The Beginning
by Larissa A. Williams
Chapter 11
Ground
Rules
In the morning Hiei woke and searched with his senses, looking for danger. Not finding any, he sat up on the branch and stretched before lightly hopping down. Looking around, first he blinked and then he frowned and started searching around the camp. Eventually he found Kurama in a small clearing out of the boundaries of his spell wards. The kitsune was… dancing in the glade, twirling and jumping and moving lightly in graceful strides and skips. It took Hiei a couple of moments to notice that as Kurama was moving, he was also lashing out with his new whip, tearing apart various plants and shadows that were attacking him. Hiei thought about what he saw and realized that Kurama had animated the plants and created some shadow-illusions. He’s practicing. He just recovered from a major fight, hasn’t even healed all his rei yet, and he’s already working to master his new weapon and regain his fitness. Hiei glanced up and jumped to a convenient tree branch to watch.
Hiei’s watching me. Kurama smiled as he felt Hiei’s attention but he didn’t let it deviate him from his dance. That last shadow was too close for his liking. He was putting a lot of what he’d learned from the rat into his creations, though he was careful of straining his newly healed body too much. The whip was good; Kurama liked the rose-whip. It was deadly and elegant, and it responded to his thoughts and needs with a minimal usage of rei. Still, though, he was trying to learn to use it as a regular whip as well – who knew when he’d have to improvise? Prepare for contingencies and look ahead.
Eventually, Kurama coiled up the whip and let it change back to a rose. He studied it for a long moment before putting it in his hair and then looking to where Hiei was.
Hiei jumped down, "How’d you get out of my spell-wards?"
Kurama eyed the short demon with fond exasperation. He could have said something about my practice! Though, really, Hiei’s eyes said everything about that. Kurama smiled as he replied, "Walked out. I guess that means you trust me."
Because the spell wards hadn’t alerted him… Kurama was right. Hiei snarled slightly, shaken at the thought of trusting Kurama that much. But I do, don’t I? So what do I fear?
"By the way, Hiei, Good Morning," Kurama bent gracefully down and kissed the demon’s soft thin lips.
Hiei flitted backwards in surprise before he tried to recover, "Don’t do that!"
Kurama blinked, "Excuse me?" Aren’t you being just a little ridiculous about this considering yesterday?
Flushing in confusion and irritation, Hiei glowered, "Don’t do it if you don’t mean it!"
Oh for… Kurama ignored Hiei and strode back to the camp where he pulled some instant breakfast meals out of Hiei’s pack and started eating. After a few minutes, Hiei silently joined him. As Kurama ate, he studied Hiei thoughtfully and nodded to himself.
"What?" Hiei was still nervous, off-balance from the fox’s actions and unsure of the meaning. What is he thinking? Why did he do that?
"Finish eating first," Kurama wanted to make sure they were both well nourished before he started.
Hiei growled at the implied order, but since he didn’t see any reason not to, he finished his meal and then waited.
Kurama continued to study Hiei for a bit longer before he leaned back against a tree, "Okay Hiei – I’ve been thinking since last night and I’ve decided it’s time for us to lay down some ground rules."
"Ground rules???" Hiei blinked, glancing down at the dirt he was sitting on.
Kurama’s lips twitched, "I mean for our relationship."
Hiei looked quickly up, his eyes a mixture of hope and despair. Warily he asked, "What relationship?"
This time Kurama did smile but he also raised a hand to rub at his face wearily, "The one between you and me. The one we’re still working on. A relationship just means exactly that – what is between two people, from cordial relationship on up to friends and partners and then beyond to lovers and mates. We’re defining ours right now." Kurama regarded Hiei seriously, "You love me. Right now, I think of you as a friend. We’ll keep working on it."
It’s more than I’ve had before, and it’s true, Hiei reminded himself. "Rules?" he asked warily, still not sure of Kurama’s meaning.
"Rules so we know where we’re coming from and what we will and won’t accept from each other." Kurama shrugged, "For instance, you might have a rule that says ‘no display of physical affection unless it goes into sex.’"
Hiei started up indignantly, "That’s not…!"
Kurama raised an eyebrow at him.
"You didn’t mean it!"
"Mean what?" Kurama sighed, "Hiei – I’m rather an affectionate person. I like to cuddle and touch and kiss as a means of expression. What I meant by the kiss earlier – and the only thing I meant by it – was ‘good morning.’ It was just a simple gesture, not meant to imply more."
"’Good morning’?" Hiei blinked.
Another sigh, "You don’t do much casual touching, do you?"
"Casual touching?"
Kurama thought about that one for a moment. "Back when you were talking to me about my hair," in spite of himself, Kurama winced a little at the topic, "you ran your hand through my mane and then kissed me – what did you mean by that?"
Hiei opened his mouth and then closed it again. He stared at Kurama for a long moment and then nodded.
An actual response would have been nice… "Hiei?"
"I’d forgotten that part of humans," Hiei remarked shortly, his tone saying subject closed.
Not closed yet, Kurama rolled his eyes, "Not just humans. Kitsune are very physically affectionate, and so are other spirits I know." And you didn’t answer my question…
Hiei snorted, his disdain obvious.
Kurama’s mouth tightened in annoyance and pain. Softly he said, "Don’t judge all kitsune by what you saw of me. I… liked my pleasures."
By the look on his face, Hiei was still skeptical, but he didn’t remark on it. Instead he said, "Not a rule." I like hugs…
Kurama grinned, "Okay, how changing it to: ‘All non-sexual displays of physical affection will be telegraphed in advance and approved before initiating.’"
Hiei rather thought that he was being teased by the fox, but even so he nodded at the new rule. He would try to adapt to some of the fox-human’s ways, but there was a limit to how far he’d go. This ‘rule’ set out his feelings on the matter rather nicely. Hiei reflected on what that said about how well Kurama knew him and a small shiver of fear went through him. First my spell wards, now this. I knew I loved him. I did not know how much I trusted him. Already, he knows me better than those I grew up with. Although Hiei had known this would happen, actually seeing it happening before his eyes was disconcerting. There was pain deep within him as he wondered how long it would be before things changed and Kurama’s first answer in the void would no longer be valid. He wondered how many years would pass before Kurama tried to betray him. People changed, and not usually for the better, in his experience. He had lived for too many years, and, almost, Hiei hoped that he would die before he had to see his love become his enemy.
What the hell is he thinking about now? Kurama almost put aside his original intent as he watched the demon retreat behind barriers he’d never seen before. The demon had been edgy for a while now… since he’d given Kurama the tear gem. Internally, Kurama shook his head, knowing that he would not put it off again. There was one thing that he had to get straight with Hiei or he would not stay with him. The first rule, while serious, was simply a lead-in for this main one. "Now, for a General Rule of mine," Kurama sighed as he thought about it again, "Hiei – you can’t get upset every time I happen to be sad or guilty or nervous or such."
Sitting bolt upright in indignation and protest, Hiei opened his mouth to say something but stopped at Kurama’s upraised hand.
"I know you don’t like to see me like that, that’s not the point," Kurama was gentle but firm. "You do like to see me happy and amused and aroused, right?"
Hiei looked Kurama over, aroused would be nice…
"Mind on subject, Hiei," there was a laugh in Kurama’s voice, "I’ll take that as a ‘yes’." Green eyes shaded a bare degree darker as he went on, "You can’t have one without the other."
"Huh?"
Kurama grinned again, "Hiei, I don’t have that many friends that I can be myself with. Normally, I am very careful with my emotions and my dealings with other people. You might want to look back on how we were while stealing the three Great Artifacts." Reading the interpretation in Hiei’s unchanging expression, Kurama shook his head, "And my coldness was not simply because of the situation. Hiei, if you’ve been watching me for 72 years, you damn well know that." Again, Hiei’s non-expression gave him away. "And yes, I’ve been in the human world for 15 years, but you yourself noted how little that has affected me."
"Affected?" Hiei broke in with a slight grin.
Kurama gave a bark of laughter, "That too." He looked at Hiei affectionately, "Hiei, I want to be friends with you. You can be a friend like no other. I know that. But Hiei," Kurama didn’t move, though he wanted to reach out and touch Hiei’s hand and cheek and…, "for that friendship, I will be myself. If you want to see my unfiltered emotions, you have to see them all, happy and sad, amused and horrified."
The ground received the impact of Hiei’s glower.
Kurama laughed, "Ah, Hiei…" This time he did reach out his hand but hovered several inches away from Hiei’s flesh. He waited until he saw Hiei’s minimal nod before laying his hand on Hiei’s. Carefully, he gathered up Hiei’s hand in his and tightened his fingers. The feel of Hiei’s hand in his… "Hiei, you can always try to cheer me up, or distract me, or reassure me," Kurama smiled his most brilliant smile and watched the strong demon melt under its effect, "All I ask is that you not… ask me not to feel."
Hiei was helpless with the force of Kurama’s touch and regard. He remembered the look of horror on Kurama’s face when the fox realized what the tear gem was. He remembered the despair of guilt Kurama felt when the void had nearly killed Hiei. He remembered… the way Kurama had always been, before they’d started this mission. Slowly, he tightened his fingers around Kurama’s, returning the grip. And he nodded.
His heart leaping with joy, Kurama could not contain his delight. Before Hiei could make another move, Kurama leaned over him, licking his face and growling happily. The little demon was so cute! And he tasted so good… Kurama’s tongue stopped wandering all over Hiei’s face and settled into his mouth, wrapping around Hiei’s tongue.
Just what was the wording of GR#1? Hiei reviewed it quickly in his mind and decided he hadn’t been mistaken. Then he started kissing Kurama back urgently, fearful that the fox would change his mind, needing the fox’s touch.
Kurama chuckled, moving his mouth slightly away, "Calm down, Hiei… I want to take this a bit slower. I didn’t get a chance to properly appreciate you last night. I want to show—"
The rest of Kurama’s words were swallowed by Hiei as the demon growled at the excessive talk and reclaimed his fox. Hiei’s movements became less frantic as he accepted Kurama’s statement. After disengaging his mouth from Kurama’s, Hiei carefully and deliberately undid each of the buttons on Kurama’s shirt, revealing portions of a smooth lean chest little by little.
Remembering what his shirt from the night before had ended up like, Kurama chuckled again as he enjoyed the feel of Hiei’s hands about their task. He leaned over the smaller body and nuzzled his face in the fur atop Hiei’s head. So soft, Kurama marveled again at the difference between look and feel. He drew in a great breath through his nose, smelling the scent of clean fur with Hiei’s own crispy musky smell. So soft, so wonderful. Kurama lipped at the roots of the fur, feeling the tickly softness on his mouth and cheeks.
Hiei’s hands paused on their task and then fell limply down as Hiei closed his eyes and moaned. He could feel Kurama’s every move, his breath rustling each individual hair, his lips kissing Hiei’s scalp through the fur… A rumbling started deep within Hiei’s chest as he responded to the attention.
Why is Hiei shaking? Kurama could feel the body within his arms shiver, a rhythmic vibration. Kurama lifted his head from Hiei’s fur and reached a hand to tilt Hiei’s face to where he could see it. The demon’s eyes were closed, a look of contented pleasure across his face, his mouth slightly open. And now Kurama could also hear the vibration… Kurama suddenly grinned, delighted, Hiei is purring. He hadn’t heard the odd sound since the first night, the night Hiei had told Kurama he loved him; the night he’d confused Kurama so badly... Kurama remembered that night, but this was a very different day, and they were closer and less confused, and Hiei wasn’t purring in his sleep – he was wide awake and purring for enjoyment of Kurama’s hands on him. Hiei’s eyes opened and soft red orbs stared up at him in absolute trust and pleasure. Kurama swallowed and leaned over to kiss Hiei again. Hiei, accept my physical comfort now, and I will love you later. I swear it. I don’t want to lose you, I want what I have stolen. Let us share pleasure now, and it will be a prelude to our love.
Ahhh… A lake of warmth and well-being, Hiei let his senses expand out beyond the mere five as he took in the wholeness of being kissed by Kurama, being held by Kurama, the regard and desire Kurama had for him. Not love, not yet; but regard and care. It was enough. Hiei loved the fox-human, and would no matter what the future brought. Kurama could be his friend, and Hiei would love him. He had shed his tear for what could not be changed, and now he accepted it. The fox accepted him; showing his understanding of the demon by laying out the ‘rules’ – and being matter of fact about Hiei’s love. As long as I’m not scaring him or confusing him anymore, I can accept that. If he accepts my love, I am content with his friendship. Hiei returned his hands to the buttons on Kurama’s shirt, finishing the task and sliding his hands over the charming flesh, so soft and supple, perfect in every way, the energy sparking from it like the refreshment of a misty spray on a hot day. Hiei spread his fingers over the skin, hovering as he sought that energy, traced it, absorbed it, felt it slide between the corners of his own rei as his energy seeped into Kurama.
Kurama’s breath drew sharply in and he leaned his head back as feeling coursed through his body. Lightning that ricocheted though his body from one nerve path to another. "Eiahh…" Kurama couldn’t help the moan and the yelp that escaped his lips as he desperately pushed his energy out to make room for that which was coming in. Hiei, you demon – this was how you set me off so quickly last night. That and a young near-human body. As his body reacted in the expected manner and the heat started to grow, Kurama’s lips twitched in amusement, I will still have my dance… "Hiei," he whispered the demon’s name, calling deliberately to what he know of the demon – and putting seduction in the tones, wafting his rei out in low pulses designed to slip through skin deep into the core of a being, to awaken pleasure there.
The growl rumbled out from his throat and heart, a rough, tearing sound that spoke of his surrender to the feelings firing in him from the sound of his name spoken by the fox-human. Patches of dry wood that had been smoldering with tongues of fire licking up in places suddenly became a roaring bonfire of flames ignited by the fuel only Kurama could give.
As green and blue fire flared out around Hiei’s body, Kurama gave only one startled blink before running his hands along the flames. Do I have an effect on him or what? Kurama grinned as he took Hiei’s cloak off and pressed their bodies together. Hiei’s hands clenched Kurama’s arms tightly as Kurama wrapped himself around Hiei, warming himself in the fire.
* * *
Much later, Kurama gasped and pulled away, "Wait, Hiei!"
Hiei raised his head and looked up the length of Kurama’s chest, his eyebrows raising, "Now what?" The fox had pulled away so many times before completion… and had come back each time to pleasure Hiei some more, yet still leaving him wanting as well. Hiei was both not happy and happy at the same time. His body needed Kurama…
"Oooo…" the red-head writhed on the ground for a moment as he forced his body to calm down a bit. Then he reached up to his hair and pulled out a seed, whispering fondly to it before setting it on the ground to grow.
"Oh for…" Hiei glowered, "I already set spell wards, damnit."
Kurama burst into giggles, "Even in the middle of sex, you have a one-track mind!"
"Kurama, will you just let me finish?" Hiei just wanted to go back to that hard rigid flesh and to hear the growls and yelps the fox made as Hiei ran his hands and his mouth over him… Hiei started stroking Kurama without waiting for the answer, needing to taste the hardy musk and pine and cinnamon taste and wanting to drink in the nectar…
"Ahhh…" Kurama almost forgot himself again under Hiei’s touch, but his plant, the scent of fresh blossoms tickling his nose, reminded him. He pulled away from Hiei again and reached a hand out to the plant, crooning at it as he stroked the wide white petals.
"You’d rather make love to a plant than me????" Hiei snorted and rolled away, irritated beyond words.
"Hiei, come here…" Kurama raised his voice as he continued to tickle the plant, encouraging the flower to open and spread its petals out to the moonlight.
With an expression that said that Kurama was dead if he didn’t have a good reason, Hiei moved up next to the kitsune. In spite of his annoyance, Hiei involuntarily found his eyes drawn to the beautiful flower that was opening on the plant. Pure white petals at first glance, then the eye was drawn inside to the delicate swirl of red and purple lines tracing the interior of each blossom, barely seen, receded inside the petals as veins in skin… His mouth opened and his eyelids fluttered down as he drew in the scent that was filling the air. A delicate scent of roses and jasmine and rice and fresh rain on grass and eucalyptus bark crushed underfoot… Hiei moaned as he sank down on the ground, his eyes shutting completely.
"Whoops," Kurama was instantly distracted from the plant. "Hiei? Hiei? Hey, here… Hiei?" He picked up the demon and worriedly stared at the peaceful face. That’s not suppose to happen! Kurama drew a hand over Hiei’s chest, resting it over his heart as he leaned to check Hiei’s breathing, "Hiei?"
The fox’s breath was warm on his cheek, his touch firm on his skin. Without opening his eyes, Hiei started to purr and he reached languidly out to draw his fingers through Kurama’s hair. He kissed that portion of the fox that was near his lips and started searching for Kurama’s mouth.
"Ummm…" Kurama blinked at the uncharacteristic sweetness of Hiei’s actions. And responded to it, his body conforming to Hiei’s touch and his eyelids drooping down as Hiei finally found his mouth and leisurely explored it.
"So sweet," Hiei murmured, his mouth against Kurama’s, "Cool. My rose of delight." His hands wandered over Kurama’s skin as he moved his body against the cool flesh next to him. His actions were slow as he felt the cells of his skin connect and slide against Kurama’s. The barely discernible fur over his body ruffled out in waves.
Kurama was taking full advantage of the sensuous actions from the demon, his body becoming even more flushed and hot as Hiei stroked him than it had been earlier, and his need growing strong. Kurama growled loudly as he nipped at Hiei’s neck.
"Ow!" Hiei pulled away, his eyes blinking open.
And Kurama paused at the sight of those wide eyes, the red iris almost totally covered by black pupil, the rest of the eye as yellow as when Hiei was in his power form. "Oops…" Kurama suddenly realized what had happened, "It’s a drug for you. The flower is drugging your senses." Now if only the rat had reacted like that! In the battle, Kurama had used every plant he had – even his non-fighting ones. The rat had laughed at most of them; he’d completely ignored this one. But Kurama didn’t want Hiei to be the one affected like this!!! Ah frack…
Hiei’s eyes closed again as he leaned back to Kurama, "Does it matter?"
"Yeah, ‘cause you’re going to kill me when you can think again!" Without even needing to think, Kurama knew the demon would not tolerate this involuntary loss of control.
"Never kill you," Hiei murmured, his breath flowing over Kurama’s chest, his fingers leisurely exploring, "Love you. Protect you. Never hurt." His tongue replaced his breath and continued the exploration, moving down towards Kurama’s waist.
Oh geez… Kurama reached out to his flower and flicked a finger at it, closing the blossom and making it dissolve away. Now how do I get him out of it? He gasped as Hiei’s mouth tried to make the question recede to the back of his mind. "Ahh…" He had to keep control – Hiei was not going to be happy…
"Let go, Kurama." Hiei’s jagan opened, glowing a deep purple, "Let go of your worry and just feel." The blue fire that had been absent for awhile sparked out around Hiei’s fingers as he started to concentrate intensely on pleasing the one he loved. He deepened the sensations and added a touch of his own as he brushed at the fox’s mind, creating a feeding loop that would allow the fox to slip higher into pleasure…
Kurama yelped, his hips bucking involuntarily as his senses were suddenly overwhelmed with a need that shot through his body and drove all reason away. His green eyes glowed as he looked down at Hiei’s black hair at his waist… He reached down and drew Hiei away, his hands fluffing the fur and tugging at Hiei’s shoulders to draw him up, "Turn around, Hiei."
The demon reached over to kiss Kurama deeply before kneeling on the ground, his hands clenching into the dirt.
Nectar… Kurama had shut the plant up. He glanced around, noting that some of it had dripped out of the flower and was on the ground. Scooping it up in his fingers, Kurama first rubbed some on Hiei, seeing the tightness of the muscles in Hiei’s shoulders as he waited… Kurama growled, stroking himself with the rest and moaning with the feel, so much more than it should be; why is it so hard for me to think? I can’t… I can’t hurt Hiei… Kurama positioned himself and held himself back with tight control, "Hiei?"
What the hell was the fox waiting for? Hiei tightened the loop a bit more, wrapping Kurama’s mind into the pleasure… He pushed backwards with his hips.
Desire and need tore through Kurama’s body and he thrust forward, the feeling more intense than anything he’d ever known before. He leaned over Hiei’s body as he moved in and out, whimpering for the sensation that was driving him over the edge…
"Ah!" Hiei growled, his hands clenching in the dirt, his mind attached to the fox’s pleasure and to his…
Many hours later when they finally woke up, they both had headaches.
"What the hell was that plant?" Hiei groaned, his fingers rubbing the outsides of his eyes. His head was throbbing, pain jolting from one side to the other and resounding back.
Kurama winced, "Don’t talk so loud." His thinking was… muddled, loopy, not coming clear and sharp like he normally was. He couldn’t think. Kurama dropped his head into his hands and moaned.
Hiei glanced up, then quickly shut his eyes again as the light threatened to eat him up. He tried to reach out and soothe away the kitsune’s pain, but his own head was hurting way too much for him to concentrate.
Whimpering, Kurama tried to think through his pain. That’s way too much pain for one person to live through! One thought finally made its way out of the loop and Kurama blinked as he looked over at Hiei. The jagan was open and glowing purple. Oh great. I’m feeling his pain as well as mine. Kurama whimpered again; he just wanted to curl up and die. "Do you have any wards?"
Hiei blinked and moaned, "Can you do something about the light?"
With a twitch of his finger, Kurama had the pine trees lean over them so that the shade was darkened to near total blackness.
Hiei breathed a sigh of relief and crawled over to his clothes. Shaking out his scarf, he wound it around his head before lying back down, curling into a fetal position as he keened out his pain.
Kurama’s pain receded noticeably. His scarf is a ward? He started to move and then stopped, holding himself still. Not all of the pain had been Hiei’s. Forcing himself, he crawled to where Hiei lay and he curled up around him, holding the demon to him as they both hurt.
* * *
"Well," Hiei finally spoke, "It was good while it lasted."
Kurama cracked an eye open and glared at the demon before shutting it again. Then he thought about it and grinned, "It was, wasn’t it?"
"What was your original plan for the plant?" Hiei wasn’t sure if he was going to like it.
"Lubrication. The nectar is smooth and tastes great."
Hiei raised an eyebrow, "And you just happen to keep one of those around with you…"
Kurama laughed, "Actually, I made it myself. Years of experimentation for just the right tastes and scents…"
"Well, that’s good to know. Get rid of it."
"Huh?" Kurama sat up, "I’m not going to—"
"I mean it." Hiei’s expression was very serious, "I’m not going to allow you to carry around a plant that can get through my defenses any bloody time I just smell it!"
I knew he wasn’t going to like it. Kurama sighed and rummaged through his hair, pulling out all the seeds he could find that were related to the flower – he kept them in multiple flavors – and dropping them out on the ground between them.
Hiei’s eyes widened as the pile kept enlarging.
Kurama shrugged, "I thought we’d have fun." He’d been growing them ever since the first aborted attempt. As he kept pulling out the seeds, identifying each and every separate taste and smell he’d bred in them, Kurama shrugged slightly – maybe he had overdone it just a touch.
In disbelief, Hiei eyed the mound of seeds that was already a half-foot circle, "I don’t think anything mortal, even a demon, can survive that much fun!"
When Kurama finally finished pulling seeds out, Hiei put his hands over the pile.
As he watched his plants burn in rainbow fire, Kurama sighed. Now if I just change this pollen here… I know Hiei likes rose scent. I wonder what he thinks of jasmine nectar? How about if I work off a…
Hiei ran his hands through his hair, fluffing it and brushing it, "Kurama, I’ve got another Rule for you."
Kurama looked up apprehensively, he’s not going to let me use plants anymore…
"Don’t pull my hair when we’re having sex."
Kurama started laughing.
The demon glowered, "It’s not funny – it hurts!" He ran his hands carefully over the sore spots, trying to get the fur to lay right. Bringing one hand to his mouth, he licked it carefully and then tried again.
Rolling to one side, Kurama watched with wide-eyed fascination. He is utterly adorable like this! Avidly, he drank in every aspect of the fire demon as he sat there, calmly grooming himself, his red eyes relaxed, his movements casual and unprotected. He loves me, he trusts me. Hiei had not even questioned that Kurama had given him all the seeds. And it was true, though Kurama had been tempted, he hadn’t kept even one. That plant was now extinct in the human world – and Kurama would go back and destroy the ones in the spirit world when he got the chance. He would protect Hiei; he wanted Hiei… "Soon," Kurama whispered, his focus intent, "Soon enough…" I’ll be yours, as you are mine.
Hiei blinked and looked up, lowering his hand and narrowing his eyes, "Now what?"
With a brilliant smile, Kurama didn’t answer as he got up and stretched, "So what’s on the agenda for today?" He picked up his pants and put them on.
Damn that fox… Hiei was off-stride again. He really didn’t know how the fox kept doing it to him, but every time he thought they were in sync, things changed. "Kurama," he said softly, "I only want from you, what you will give. Stop pushing it."
Through the white tunic that Kurama was slipping over his head, there came the sounds of laughter. Red hair poked out and then the rest of Kurama’s head as he tugged the shirt on and belted it loosely. He winked at Hiei and then tossed him his cloak.
Hiei caught it automatically, but kept staring at the fox-human. "First thing is a bath," he said finally.
Kurama wrinkled his nose, "You could have told me that before I put my clothes on!" He grinned to show he wasn’t serious, "Where to, oh master fire demon?"
"Hn." Snorting at the exaggeration and teasing, Hiei led the way to a stream nearby.
That’s not what I call a bath. Kurama watched the little fire demon stick various parts of himself into the shallow rivulets of water flowing over rock – it wasn’t even big enough to call a creek. But watching Hiei was definitely entertaining. The demon was also using some of his telekinesis to splash the water over his back and chest. After a few moments, the demon shook himself off and looked up at Kurama expectantly. Kurama grinned, "I’ll let you bathe me anytime…"
Hiei’s eyes narrowed dangerously and there was a puff of steam from around him as the water on his skin evaporated. With another snort, the demon disappeared.
Now what? Kurama knelt down at the water and poked a finger in. "Burr!" Shivering, he decided he’d wait until later for his bath. How did a fire demon react so calmly to that cold water?