to rest beside the other on the bed. Their wrists were still tied together, and they still clung tightly to each other in their silent blackness.

 

--

 

Crimson eyes opened wearily. Every breath was tentative, and movement was out of the question. Slowly a face came into focus. Deathly pale skin covered the wan features of the unmoving fox. Hiei tried to shift, to free his unbound, right hand from its prison under the kitsune. He wanted to check on Kurama. From where he was laying, he could not see if the fox was even breathing. After a few weak attempts, Hiei realized he did not have the strength to draw his hand to him. He felt himself edging towards darkness once more. As much as he tried to fight it, within a few moments he was lost to slumber once more.

 

Several hours later, still before dawn, Kurama shifted his head slightly. Slowly he wakened. He felt completely drained of all his energy. Opening his eyes, he looked towards the hiyoukai in the bed with him. Hiei lay motionless. A slight rise and fall of his chest was the only sign of life. Kurama just watched him, rememorizing every aspect of the small face. Eventually Hiei awoke again.

 

The two demons looked at each other, both relieved the other was still alive. Finally Hiei tugged his pinned arm weakly, trying to free it. Kurama shifted as much as he could, and the hiyoukai's arm slipped free. Shakily, the fire demon raised his hand to touch the red hair. "Fox?" he said is a hoarse voice.

 

"Yes?" Kurama answered softly. Hiei just smiled and looked at their bound left wrists. Kurama nodded, and slowly dragged his hand to join Hiei's in unwrapping the binding. As the final layers of cloth fell away, each demon took the other's wrist and turned it to face him, to examine the damage done to his lover. Both were more concerned about the other than himself. Kurama looked at Hiei's wrist in satisfaction. Not a trace of the wound remained, no scar, no blood, no cut. Likewise Hiei stared at Kurama's wrist, where the pale skin was again whole and unmarred. Looking up, his eyes met those of his fox.

 

"We did it?" Hiei asked softly.

 

"We did it, Love...my mate," Kurama replied. The two demons shifted their positions to nestle together more comfortably. Hiei reached down and drew the blanket over their nude forms.

 

"My mate. You are my mate," the hiyoukai said softly, trying out the new title.

 

"I like that," Kurama whispered.

 

"Me, too," Hiei replied. Nestled together, warm beneath their blanket, the new mates drifted into a gentle sleep. This was not like the deep, dark hibernation that had claimed them immediately following the ritual. This was a restful slumber, cuddled in each other's arms.

 

 

Epilogue

 

 

Shiori knocked on the door for the third time. She had waited until noon to come by, giving the newlyweds time to sleep in and do...what newlyweds do the next morning. But by now they should have been awake. She began to get worried. Her son, although released from the hospital, did get tired very easily. The doctors had warned him to take it easy for a few more weeks, and she was concerned that perhaps the excitement of the day before was too much for him. She took her keys out of her purse and quickly found the one she needed. Opening the door, she stepped in, calling out softly, "Shuuichi? Hiei?" No answer.

 

Shiori looked around. Everything was the way it had been last night. The kitchen was still tidy, as if it had not been used this morning. Frowning and chewing her lip, she started up the stairs.

 

When she reached the door to the master bedroom, Shiori knocked lightly. "Are you in there?" she called out as she pushed the door. It yielded to her touch and silently swung open, revealing the interior of the room.

 

Shiori took a moment to focus on the bed then smiled. Her son and Hiei were snuggled up together like two bugs in a rug. She could see her son looked just fine, was breathing, and his color was good. She admired them for a few minutes more, until something caught her attention. A crimson eye was watching her back.

 

"Oh! Excuse me. I knocked, and I called, but there was no answer. I'll just wait for you two downstairs. Take your time," she said, drawing the door closed.

 

Hiei watched the door for just a moment, pondering, before he turned his attention back to Kurama. He had been so deeply asleep; he had not even noticed the less-than-stealthy approach of the human. That was not just unusual for him; it was unheard of! The only thing that alerted him to her presence was the Jagan. Even then, he had only awakened when he felt his implant gathering power to attack the intruder. Luckily he had awakened and regained control before Shiori was rendered a mindless slave to the Jagan. He reasoned that this was another reason why there were so few bonded demons. Either they were afraid to be rendered helpless, or they were killed shortly after the ritual. The idea took "till death do us part" to a new level. Pushing the thought out of his head, Hiei began to rouse his mate with a kiss.

 

Kurama awoke to the most wonderful feeling he could think of: Hiei's lips pressed to his own. When he opened his eyes, Hiei's face was the first sight that greeted him. After some snuggling, Hiei opened the conversation. "Your mother is here."

 

"What?" Kurama said, caught off guard. That was not what he had expected to hear first thing in the morning.

 

"When I woke up, Shiori was peeking in to check on you. I did not even hear her coming, and you were still out cold. I only awoke when the Jagan was trying to reach out and control her," Hiei said, getting up and gathering some clothing.

 

"It was?" Kurama asked, alarmed.

 

"Yes. I controlled it in time, so no harm was done. It only happened because I was so deeply asleep," Hiei said, starting to dress Kurama.

 

"But, it didn't try to control me, did it?" Kurama asked allowing his mate to dress him.

 

"No. It likes you. It has accepted our bond, and recognizes you as my mate," Hiei replied, beginning the dress himself.

 

"What, how...the white light. The white light and the pain in my head had to do with the Jagan?" Kurama asked, standing up unsteadily.

 

Hiei nodded. "It was giving its energy to deepen our bond. It really likes you. Not as much as I do though," the hiyoukai said, leaning in to kiss Kurama. Both demons toppled over, back onto the bed, still liplocked.

 

Shiori was preparing some food when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She looked up to greet her son. "Good morning, my boys!" she said cheerily as she began dishing out the food she had made. She noticed as the demons approached the table that they seemed uncoordinated. Their movements were normal for humans, but for two usually graceful demons, they seemed to have four left feet between the two of them. She said nothing, however, and joined them for brunch, taking the opportunity to note how tired her son looked.

 

After the food was eaten, Shiori finally asked the question on her mind. "So, Shuuichi, you look exhausted this morning. Do you think you need to go back to the doctor?"

 

"No, Mother. I'm fine. Hiei and I were...up late last night," Kurama said, blushing.

 

"Oh, you were...up late? After you just got out of the hospital? I would have thought, between the two of you, you would have more sense than to be "up late" after that!" Shiori chided.

 

Kurama just blushed more and chuckled. "Mother, there's something else I want to tell you." The demons had discussed letting a select few people know of their bonding. Shiori was among them. Kurama continued. "There is an ancient ritual that demons use to bond with each other. It is similar to a human marriage in concept, but the practice is far different. It involves the transfer of energy and blood."

 

"Blood?" Shiori practically squawked. "Explain."

 

"Well, the participants each cut their left wrist and then..." Kurama began, knowing what was about to happen.

 

"Don't even think about it, young man! You either, Hiei! Blood and slitting, some ritual that must be!" Shiori fumed.

 

Knowing that the best way to do this was quickly, like ripping off a band-aid, Kurama just said, "We performed the ritual last night." as quickly as he could.

 

Shiori froze for a moment then practically leapt over the table, grabbing both their wrists to see the damage. Hiei instinctively snatched his wrist away from the human, but Kurama remained still. Shiori examined his wrist closely, finding no mark. When she looked up at him, the question was in her eyes.

 

"That is the blood transfer. The energy transfer is achieved through a bite, which also leaves no mark," Kurama finished, omitting the details that might frighten his mother. He tilted his head, and pointed at the spot where he had been bitten. When Shiori reached to touch it, he drew back.

 

"I'm sorry, Mother, that spot is very sensitive, and is only for Hiei to touch from now on," he said softly.

 

Shiori sat down, looking at the two before her. "So, this ritual is the demon version of marriage?" she asked softly.

 

"Yes," Kurama answered.

 

"Is it common?" she asked.

 

"No. Rarely do demons commit to marriage. It's not something that can be undone. There is no demon divorce. We are now mated. Forever," Kurama said, hoping for his mother's approval, but fearing she would see this as some freak, goth thing.

 

Shiori thought for a few minutes. She had seen everything that had happened between her son and this demon before her. She had seen a secret friendship grow into love, and then grow even more. She knew they held nothing back from each other. Looking between the two of them, she was startled at how much her son had grown up, at least in her eyes, from the day he had dragged Hiei, unconscious, into his bedroom and tried to hide the hiyoukai from her.

 

She was comfortable with the relationship between the demons; she had been for some time. It was the changes in her son, and in herself, that she was noticing now. Her little boy was a man. He made his own decisions, and he took responsibility for them. She realized suddenly that telling her of this ritual was an honor, not a duty. Kurama had told her because he wanted to include her. Hiei had allowed her into his life as a surrogate mother. She had seen a bit of Spirit World, and she knew there was also a Demon World, yet the two apparitions chose to remain in Ningenkai, to be near her. When she looked back at them, she realized how much they had grown, how much she had grown, and how connected they all were. Everything was out in the open, all the cards were on the table, and everyone had come clean with their secrets. Now it was her turn.

 

"I won't pretend that the idea of a ritual involving blood, and I'm sure with many more perils than you mentioned to me, does not scare me. But I trust both of you to make sound decisions. I don't have to agree. I just realized that I don't even have to know. I'm honored that you trusted me with this information, and I am proud of you and happy for you. It seems you two can get married after all!" she said with tears in her eyes. Her smile overshadowed the tears, though. "I may still treat you like a little boy now and then, Shuuichi, but it's because I will always see you as my little boy. I do respect you both, though, and I'm glad you found each other."

 

The three cleaned up the kitchen in companionable silence. After visiting for a few hours, Shiori decided to go home and leave the lovebirds together. They looked like they needed a nap anyway. As she left she gave a huge hug to both her "sons", and then went home, hoping the younger Shuuichi would turn out as well as the older one had.

 

--

 

A/N - Yes, even Shiori had to grow up a bit at the end. Don't worry, though. Anyone who read the first chapter of "Bugs" should recognize something that happened here. Deja vu?

 

Ahh, it's done. My baby is complete. Now, for anyone who thinks that all demon mating/bonding rituals are stupid, hey, you may be right! I picked the best parts out of the many, many, MANY I have read and made up my own. Now, there are no "mating marks" left behind; this is purely for the two who are bonding, not a trophy for the rest of the world. I just wanted to give Hiei and Kurama's relationship some more substance than a human relationship, because to me, their relationship shows what a true love should be. They overcame race, gender, prejudice, and fear to be together. Don't worry; the others came clean, too. But I couldn't resolve everyone in one story, now could I? I have to leave some things hanging for the next one.

 

Advertisement time! The sequel to Coming Clean is called Bugs. It is complete. It is posted on several sites, but not ff dot net (yet). I do intend to post it there, in its edited form, of course. There will also be a third installation of the saga. It will be called Akambo, and I am going right into it now that Coming Clean is over. A little teaser is below.

 

I really want to thank everyone who reviewed, e-mailed, and gave me feedback, even constructive criticism. As much I hate getting it, it did make my writing better. I feel honored that you knot only read my story, but took your time to write to me. Thank you so very much.

 

To answer a question I have received from a number of people: The tail itself? Hiei is hiding it. He won't show it to Kurama because it will make Kurama upset, but he treasures the darn thing. It was his connection to his lover when Kurama was "dead", so he has it tucked away and we will probably never hear from it again. Maybe.

 

Akambo: Hiei and Kurama are mated and living in their home near Shiori. Yusuke and Keiko are unofficially engaged (same as they were at the end of Coming Clean). When everyone is feeling settled and peaceful, things start to heat up. A visit and a request to Hiei start the ball rolling, then a demonic scientist with too much time on his hands gives our detectives a lot to worry about. Throw in a major change that will alter Kurama and Hiei's lives forever, and you have a story. This takes place some years after Bugs. Will contain less angst than Coming Clean, and much less violence. All major characters will be present (Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko, Yukina, Shiori, Genkai, Botan, Koenma, and Shizuru. Sorry if I missed any). There will be light moments, and it will be more of a 'fun' story than Coming Clean was...more along the lines of Bugs. (Hint: the word "akambo", also spelled "akanbou".)

 

I also have an idea for a smaller story to be interjected between coming Clean and Bugs. As of now it is entitled "Just Bonded" and will explain more of why Kurama and Hiei chose to mate, and the aftereffects that are often over exaggerated (IMHO). Do they need to be together when the sun goes down? Do they need to re-bite each other? Do they speak to each other mentally in silent conversations? You'll have to read to find out. I will try to work on this along with Akambo.

 

If you have comments or questions that you wish for me to respond to, please either e-mail me directly or give me a means of contacting you in your review. There will be no more chapters in which I can respond in A/Ns.