Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Learning Christmas ❯ Chapter 6

This next one is Kurama on the day Hiei came back. He's having some trouble finding a particular gift.

Chap. 3

Kurama woke up that morning feeling refreshed but tiredly. He had to go shopping for his friends so he could give them to the gang at the party tomorrow.

`I don't usually do things last minute,' he thought walking to the bathroom and took a shower. After brushing his teeth he combed his fine red hair and walked out in a bath robe to get dressed.

Walking down stairs he noticed that his mother wasn't up yet. Well, it was seven in the morning and Kurama wanted to get an early start before Hiei came back that day. Grabbing a bowl of cereal he quickly ate and left a note for Shiori telling her what he was doing. Putting on his shoes and a heavy coat he walked out.

He loved this time of year. Not because of the presents but because he got to spent time with his family and with his Detective job he hardly got to do that. He also didn't feel like the century old fox that he was but a young and giddy kit waiting for his parents to take him to his first theft.

He walked into the mall and pulled out a list. On it was the presents he was going to buy each of his friends.

Okaasan-necklace

Otousan-watch

Shuichi-Playstation game

Yusuke-CD

Kuwabara-wrist bands

Koenma-stamp

Botan-hair ties

Yukina-snow globe

Keiko- doll

Shizuru- ashtray

Genkai-punching bag

Hiei-?

Yes, he was stumped on what to give Hiei. And this coming from his best friend/lover and he couldn't ask Hiei, it would ruin the surprise. Hiei carried very little, like his sword, cloak, and his mother's tear gem necklace that she gave him the day he was born. Other than that Hiei didn't need anything. So what would Hiei give him? He chuckled a little. Hiei probably doesn't even know what Christmas is. And for Hiei finding presents for people would be harder than mastering the Black Dragon. Speaking of presents he would never get his shopping done if he doesn't start.

He walked into a jewelry store and bought a pretty pearl necklace he was sure Shiori would like and while there a brass watch for his step-father. Walking into a music and game store he bought a CD for Yusuke and a `Kingdom Hearts' game for Shuichi. He was sure they would like them.

He got the wristbands and the punching bag at the sporting goods store. He thought that Yusuke would be saved from Genkai's punches if he got her the bag. Walking to a toy store he bought a cute teddy bear and Botan peony colored hair ties to match her eyes. He got the snow globe and ashtray from an oriental store. The globe had polar bear on a snow bank with its cubs and the ashtray was crystal with an Eskimo dressed Santa fishing on the rim. He found their gifts in less than an hour so now he had to find something for his itooshi. He looked through the entire mall but he found nothing that Hiei would like. It would be the fire Koorime's first Christmas and Kurama wanted something that Hiei would really like. Something to put a smile on that sour face he came to love.

After another hour of searching and finding nothing, he left with two arm loads of gifts. He awkwardly knocked on the door so someone could let him in.

"Oh, Shuichi, you're back! I was starting to get worried," said Shiori when she opened the door. "Did you find all the gifts you need? Would you like something to eat?"

"Kaasan, you worry about me too much," said Kurama setting his stuff down on the coffee table to hug his mother. "I'm fine. And no, I'm not hungry and no I haven't found all the gifts to give my friends. I'm still missing one."

"To who?"

"Hiei, my best friend."

"Isn't he that short guy with black hair and red eyes, who sits on your window sometimes when I check on you?"

"Yes, that's him. He's a complicated person to figure out; I'm stumped on what to give him"

"Well, what ever you give him I'm sure he will like it."

"Arigato, kaasan."

"Aniki! What did you buy for me?" yelled Shuichi flying down the stairs and attack the grocery bags.

"Oh no Shu-chan, not until Christmas," said Kurama snatching the gifts before his step-brother would reveal what his older brother had bought him.

"That's right, Shu-chan," chuckled Shiori, "you can't open your presents till Santa visited us."

"Aw, come on kaasan, I'm too old to believe in that myth. But demons are another thing. I swear there are demons living among us!"

"Right," said Kurama walking up the stairs to his room, his little brother is still young and in tune a tiny fraction to the Spirit World, as most kids are. Kurama does all he can do to keep Shuichi from learning the truth, "And me and my friends are alien invaders bent on taking over the world."

"Are you?"

"You may never know!"

"Oh, Shu-kun, Shu-chan, stop teasing each other."

"Hai, kaasan!"

Kurama walked up the stairs to his room and locked the door so Shuichi wouldn't peek. Setting the bags on his desk he got out the wrapping material he got from Shiori yesterday and started to wrap his gifts, humming a Christmas carol. He was on his last gift, Yukina's, when he heard the tapping on his window. Looking at his lover he smiled brightly, happy to see him again, and opened the window. He waited till Hiei removed his cloak, katana, and boots. When Kurama taught Hiei to take off his shoes coming in the house the little fire demon was tracking mud, gore, blood and Reikai knew what else all over the carpet in Kurama's bed room. The fox had to force the shoes off his best friend before Hiei took the hint and started taking off his boots. And he'd done it ever since.

He embraced his koibito and kissed his mop of raven black hair.

"I've missed you," he whispered.

"Me too. Kurama what is going on? I've been away for three months and when I came back everything changed."

Laughing Kurama let go of Hiei and sat on the bed. "It's Christmas, Hiei!"

"Who is Christmas?"

Christmas isn't a person, Hiei; it's a holiday humans celebrate every year in December."

"What is its significance?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain. Every year on December 25 families get together and celebrate Christmas. They give presents and celebrate the birth of their Savior."

"Who is this `Savior'?"

"Jesus Christ the Lord. He was born to die for us and Christmas celebrates His birth."

"I still don't understand. What is the meaning of the lights and fuzzy colorful string stuff? And the tree with the strange ornaments? What are the figures in people's lawns for? What do they signify?"

Kurama rubbed his temples as his lover bombarded him with questions. He figured Hiei would ask questions about Christmas but not this much! His head was going to explode!

"Hiei, you're asking too many questions for me to think! The lights and the tree are tradition that is fun to do, the fuzzy colorful string is called tinsel for decorating a tree or a house and the figures in people's lawn are decoration too."

"What does each figure signify?"

"Describe them to me."

"One was a man with white hair and beard; he was wearing a red coat and pants. He was extremely fat, too."

"That is Santa Claus, also called St. Nicholas. Stories say that he is a mythical character who will give you presents on Christmas if you are good. On Christmas Eve, when people are asleep, he goes around the world on a sleigh and put presents under the tree."

"What drives the sleigh?"

"Reindeer."

"Is that the strange horned animal I saw?"

"Most likely."

"Another was a made of snow. He had a carrot nose and rocks for eyes."

"That's a snowman, Hiei. Children like to make them those for the fun of it."

"It isn't snowing."

"They're made of plastic, Hiei! What else did you see?"

"Yusuke and Atsuko were singing a strange song, something about `deck the halls' or some other."

"Those are Christmas carols, Hiei. We have lots of them. Look Hiei, if you want to learn more about Christmas come to the party at Genkai's temple Christmas Eve, that's tomorrow. I assure you, me and the other's will help you understand Christmas."

Hiei nodded and looked at the pile of gifts Kurama finished wrapping on the desk.

"What are those?" he asked pointing at them.

"Presents! Christmas is the time of giving. You can give gifts for your loved ones if you want."

"Do you have to?"

"No, but it feels good to give a gift. Something about the smile a person gives you when they receive your present makes you happy too."

"Just by giving them something they don't need?"

"Sometimes we give them something they do need but it's no the gift that counts, it's the love that comes with it."

Hiei nodded and walked to the window, picking up his stuff and putting them on.

"Wait Hiei, Where are you going?"

Hiei looked at Kurama and walked back to him. Kissing the fox's brow he gave a small smile.

"To see Yukina. I didn't visit her yet." And he left.

Kurama looked out the window that Hiei just left out of. Well he can't deny his itooshi the right to see the only family he had but he hardly called that a visit. He wished Hiei stayed longer.

"Shuichi, come help us with the last bit of decorating!"

"Hai kaasan, I'll be right down!"

Closing the window but leaving it unlocked he walked out of his room.

A/N: At the end of the series Shiori got married, just for those who didn't know.