The Hardest Thing
chapter 13
by Rose Thorne



The Hardest Thing


~~STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY!!~~

"When I lose the will to win
I just reach for you and I can reach the sky again
I can do anything
'Cuz your love is so amazing
'Cuz your love inspires me"
~I Turn To You, Monica


Chapter 13
Kurama smiled at his mother. "I'm glad you visited, 'Kaasan."

"I am too, Shuuichi. And I'm glad I got the chance to meet you and welcome you to the family, Hiei." Hiei just nodded. "I'll call you two to let you know when you can come over."

Kurama frowned. "Shuu-kun must hate me."

Shiori shook her head. "Nothing of the sort! He wanted to come with me today, but I wanted to come alone. He's behind you one hundred percent."

There was a short pause before Kurama spoke. "I'm grateful that I have such a supportive family," the fox said softly. "That really means a lot to me."

Shiori hugged the redhead, then knelt and hugged her new son as well. "I'll see you two soon. I promise."

Kurama shut the door behind her, then turned to Hiei and swept him into an embrace. "This is so unreal! I thought I had lost them."

"I know," Hiei whispered, returning the hug. The Jaganshi was overcome by a deep yawn.

"Come on." Kurama gently picked up the exhausted youkai and carried him to the bedroom. After helping Hiei change into PJ's, the fox changed as well, then crawled into the bed beside his lover. They fell asleep curled in one another's arms.

* * *


Kurama awoke early the next morning. He kissed his lover gently. The Jaganshi stirred slightly. "I'm going to make breakfast. Go back to sleep, koibito." Hiei yawned cutely and turned over, burrowing under the comforter. Kurama smiled softly and rose, slipping on his robe and padding to the kitchen.

He made breakfast and carried it to the bedroom on a tray, setting it on the bedside table before kneeling beside the bed. The fox slowly pulled the covers from Hiei, who remained asleep. Hiei lay curled around himself, breathing deeply with an angelic look on his kawaii face. Kurama leaned close and kissed the Jaganshi lightly. Hiei woke. "K'rama?"

The fox smiled. "How does breakfast in bed sound, itooshi?"

Hiei smirked. "This from someone who got upset over a little ice cream?"

Kurama grinned, retrieving the tray and crawling into the bed next to his lover. "I wasn't mad for long."

Hiei snorted and curled closer to his fox.

* * *


Kurama finished the dishes and glanced at Hiei. The sanjiyan looked annoyed with something. "What's wrong, koishii?"

The Jaganshi sighed. "I'm bored, Fox. I can't train. I can't go anywhere. I can't even watch TV. There's nothing for me to do..."

Kurama smiled. "We could go to visit Yukina, if you want. We haven't seen her in a few days anyway." And I'm sure she'll have some idea of how to keep your mind busy...

Hiei smiled slightly. "I haven't been outside in days." He scowled. "I hope the Fool's not there!"

Kurama chuckled lightly. "That's like asking the sun not to shine, itooshi." Hiei's scowl deepened. "Let's get dressed and get going." The redhead led Hiei down the hall, then frowned as the doorbell rang. "Who could that be?"

Hiei shrugged. "Probably your mother again."

"Maybe. I'll answer it." He blinked as he opened the door to see two people he didn't know. "May I help you?"

"Are you Minamino Shuuichi?" one of the men asked.

"Hai. "Who-" Kurama cried out in surprise and pain as the man who had spoken kicked him in the groin. His knees gave out and he collapsed to the floor.

"That was for Tesia!" The other man growled, kicking him savagely. "And this is for being a faggot!" The two began to beat him brutally.

"Kurama?! What happened?! Who's here?!"

The fox gasped as Hiei hurried down the hall, blind to the danger. "Hiei! Run!" the redhead gasped.

One of the men glared down at Kurama. "So you're a child molester, too?! You're dead!" He pounded the fox.

Kurama watched helplessly as the other one advanced on Hiei, whose face was contorted with rage. The Jaganshi had realized what was happening, Kurama knew. "Hiei," he choked out, "run!"

Kurama watched helplessly as Hiei struggled against his assailant. The sanjiyan couldn't use his youki unless he wished to end up in the Reikai Prison. The fire demon stopped struggling as he felt cold metal against his throat. The man holding him looked up. "Got him."

"Good." Kurama was kicked brutally. Enraged, the kitsune grabbed his assailant.

The man holding Hiei growled, digging his dagger into Hiei's throat. "Keep it up and he dies." Kurama froze, then cried out involuntarily as he was kicked again.

Rage filled Hiei at the sound and he attacked in a rage, easily disarming and disabling his assailant, then bowling over Kurama's in a flurry of punches. Hiei grabbed both of the men, then frowned and tore realistic masks from the men's faces. Kurama frowned as he looked at the teenaged attackers. "I think they go to Yuusuke's school, koishii."

"Get your camera," Hiei said softly, his voice low and dangerous. "We'll give Yuusuke their pictures and he can take care of them. I don't feel like dealing with the Infant."

The fox retrieved the camera and snapped a few Polaroid shots of the two pallid-looking thugs. "Let them go, Hiei." The fire demon did and the boys fought to get out the door first. Kurama slammed and locked the door behind, them. He turned back to find Hiei staring up at him with and odd expression on his face. The fox knelt in front of his lover, checking him for injuries. "Hiei? What's wrong?"

Hiei blinked a few times. "Kurama...I can see..." he whispered hoarsely.

Kurama froze, gaping at him. "Nani?! Hontouni?!" Hiei nodded and the fox hugged him tightly.

The Jaganshi pulled away and looked at the redhead, drinking in every detail of the fox's face and body with his eyes. Finally, Hiei's crimson eyes met Kurama's emerald ones and both of them drowned in each other's soulful, beautiful orbs. "I thought I'd never see you again, Fox..." he whispered hoarsely, his gaze still riveted on his soul mate's eyes.

"I know, koishii." Kurama kissed Hiei deeply. "But everything's okay now." The fox kissed his lover again, working his hands under the sanjiyan's shirt as he leaned close. The doorbell rang again. Kurama groaned. "Bad timing." He disengaged himself from Hiei and looked through the peephole in the front door. He turned back to the Jaganshi. "It's Yuusuke," the fox whispered. "I guess he talked to Kuwabara." Kurama opened the door and let the ningen in.

Yuusuke looked concerned. "Oi, Kuwabara told me what happened. Are you two okay?"

Hiei snorted. Kurama shot him a Look before answering. "We're fine, Yuusuke."

The dark-haired boy glanced at Hiei, then spoke softly to Kurama. "Is he really blind?"

Kurama opened his mouth to reply, but Hiei cut him off. "I'm not deaf, baka."

Yuusuke blinked, looking uncomfortably. "Uh...gomen. Kuwabara said you went blind. Is that true, or was he pulling my leg?"

Hiei just shrugged, keeping his eyes down. Kurama bit his lip to keep from laughing as Yuusuke flinched. "Hiei, stop messing with him," the fox scolded.

The black-haired ningen glared as Hiei smirked. "Baka. I was really worried! I'm gonna kick Kuwabara's ass for this!"

Kurama sighed. "Anou...Hiei was blind. He regained his sight only today."

Yuusuke blanched. "How did he get it back? The way Kuwabara was talking, it was permanent."

Hiei scowled. "Ahou." He disappeared.

Kurama rolled his eyes. "Yuusuke, some guys came here this morning and attacked me because of what happened. They attacked me because I'm gay. Hiei's need to defend me helped him regain his sight." The fox smiled at Yuusuke's shocked expression. "They were from your school, I think. You want to see the picture we took so you can deal with them?"

Yuusuke cracked his knuckles and grabbed the photo. "Oh, good! I've been looking for an excuse to kick these guys' asses. Not that I need one..." The ningen walked to the door. "See you and Hiei later." The boy's grin widened. "Tell Hiei I'll make sure those two kisamas wish they'd never been born." Yuusuke left, closing and locking the door behind him.

Kurama shook his head and chuckled. The smile disappeared as he entered the bedroom. Hiei sat staring out the window. The fox stood beside the Jaganshi. "What's wrong?"

Hiei was silent for a while. "Kuwabara's big mouth."

Kurama sighed. "Hiei, you know just as well as I do that he would have found out sooner or later." The fox smiled. "If he'd found out sooner, he probably would've gone to the Makai and dragged you back here."

"Hn." The sanjiyan continued to look out the window. Kurama waited, knowing that Hiei had more to say. The youkai finally sighed. "I thought I would be blind for the rest of my life, Fox. It scared me." Hiei's voice was barely audible. "I was afraid I'd be a burden on you." Kurama opened his mouth to speak, but Hiei continued. "Maybe I wouldn't have been a burden here, but what about after your ningen body died? In the Makai, blindness is a horrible disability unless you're like Yomi." The Jaganshi sighed again. "You know I hate having to depend on anyone, Fox, even somebody I love." The sanjiyan looked his lover in the eye. "Kurama, I want you to promise me something. Promise me that, if I am ever permanently disabled, or if I get some sort of disease that will disable me and make me a burden, you'll kill me."

Kurama stared at his soul mate in horror. "I can't, koishii," he choked out. "I can't promise something like that!"

Hiei smiled bitterly. "Please, Fox. I'd rather die by your hands than my own. You know that we'd meet in the next life. It's our destiny."

It will never come to that... Kurama vowed to himself. I won't let it. So the promise will never be carried out... "I promise, koishii." The fox paused. "Promise me the same."

"I promise," Hiei whispered. The Jaganshi frowned. "You've started calling me 'koishii.' What does it mean?"

The redhead smiled. "It means 'beloved,' koishii. Do you want me to stop using it?"

Hiei shook his head and hugged the fox. "Iie. I like it."

Kurama kissed his vertically challenged partner and winked. "Today's the first day of the rest of our lives. What would you like to do?"

Hiei smiled back. "Anything, Fox. As long as it's with you."

~Finis~


It was recently brought to my attention by a few people that this chapter needed to be altered slightly, so, as you see, I did so, because I agreed with them.





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