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Dreams and Nightmares Epilogue
by Korogi
Hiei sat fidgeting at the low table in the sunlight, the thin fingers of golden-yellow light glistening off the rough spikes of his jet-black hair. He sat straight an still, the glowing centerpiece to the living room, casting everything else into shadows around his brilliance, daring anything to attempt to over-shine him. On occasion, the small red orbs of his wild eyes flicked up from the paper he scowled over, glancing to the wall clock, grumbling before he returned back down to the newsprint, scanning through the blocked characters. Careful ears were tuned to the loft bedrooms where Kiroshu was still sleeping, taking care to hear every sound that came from the upper level.
Early in the morning, Kurama had gotten up quickly, whirling around the apartment in a regal, green suit and dress pants. He had gone off, not bothering to leave word with Hiei where he was going. Under other circumstances, Hiei would have not given the youko's absence a second thought; but today was different. Kurama was still limping around on his injured body, cleverly hiding the pain he still felt through subtle movements and sounds, concealing his wounds over heavy, high-necked suits and pants despite the terrible heat outside. But Hiei could tell all too well, he could see directly through the facade better than anyone and knew the pain Kurama was still going through, perhaps both mentally and physically.
And to make things worse, Yo-mawari had been no where in sight when the Koorime had risen that morning, adding even more to Hiei's hair-trigger bitch-switch, infuriating him at being left in the dark. Kurama had guessed he had traveled back to the Makai to see Kuraihana... Yo-mawari claiming he had to go for follow-up healing sessions, but Kurama still tried to enstow deeper reasons into that, driving more behind the visit than what was conveyed.
Hiei sighed and flipped a page of the newspaper, glaring down the title articles. Nothing interesting ever happened on its own in the Ningenkai to spark much more than a brief look from the battle- forged youkai. Hiei had to count on the Makai to get his fill of training and swordplay, using the Ningenkai just as his 'home' and nothing more. The phrase' home is where the heart is' may have been true, but Hiei's soul and mind still lived in the Makai, among it's miles of vast, dim forests and youkai-eating flora and fauna.
A light burst of ki, of a deep, powerful you-ki floated into Hiei's senses as it popped into clear range a few meters off from the house, slowly making its way up the front walk to the apartment complex. It was a sensual youko-ki filled with a rough scaring of an expert swordsman, sparking to life as it passed the row of trees outside the apartment, marking Yo-mawari's return seconds before the front door flung open smashing into the wooden chair standing inanimately beside. The familiar figure of the dark body framed the doorway, pausing to hoist himself up the stairs stiffly before entering into the dimness beyond. "Konnichi'wa, Meijin-san!" he waved, cheerily, adjusting the long scabbard of the katana hidden carefully under a thick, black coat.
"Shh," Hiei hissed, flipping another page of the newspaper, throwing a thumb over his shoulder to the loft stairs. Even though Hiei and Yo-mawari were not mentally connected in the same tune as the former was to the youko's brother, the WatchMan got the just of the action, smiling up the stairs to where the new crib would be settled, neatly in a corner of Kurama's room.
The figure hobbled in and closed the door behind him quietly, tossing the thick, black coat to the chair that now sat shoved up against the wall haphazardly, one leg jutting out into the air as if it could topple to pieces any second now. Black eyes darted out from the long, silky strands of Yo-mawari's jet bangs, searching out his master through the apartment behind.
" 'Wari... I need to talk to you," the low voice grumbled from beyond the front entry, drawing the WatchMan into the kitchen. Dim light met him everywhere, filtering through the thick curtains of the windows, the sun blocked easily on its attempts to light the apartment to full illumination, much brighter than any of the many lights in the house could ever hope of countering. But from in the dining room, a stray beam of light shone brightly on Hiei from an open, ruffling window, showing him off like a gallery model, highlighting ever little detail of his body to amazing details.
Yo-mawari stopped and stared shortly, only seconds encompassing the time that his bottomless black eyes pondered over the little figure. Hiei had never been more than his master and commander, a compact figure always following where ever the twins went like a protective shadow, flicking from tree to tree when Kurama had taken Yo- mawari to meet some friends at the office. It had never dawned on his just how much Hiei fit the protector role, even doing something as simple as reading the morning paper, every ounce of Hiei's senses were tuned to guarding over the house and the small youko kit that dozed in the loft above.
Hobbling slightly, stretching the tense muscles of his legs, Yo- mawari tore himself from his thoughts and took long, wide strides across to the low table, plopping like a clumsy sack of potatoes into one of the large, brown cushions beside the little youkai. "Hai, Meijin-san? What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"
Hiei paused, letting the thick silence rise up between the two, a living barrier to be cut down at the next word form the youkai's mouth. A light, little hand rose slowly to the silver ring dangling at his neck, glinting off the ruby and emerald workings of the perfect rose that wound its way over the silver band. He seemed to caress and sooth at the tiny ring, making sure that it still hung safely in it's designated position. " 'Wari, has Kurama spoken to Shiori-san yet about either of us?"
The shadow next to him shrugged, rolling his shoulder around as the black gaze looked off out the open window. "I guess that could have been what he was in such a big hurry to go do this morning. Naze da, Meijin-san? Do you want me to contact..."
"No," the youkai announced quickly, cutting the sentence off like a bitter swing from the quick, double-edged katana, killing the thread of words where they floated. The little hand dropped from the ring at his neck to fling over another page of the newspaper roughly. "Don't bother him. I have something I need to do. It's just... I don't know how to go about doing it." The little hand rose back up to the ring and continued on its's soft stroking.
Yo-mawari smiled and leaned an elbow on the table, scooting to look his master straight in the eyes. Leaning in, the black eyes smirked, the smile growing wider and wider, glinting in mild enjoyment as the pale face looked back with mischievous glimmerings to the smaller figure dressed in an equal flat black. He watched as Hiei looked back, startled surprise growing like wildfire through the red eyes, drawing back as Yo-mawari leaned in. The black eyes darted down to the little hand softly caressing the silver ring then back up to his master's eyes. "I think I know."
The black eyes slid out of view as Yo-mawari pushed himself uneasily to his feet, grumbling about 'stupid herbs' and other things, jostling back and forth in place, gaining balance. With a simple turn and graceful slide, the body slid across the room to retrieve his coat, his aching muscles seeming non-existent in the almost balletic, playful gait of the youko as he took up his coat from the lop-sided chair. "Kurama gave me this," the voice floated back, fishing through on of the pockets as he began to slide back across the room. "He told me if I ever needed anything when he was away or at work, to use this." Yo-mawari winked down to his master as he slid back down to the cushions, a bit more cautiously this time, a bit more gracefully, beginning to mirror the subtleties of Kurama that came so easily to him.
Yo-mawari reached out and gently took the hand from about the silver ring, sliding a thin object into it, closing his own, larger hands about Hiei's smaller, fragile-looking hand. "He says it's as good as Ningenkai currency. But you can NOT loose this, understand, Meijin-san?"
Hiei frowned and slid his hand out of Yo-mawari's, glancing of the almost white face. He held the black eyes a moment before turning them down to his hand to search through the contents the servant had given him. The object was thin and rectangular, just about the size of his palm he thought, as he turned it over and over, glaring it down incase it tried anything funny. It was plastic and brightly colored, a sequence of raised numbers and Japanese characters poking up over the surface to tantalize his vision. Curious fingers probed at it, turning it over and over in the small hand again, the wild eyes thinning. "Kore wa nan desu ka."
"I think kyoudai-kun called it a credit card. It's used just like money, though you can use it over and over again."
"Just what the hell am I supposed to do with this?" Hiei growled, looking back up to the black-haired figure that seemed to hover limblessly just inches from him.
Yo-mawari smiled widely and sat back on the cushion, leaning a shadowed elbow back on the table. resting his head down to look to Hiei at an angle, tipping the world over on its side. "You'll know."
The black eyes jolted and dazed a moment, staring off past Hiei to the wall, his face going limp and expressionless, save for the occasional smile that snuck out over his lips. For a few minutes, silence filled the air again, the tips of Yo-mawari's bangs highlighted yellow in the thin fingers of sunlight that illuminated Hiei's position so vividly, bringing out the hidden gold to the youko eyes that burned fiercely behind the black shell. He mumbled something softly and closed his eyes, smiling again, lost in his own mind, leaning down further to the table. "Kyoudai-kun says he'll be home in a few hours," he reported, blinking the haze from his eyes and looking back to his master, uprighting himself at the low table.
Hiei watched the tall, thin figure push to his feet with a snarling grunt, tossing the black coat to the table as he shuffled by, staggering across the room to slowly begin up the stairs. Hiei watched a few seconds as the young man began the climb, taking the stairs at an agonizingly slow rate. "Oi, 'Wari. Could you stay with Kuraihana tonight?"
Yo-mawari paused heavily, only making it up to the second step, freezing on the floating wood flight to stare dumbfound down to his feet. "Uh, sure... I... I guess. Um... if you want, Meijin-san." Yo-mawari hid the beginnings of a blush by shaking black locks out to hide his pale skin, turning to begin down the few stairs again.
Hiei glared the credit card down again and rose solemnly to his feet.
It was nearly closing time that night, a down-town pawn shop owner running a damp cloth across the display to his jewelry counter, a deep, unfamiliar tune humming out over his mouth. Just out the window he could see a young boy, odd, spiked black hair set atop his head as he glared at objects in the window, having been standing there for several minutes now, glaring down a fine samurai sword that was locked in a display case. "Hey, kid. If you don't have the money, get! I'm closing down here!"
The small, compact figure snorted and stepped into the shop defiantly, turning the almond-shaped eyes up to stare down the shop keeper. "I'll leave when I'm ready to leave," the small figure growled, lowering his eyes from view as he waled in, dressed in complete black.
"Not unless I have anything to say about it."
"Hn. We'll see." The short figure managed to look around, keeping his eyes out of sight, walking up to the jewelry display with a proud, calm and fluid movement as if he owned the world.
"Look quick, kid. I have plans tonight."
"Don't we all." The figure pressed his nose down to the glass of the jewelry case and glared into it, rising up on tip-toes. Various odd rings and necklaces stared back at him, glinting wildly in red streaks from the heated glare of his eyes. But one in particular caught his eye.
It was a simple silver band like the one that tumbled lightly out of his shirt to clatter on the glass display, hanging from the simple thin gold chain about his neck. Around it wound a ragged, black, snake- like creature, it's mouth opening to a beautifully cut diamond egg. Sparkling from the black head was a single, ruby eye, glaring back at him as he glared back down. A thin whisper of a smile caught the edges of the small figure's lips, trying furiously to tug them into a smile, only to fail and give up defeatedly
Hiei, drawing his little, button-nose back from the glass replaced it quickly with his finger, pointing down in to the case. "I want that," he growled lowly.
"Got money, kid?"
Hiei grumbled and smacked the credit card onto the display case. "Don't call me kid. I guarantee you that I'm older than you."
The shop keeper snorted and took up the credit card, running it through the security scanner to check if it had been stolen, wrinkled, angry eyes watching the little figure as he continued to stare off into the case. "Hmm, Minamino Shuuichi?" the keeper red off the display that blinked a valid post-mark back at him. "Pretty fancy name for a squirt," he laughed, emphasizing the last word as he ran the card through.
Hiei snarled and looked up, glaring the small, almond-shaped red eyes up at the keeper. "Just give me the ring and shut up."
"Grief. Touchy touchy." The keeper reached into the display case and took the ring out, ignoring the odd, red eyes, tucking it lightly into a black, velvet box in quick, secretive jerks. He slid the credit card back across the case, leaning back to glare at the little figure as he set the box gently on the counter. "Pleasure doin' business with you, Minamino-san." The keeper smirked and folded his arms over his chest, watching a faint curl come from the mouth.
Hiei looked back to the man strangely, taking back the card, tucking
the black box carefully into his pocket. Hmm, Minamino- san... he might
have to get used to being called that.
Kurama stepped tiredly off the city train in his regal-green, finely pressed suit, breathing a large sigh of relief as he pulled the collar of his turtle neck up over a bruise that still glowed sickly purple on his neck. He staggered onto the platform, the crowds of people spilling out around him as he pulled a pony tail holder out of his brilliant red hair. It fell in crimson locks around his shoulders, framing the prefect face in long, drooping locks, not the normal splayed act it usually put on.. The doors to the train swished closed behind him and slid off, leaving a chilling wind behind to swirl his hair about him, whisping the wildness back into it, draping thin locks before his ears to fall over the green suit and fuzzing to stick out at odd angles in its usual places.
He sighed, rubbing the muscles of his neck as his feet began to lead him home, his mins just about ready to curl up and go to sleep right there on the platform. He had been talking for nearly 10 hours straight with his mother across town, just spilling everything he could think of. Shiori didn't deserve to be kept in the dark about Kurama's true self, past and present. He had managed to squeeze in just about everything today... the Reikai, his youko history, why he was always gone. He had managed to drop everything easily enough, even the fact that he was getting married shortly, and to another man no less, to his beloved mother, meeting every sentence ending with a wide, proud grin from his human mother. "I always knew you were special," Shiori had repeated over and over that day.
Kurama had showed her everything... the bruises, the scars, watching his mother fret silently over her. He had even transformed to his youko body for her eyes only, watching with wide enthusiasm as the aging human rose to hug the silvered body tightly. He fit in everything today except perhaps one of the most important facts... his twin brother, Yo-mawari.
It just didn't seem to be the right time to bring that out. Kurama felt all that would come out in time in it's own ways.
His feet lead him back through the dark apartment complex and to his front door, pushing it easily open...
... to an entirely different world than what he initially expected. A sweet concoction of herbs and tomatoes caught his nose, quickly sparking him from his sleepy pondering to throw his mind way out of focus. Kurama frowned, almost deciding to slink to a fighting stance, sniffing the air roughly. "Spaghetti?"
"Go sit down," a deep voice ordered from the kitchen, a clang of a pot lid echoing with it.
Kurama looked questioningly to the low table just to his left, set neatly for two places side by side, dim lights illuminating it from the loft and a few lamps. A tall bottle of sake gleamed from the center of the table next to a bowl of ragged salad. Kurama smiled, shrugging out of the suit jacket, tossing it to the awkwardly positioned chair beside the door. "You fixed dinner for me, Hiei?"
A clattering of silverware and pans came from the kitchen beyond the divider wall, followed by a hiss and curse from the little youkai. Kurama snuck with the subtleties of a cat over to the refrigerator that marked where the kitchen ended. He pressed his back to the 'fridge, a sly smile spilling over his rubied lips as he peaked around.
The kitchen was a wreck! Pots and pans littered the counter, empty jars of spaghetti sauce rolled over the stove... sauce was boiling over a large pan, running down the front of the stove, all over the floors and counters. Empty boxes of spaghetti papered the floor, spaghetti noodles broken on the floor under a small stool Hiei was standing upon, leaning over one of the pans, stirring furiously.
A large bubble of sauce exploded from the pan next to him, sending red streaks all over the kitchen to spatter on the light cupboards, Hiei grumbling as he rose to his tip-toes to slam a cover on the pan. He viciously wiped his face and tossed a towel to the floor, poking his head up over the spaghetti pot as he continued to stir, steam diverting about his face to rise in billowing clouds about him.
Kurama drew back and slapped a hand over his mouth, shoulders shaking as he tried to stifle his laughter. Not only was this a total sight in itself, but who was going to clean that up! No matter, he crossed the room and managed to lower his body into one of the pillows, pouring them each a tall glass of sake.
A clang of pots and more of Hiei's cursing brought the absolutely huge pot of spaghetti over to the table, the cookware nearly half Hiei's size as he hefted it and the sauce pan, piled one on top of the other.
"You didn't have to do this," Kurama whispered as Hiei sank into the pillow beside him, smelling of garlic and oregano.
Hiei shrugged and grabbed Kurama's plate without a word, hefting a humongous portion onto his plate, dousing it with spoonful after spoonful of sauce. The Koorime set the plate carefully down before Kurama, taking a bowl of Parmesan cheese and dumping nearly half of it over the towering pasta.
Kurama bit the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing, watching Hiei heaped himself an identical plate, cheese and all. The piles looked like cooking disasters, smelling heavily of herbs and garlic.
Kurama mixed a fork through the mess, twirling a mouthful onto the prongs of the fork. He felt Hiei's eyes watching him as he took the bite slowly and carefully, blowing the rising clouds of steam from it before popping it onto his mouth... it tasted excellent. He nodded his approval to the figure seated closely beside him, watching Hiei lighten in relief, stabbing himself a fork full. Kurama took another bite, easily eating it as Hiei took his own mouthful.
The koorime took the spaghetti into his mouth and chocked, spitting the mouthful back onto the plate immediately as if it was poison. Kurama nearly choked himself, laughing through his spaghetti as Hiei grabbed a napkin and whipped his tongue off. Hiei frowned down at the plate and shoved it from him, taking up the sake glass and taking a large drink to wash the sauce down his throat, the drink burning as it went down. "It didn't taste that bad in the pan," Hiei grumbled between drinks.
"Maybe we should order out."
"I'm not hungry anymore," the youkai grumbled, setting the glass down roughly and folding his arms across his chest.
"Truthfully, neither am I."
"Good... let's go to the bedroom."
Kurama stopped short, looking over to Hiei out of the corner of his eye. It wasn't like the youkai to make the first move, usually that was left to Kurama, reading the face or going on his own hormones as to when they turned in for the night in their traditional session. "Well, if you insist."
Hiei leaned over and kissed Kurama firmly on the lips, pushing his tongue deep into his mouth, ignoring the taste of the spaghetti. "I insist," he whispered into his lover's mouth, kissing with a heated passion as little fingers grabbed locks of fiery red-hair and pulled Kurama over.
For a few minutes, the two just sat at the table, pulling each other up further into their arms and seductively out-doing the other's kiss time and time over. Hiei was pulled into Kurama's lap to straddle the redhead at the hips, almost loosing himself in the moment before plans sprung back into mind, tugging on him.
Hiei drew back and sat nose to nose with large, green eyes sparkling
in the dim light. A soft hand floated over Hiei's face, glimmering emotions
back to his eyes that refused to be suppressed. Despite himself, Hiei smiled,
quickly snarling it down as he crawled from Kurama's lap. The youkai stood
to his feet and helped Kurama up gentle, letting him drape an arm down
over his shoulders to give him stability up the stairs.
With a gentleness found somewhere off in that cold heart of his, Hiei helped his ailed lover into their room, supporting a good deal of the tall frame over his shoulder, a possessive arm wrapped tightly about the slim waist. Their room had become a harbor for a lot of things that stretched so much further than the love they displayed there; it harbored the emotional bond between them, symbolized so with the uncluttered state it always sat in.
A single red candle spilled an odd kaleidoscope of rouged light about the room, glimmering from a corner of the small bed-side table. It seemed to greet the two as they entered, watching with a proud honor as the two occupants crossed the room slowly before sitting down on the bed, arms still draping lovingly over each other. The candle light danced and played off of both of them, shimmering off a sensual need in both their eyes, each finding themselves able to do nothing more than to stare off into the depths of the others eyes, mesmerized.
Hiei wanted so much to take the youko right now, to shove him backwards onto the bed and begin a passioned night of romance. He would have, if two things didn't way heavily on his mind;
One: Kurama - still heavily bruised and injured from the explosion that ultimately scattered Karasu's remains about the Makai, - would most likely not be able to handle the stress on his weak body in any form. Through those foresty-green eyes, Hiei could see the scrapes, and the black and blue markings that riddled over the perfect skin like grotesque tattoo's. Kurama may have expertly hidden his pain, but the youkai knew all too well the agonizing rigors Kurama's body had to go through to escape the sadistic grasp of the raven that haunted his dreams and plagued his nightmares.
Two: The small, velvet box sat hidden under one of the pillows just inches from Hiei's hand as he stared off into Kurama's eyes, the thought and routine of what he was about to do suddenly sparking up a deep nervousness into Hiei's vermilion glare. The eyes shuttered slightly, quickly trying to control through the whirl his mind began. His palms began to sweat, butterflies spontaneously evolved in his chest and stomach, fluttering around and taking all mental control with them.
Kurama frowned slightly and reached a finger up, smoothing the back of it over one of Hiei's cheeks as he spoke. "Do shita no ka, Hiei-chan." The words came out barely audible, Hiei more-or-less reading Kurama's fine red lips to get the words to make any sense. He watched them fascinated slightly, concentrating on them to keep his cool through the display from his chest and fluttering heart. He watched the tip of Kurama's tongue sneak out and wet the bottom lip, setting it glimmering in the candle light around him. "Hiei..."
The youkai moved in swiftly, pressing his lips firmly back to Kurama's for just a second, drawing back to rest his forehead upon the soft, peached skin before him, focusing back on the green stare. Taking a deep breath, filled with anxiety and nervous tension, the youkai reached behind him under one of the pillows, never leaving Kurama's glare, determined to keep this secret held until the last possible moment. The green eyes seemed unaware of the movement, a ghostly hand rising to whisper into existence on the little cheek.
"Kurama..." Hiei breathed gently, calmly, as if any louder sound or sudden movement would shatter his lover to pieces before him, robbing him forever of seeing the look in Kurama's eyes when he receive the present. "Kurama, I don't know how we ever ended up together... but don't get me wrong, I'm eternally greatful!" The koorime paused, his mouth going dry before he began his next trail of thought. "I'm glad we... that we're... that... shit!" Hiei closed his eyes and shifted his head down a bit, tucking the box under his knee, raising both hands to brush his own cheeks.
Kurama's hands floated up to encompass them, bringing the smaller hands together between their two bodies, rubbing a thumb in a figure 8 over the back of one of the deadly hands. The leafy gaze watched as Hiei's eyes opened back, blending in with the red candle light playing upon them.
"Kurama... I... you see, I..." Hiei snorted and drew another breath.
"Take your time," Kurama whispered, squeezing the hands he held. He searched over his lovers face, trying to find some hint of what was trying to be spoken, finding nothing but the scowling, hard face he had grown to cherish and love. "Take your time, love."
"Kurama, I love you!" Hiei almost screamed, startling at the own force behind his words, looking desperately back to the familiar stare to ensure that the beautiful young man had not shattered to pieces under the fury of his words.
"Hiei..." a soft, seductive whisper floated in, wrapping itself around the smaller youkai. "I know, I love you too. Ever since the Ankoku Bujuutsukai, I've know you loved and cared for me, even when you didn't show it."
"That's not all," Hiei interrupted with a pissed grumble, giving Kurama no time to react. "I still don't understand how in the hell you can love a heartless bastard like me..."
Kurama's hands quickly went to Hiei's face, one covering the tiny mouth, the other cupping a cheek, demanding silence. Kurama's eyes went deep and scolding as they looked back to Hiei with a stern, gleaming commandance over the others emotions. "Hiei, don't you dare for a moment doubt my feelings for you. I love you more than anything in the world and would stop at nothing to show that love to you, even if it meant dashing myself to pieces on my own weapons. Do NOT begin down-playing your own existence to try to justify what we have."
"That's not it! I'm eternally greatful to you for everything you've done for me. I feel so obligated to... to... damnit, I don't know, K'rama, but I fell obligated! I have to show to you... I have to prove to you what I'm trying to say since I can't say it, and I know I'll just fuck it up either way!" Quick fingers darted for the box, Hiei's throat locking up in response, catching the breath in his throat before he could choke it back out in a whining, dry whisper. "Kurama..." he clutched at the box, forcing his uncooperative arm up, handing the box off to one of Kurama's hands before he could do nothing more than sit paralyzed in Kurama's presence.
If he could, he would have bolted from the room that instant, hopping easily out to the trees and fleeing into the night. He knew Kurama's body was still to weak to give an ample chase... but Hiei's body refused to move. Even his eyes refused to respond, closing down on him, blackening his vision, an annoyed sting beginning to well up to them. That infernal reaction which threatened to bring tears.
Kurama's eyes were drawn down to the little box, running a finger over the soft, black velvet carefully, volleying glances between it and Hiei. There were many things that could have been hidden in that box. Hiei's last tiny box consisted of a set of five rose seeds which now blossomed almost to the size of sunflowers at the front walk, meticulously cared for day in and day out. He would have expected anything, anything under the sun... all except what truly glimmered back to his eyes when he opened the lid.
The youko gasped loudly, raising a hand to quickly clutch the fabric of his white turtle neck just over his heart. The ring glistened and glimmered back at him, a wriling black snake-like dragon curling around an identical silver band he had given Hiei before the trip that lead them off into the Makai. In the dragon's open mouth, an oval egg carved of a perfect white diamond nestled in a fine setting, it's millions of facetted faces shooting off a different color of the rainbow to dazzle and tantalize his eyes.
But what set the ring out was the small, bright red rubied eye of the dragon, watching Kurama with a life of its own, animating the entire ring as Kurama carefully lifted it from the black satin and slipped it onto his finger. A perfect fit, seeming to mold itself to the thin bones of Kurama's left ring finger, the ring melded as if it had been forged specially for Kurama's hand and no one else's.
Kurama looked up from the ring, looking over his lovers face, unable to speak or whisper out of the intensity of the moment,. Instead, he slid his hands around Hiei's neck, watching the youkai wince slightly under the sudden presence, eyes still shut tight. Kurama unfastened the fine golden chain that hung about his neck, pulling the silver, rose-ring from Hiei's shirt and sliding it off into his hand. He then took Hiei's left hand, gently raising the little ring finger to slide the engagement ring into place. "I love you," Kurama managed in a tight, dry throat, bending forward to lightly touch his lips to Hiei's.
As if awaken from a centuries-long sleep, Hiei's eyes jerked wide open, watching Kurama as he backed away. The red eyes fell to the ring circumnavigating his finger, the ruby and emerald build of the perfect rose glimmering back to him as he moved it about through the light. A great weight was lifted from his chest, bringing with it a deep, much-needed sigh. He couldn't bring himself to meet back with Kurama's eyes, instead, staring down to the ring which encircled Kurama's finger, noting how perfect and comfortable it looked set on the long, thing finger.
Kurama reached forward and wrapped his arms about Hiei, pulling the both of them down to the bed where they would lie, just content to fall asleep in each others arms, the wind from the open window blowing out the red candle, wishing them both off to bed with thin, cold fingers before the cotton sheet was pulled over them. Each in sequence, sighed and drifted off heavily into a deep, dreamed sleep before they knew what was happening between them: a bond that would stretch so much further than love and friendship.
And there they slept through the night, entwined as if nothing could ever separate them both mentally and physically, still and angelic until the light caress of the dawn brought a new day into the world, promising so much more than happiness ever after.
Promising their undying love.
