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It was harder to wake up with Hiei next to him. Not only was the bed warmer with Hiei’s presence but untangling himself was difficult when the fire demon’s arm was wrapped around his middle. A low growl sounded every time he attempted to pry himself from Hiei’s hold but with a few strokes along the back of his arm and soft words muttered close to his ear, his arm lifted and Kurama was able to slip from beneath it. Running his fingers through his hair and brushing over the seeds lovingly, he hesitantly lowered his feet to the floor and shuddered at the cold stinging the soles of his feet. While he didn’t particularly mind going to school, he would have rathered staying in bed with Hiei.
A warm touch ran along his lower back and he glanced down, Hiei’s fingers brushing along his skin before falling back to the mattress. His quiet breathing telling of Hiei’s sleeping state but even then he still reached out to touch him. Kurama smiled and shuffled back, leaning over to press a kiss to the fire demon’s cheek before slipping away. He could have sworn that Hiei’s lips curled into a smile but he didn’t have the time to dwell over that right now. Pulling on his uniform, brushing his teeth and fixing up his hair, he looked at the hair barrette on his desk and huffed, smiling as he tilted it from one side to the other.
Using his desk lamp to keep from waking Hiei with the overhead light, he held the hair barrette beneath it, admiring the dark-colored metal. If he looked close enough, it almost seemed to shine with little flecks of light. It was light-weight and barely noticeable when in his hair and he’d gotten quite a few compliments about it along with questions on where others could find it. His answer was always that he didn’t remember where he’d gotten it from but that wasn’t far off from the truth. The barrette showed up on his desk one day after he’d come home from school. He asked his mother about it but she claimed to have never seen it before while Hiei remarked that he didn’t keep track of everything that Kurama brought in and out of his room.
Though he noticed that whenever he wore it, the fire demon’s gaze would follow him, so it was telling enough who it may have come from. Fixing it in his hair, he ran his fingers through and grabbed his school bag, giving Hiei another glance over his shoulder before turning off the light. He was barely a footstep out of his room door when Hiei’s aura curled around him, beckoning him to look over his shoulder.
“See you later, Hiei,” he said, smiling to himself as he left the door ajar behind him.
“Shuuichi, are you keeping an eye on the clock?” Shiori called from downstairs.
Kurama sighed. “Yes, mother! I’m leaving now.” He hurried down the steps and headed for the front door, reminding himself to pick up something to eat on his way to school or from the store.
“Shuuichi, it’s cold out today,” Shiori pointed out, and Kurama looked away from the door as she neared him. “Here.”
A white scarf that he was very familiar with was wrapped around his neck, his hair tucked beneath it and his eyes widened at the sight of it. Even after a few washes, it still smelt of ash and smoke to him, unmistakably Hiei.
“Mother, where did you —“
Shiori tilted her head as she fussed over his hair and his uniform jacket. “It was with your other clothes, I thought that you’d bought a new one.”
He was surely old enough to buy his own clothes now and she didn’t know everything he wore. And it wasn’t unusual for his clothes to be mixed in with Hiei’s rather than washing them separately. He thought to tell her such but he was vaguely reminded of all of his clothes that’d been going missing prior to Shiori knowing about Hiei. The fire demon’s smugness as he wore one of his shirts with an air of superiority.
Smiling sweetly at his mother, Kurama said. “Thank you, mother. I’d almost forgotten it.”
Shiori’s smile was rewarding enough but also the idea of playing a trick on Hiei. Setting out for school, he had to admit that it was cooler than it was on most mornings. With the seasons changing, the weather was odd and he worried for the flowers that grew in the garden around the fencing of their home. He’d have to make sure that he gave them a jolt of his youki to ensure that they made it through the chill.
His hair was long enough to cover his ears but his face was exposed to the nipping cold making him flush pink. Burying the lower half of his face in the scarf, the smell was intoxicating and comforting. It was still warm and Hiei’s aura clung to every stitch in the fabric to the point that Kurama wondered how often he wore it for it to seem like an extension of himself.
If he imagined it, it was almost like Hiei was right there with him. Kurama’s eyes shot open and he huffed, pulling his mouth free from the scarf and walking ahead with his lips pressed together in a thin line. The entrance of his school was considerably warmer but with the doors left open to allow students to circulate in and out, there was a noticeable chill. Switching out his shoes, he hesitated as he held onto Hiei’s scarf, wondering whether he should leave it or take it with him. It would surely warm up throughout the day and it wasn’t as if he needed to keep it close by but he couldn’t imagine that Hiei would happy with him if he lost it.
“Hey, that’s a nice scarf, Minamino.”
Kurama looked up at one of his classmates, a boy with short choppy blond hair and an easy smile, he wasn’t sure of his name off the top of his head but he thought it started with a K. It was odd, it wasn’t every morning that someone approached to speak to him. Though before the blond could ask him any further questions, a loud cry interrupted him as one of his classmates with short dark hair ran over.
“Minamino-kun! Did you find out where you got your hair clip from yet?”
Kurama’s eyes widened and he slowly shook his head. “N-No, I’m sorry…”
She pouted and the blond boy gave him an apologetic smile to which he returned sheepishly. “I went looking around the department stores nearby and I haven’t seen one like it,” she lamented with a sigh, stepping toward him with her hands clasped. “Can I see it, please?”
Kurama felt a stir in his chest and stifled a growl. He did not want to let anyone else touch it but he couldn’t just growl at her or say ‘no’ flatly. He had to come up with a response that was concise, appropriate and polite. However with the imploring way that she looked at him and the increasing attention on them, it was difficult not to stake his claim.
“Minamino,” the blond boy chimed in and the dark-haired girl looked back at him as if noticing he was there for the first time. “Mind helping me out with something?”
Grateful for the excuse, Kurama nodded. “Sure,” he said, nodding to the girl. “Excuse me.”
With the commotion averted and the others redirecting their attention back to their conversations and musings, Kurama followed the boy through the halls and past several classrooms with their doors open.
“Hey, mind if I ask you something?”
“Of course not, what is it?”
“Do you have a girlfriend or something?” The blond asked, rubbing the back of his neck, pink dusting his cheeks.
Kurama tilted his head to one side. “Huh?”
“You’re growing your hair out, and wearing hair clips and I’ve never seen you wear that scarf before.” He pointed out, glancing his way. “So what’s the deal?”
Part of Kurama wanted to tell him that it was none of his business but that would’ve been defensive and he didn’t do anything to deserve his ire. However, the other part preened at being noticed.
“I just decided to change my look is all,” Kurama said, smiling softly.
The blond looked him over then shrugged, looking away. “Well, you look nice.”
It was far from the first compliment that Kurama had gotten that day but there was something about his words that left him thinking. He’d grown out his hair for necessity, yes, but the suggestion had come from Hiei. The barrette was likely a gift from Hiei as well and the scarf was his. Bit by bit, the changes happening around him were brought on by the fire demon and he wasn’t entirely sure what to think about it.
Leaving school in the daze, he barely noticed the wall of youki in front of him until he heard the deep accusing tone.
“You really are a thief.”
Slowing his steps, Kurama looked up from his feet at the fire demon standing in front of his with his arms folded and eyebrows raised. Without his scarf, Hiei did look a bit different in just the drape of his cloak.
“Hiei.”
“I was wondering where my scarf went and you took it.”
Hiei walked closer to him and Kurama’s heart seized once the fire demon was in front of him and reaching up to pull at the scarf. He didn’t pull hard enough to undo it from Kurama’s person but enough to guide him forward. Fixated on Hiei’s face, it was easier to admire the length of his eyelashes, the curve of his lips and the softness of his features when he wasn’t scowling or looking him in the eye. Kurama looked at his lips for a moment longer. Despite the cold, they weren’t chapped at all. They even looked plush and inviting — and moving.
“— Kurama,” Hiei said, and now he was scowling.
Kurama blinked slowly and looked from his mouth to his eyes. “What?”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“It’s nothing,” Kurama lied seamlessly and Hiei raised a brow at him.
Then with a sigh, the subject was dropped but his schoolbag was taken from his hand, replaced with Hiei’s own as he pulled him along.
“Well, hurry up, it’s cold.”
Following after him, Kurama tried not to stumble over his feet or let his eyes linger too long on Hiei’s back. The fire demon’s hand was incredibly warm and his aura not only pressed against Kurama’s but curled around it. He couldn’t even feel the biting cold with Hiei this close. Taking a few longer strides to math pace with Hiei, they walked side by side with their hands between them, Kurama’s school bag slung over Hiei’s shoulder.
“You’re quiet,” Hiei said, glancing at him from the corner of his eye.
Kurama smiled faintly. “Is that unusual?”
“Your silence is different depending on your mood, fox.” Hiei said as if it was a proven fact and eyed Kurama skeptically. “What is it?”
Kurama wasn’t sure what to say to that. He didn’t think Hiei noticed that much about him but it seemed plainly obvious in retrospect. Running over his classmate’s words from earlier, Kurama felt a dawning realization that brought a smile to his lips.
“It’s nothing,” he finally said, squeezing Hiei’s hand. “Just the obvious.”