When the door broke down, Kurama couldn't still the falter of apprehension that seized at his throat. He could feel his pulse fluttering in his temples. He was a lot more nervous than he'd let on, to Yuusuke -- which he'd done to quell any apprehension or lingering shame the boy might have had about Hikaru's lust spell, and what Kurama had willingly done to help him quench it. Yuusuke didn't need any added guilt.

But Kurama was nervous that he might lose Hiei.

Not that he'd had Hiei to begin with, he corrected himself bitterly. He'd been trying for so very long -- but as he'd said to Yuusuke, nothing had happened. And nothing might ever happen now. He cursed himself for a fool.

The minute he finally went and got a heart, as Minamino Shuuichi, he immediately went and lost it to that fire demon. The one who didn't think twice about shoving a katana *through* hearts.

"Urameshi! Kurama! You're here!" Kuwabara gasped, red-faced from exertion. He must've provided the human battering ram.

"Hn. Of course they're here, you idiot."

Hiei!

Even as he chided himself for acting like a silly love-struck virgin, his heart leapt in his chest just at the sound of Hiei's voice. It was something he thought only happened in cheesy 100¥ shoujo romance manga.

Hiei stepped into the cell and his eyes instantly met Kurama's. Kurama blinked at him, smiling a tiny bit. Then Hiei's nostrils flared, and his crimson eyes widened. He gave Kurama a disbelieving look, then his eyes flickered over to Yuusuke, then back to Kurama.

The red-haired boy looked away, not wanting to see the disgust replace realization in the fire demon's eyes. Lead weight tugged his limbs as he suddenly felt awful, even though he wasn't ashamed of what he'd done. Hiei *knew,* just that quickly.

"Is Hikaru dead?" Yuusuke demanded, punching his fist into his open palm. "If he's not I have a score to settle with him..."

Kurama gave the boy a warning look, and Yuusuke blinked, then grinned a bit uneasily.

"He's dead," Hiei said shortly. His hand settled meaningfully on his katana.

"Then let's get out of here," Kurama said, weary. Right now, he just...wanted to go home. And shower. And get away from those knowing crimson eyes.

*****

Hiei was...perturbed.

Not upset, of course. Such as he could not GET upset, least of all over frail-looking elfin-featured red-haired emerald-eyed half-human youkos. But he *was* a trifle concerned. So he followed Kurama home.

It was the smell that disturbed him, he decided. That, and the closed, cautious expression on Kurama's smooth face. He was trying to hide something, but that was pretty futile when the scent of Yuusuke, and sex, clung to every part of his body. If he hadn't known Urameshi better than that, he would've run the ningen through -- but it hadn't been rape. There'd been no underlying stale scent of fear.

Why then?

He perched on the windowsill of Kurama's ningen dwelling, scanned automatically for intruders, and dangled one leg inside while he waited.

He didn't have to wait long. Kurama pushed open the bedroom door, shuffled in with his head hanging, the light that usually shone from his face seeming dimmed somehow, or sullied. Hiei's fingers brushed over the katana. It wasn't too late to kill Urameshi. If he was careful, he could make it look like an accident. But first he had to make sure if Urameshi had damaged this fox in any way.

The half-youko's head snapped up as he detected the feel of youki.

"Hiei!" he breathed, startled. His hopeless expression transformed instantly to a bland mask, carrying a faint trace of weariness. But the expression didn't fool Hiei. "Why are you here? The mission's over."

Hiei pondered how to broach the subject.

"Hn. You stink."

Kurama fell to the futon with a thud, wide green eyes filling with hurt. "Excuse me, so sorry. I haven't exactly had time to shower yet, you know."

Hiei tilted his head. "You know what I mean. You stink of Yuusuke."

Kurama flushed. "So?" he demanded, voice raw. "What does it matter to you?"

Hiei shifted uncomfortably on the sill. Why *was* he here? Kurama had slept with Yuusuke. So he obviously wasn't interested in hi...

Hiei's eyes flew open wide.

*He was jealous!*

"I..." he started, coughed, and fell silent. He didn't know what to say. He was...troubled...because Yuusuke had slept with Kurama, and *he* wanted Kurama, and he did NOT like sharing.

But...how to tell Kurama...?

"Why did you let Yuusuke have you?" he finally asked, his tone very clinical. Detached. Observing.

Kurama shot him an exasperated look as he got up, pulling his shirt off. "I didn't just *let* Yuusuke have me, Hiei, he was hit with a lust spell. It could've destroyed him if we hadn't -- " He stopped and a faint red seeped into his cheeks.

Oh.

Well, that was different.

"So he doesn't want you?" Detached. Observing.

"No, he has Keiko," Kurama replied, blinking in puzzlement. He tossed his shirt in the hamper and looked at Hiei. "Why do you want to know, anyway?"

". . . . ."

"What was that?"

". . . .iwantyou. . . . "

"Hiei, I didn't hear you," Kurama frowned. "Really, if it's not important, I'd like to go shower."

When Hiei remained silent, scowling furiously at his hands, Kurama sighed, turned, and left the room.

". . . . .*I* want you. . . . ." Hiei mumbled, louder this time. But Kurama was already gone.

He scowled harder.

There was no good way to tell that youko. No way he could see without losing his pride to the fact that he, Hiei, one of the great thieves and fighters of the Makai, had been captivated by a . . . k'so. By that youko

Restlessly he hopped off the sill as the sound of water started up down the hall. Why was he still here, anyway? Then his sharp ears caught the barely-distinguishable change in sound, from water hitting bath tiles, to water spattering over flesh. He closed his eyes and he could see Kurama under that steady stream of water and his eyes flew open in startlement. What an intriguing thought.

Maybe he wouldn't have to *tell* Kurama at all.

*****

A soft murmur escaped Kurama's lips as the hot water hit him, poured over him. With both hands he lifted up the masses of red hair, letting the water soak him thoroughly. It would be nice to be clean, finally -- something he was always fastidious about. But when he looked at Hiei -- he flushed. He felt dirty again.

It hadn't been wrong, he defended himself. The spell could have seriously damaged Yuusuke if he hadn't allowed him to relieve the pressure with himself. In fact, what right did Hiei have to ask him, anyway, he decided, becoming a bit incensed. Hiei didn't have any claims on his body. Not his body. . .

The shower curtain snapped aside and Kurama yelped, eyes widening to their natural limits, and he froze. He was wet and naked as a jaybird, after all.

Hiei stood there in nothing more formal than his skin, and looking quite noncommittal about it.

"Hiei!" he gasped, the noise more than a little strangled. Humiliatingly, his voice cracked. "What are you *doing* here!?"

"Hn. I need a shower, too."

Kurama blinked, pushing aside the tangled wet hair plastered to his face. "You don't want to wait until I'm done?"

"Why wait?"

With that ambiguous statement, Hiei shrugged and stepped into the shower. He slipped on the wet tiles and pitched against Kurama, and reflexively the redhead caught him against his body. He froze again.

Hiei's penis was pressed against his leg. And it wasn't entirely flaccid, either.

"S-sumimasen!" Kurama stammered, putting his hands on Hiei's shoulders to steady him, then putting some space between them.

"Why apologize?" Hiei wondered, crimson eyes glinting up at him, full of curiosity. "I'm the one who tripped."

"Well -- I'm sorry, anyway," Kurama mumbled, turning to grab the soap, to give himself something to do. Anything. He needed to be distracted from the tight, muscular body so close to his -- the one he'd been fantasizing about ever since he hit puberty. The familiar ache between his thighs meant he was reacting to Hiei's proximity.

"Hn." But the snort had a definite amused overtone.

He began to lather the soap between his hands, turning partly to avoid Hiei's curiously intent gaze, and it jetted out from between his hands, narrowly missing Hiei's head, hitting the far wall and bouncing off.

"K'so!"

Hiei picked up the soap and when he turned back, there was *definitely* an amused glint to his eyes. "Why Kurama...I didn't know you knew *how* to curse."

He didn't dignify *that* with a response. He might be Minamino Shuuchi right now, but he hadn't been Kurama for several times the length of Hiei's life for nothing.

Hiei rolled the soap between his palms, working it into a lather. "Turn around," he commanded.

Kurama blinked. His mouth twitched. Slowly he turned, suppressing the wild surge of hope that streaked from his head to his heels. Why would Hiei suddenly decide he was interested, after all this time? Especially after what had happened with Yuusuke, so very recently?

Hiei's strong hands moved over his back, slick with soap. His hands moved in firm, long strokes, not lingering or caressing -- rather businesslike. Kurama bit his lip. He didn't know why he was disappointed.

Hiei's hands moved lower, lathered over his lower back and sides. They hesitated near the base of his spine and Kurama bit his lip harder, leaning into the hot flow of water as he reacted even more strongly, his penis swelling in response to the feel of Hiei's hands on his body. Then Hiei's hands slipped down to cup his buttocks, rubbing under the curve of each cheek. He gasped.

"Ahh~hh..." his head fell back, molten drops of water pattering over throat and chest.

"Hn."

Hiei's hands moved slower now, the fingers of one wet hand slipping into the cleft of his buttocks. He rocked back on his heels, pushing his body into Hiei's caress, and felt the fire demon's other hand arch over his hip, splayed soap-slicked fingers encountering his raw erection, and wrapping around it.

"Hn. What's this?" the infuriating fire demon asked, his tone perfectly innocent. His hand moved over the water-slick flesh, a firm pull.

"Damn you Hiei, you know very well what it is!" Kurama's breath was a whiplash-coiled thread of sound. He kilted his hips into Hiei's hand, breath ragged in his throat.

"Swearing again," Hiei observed, his tone detached and clinical. In that instant, Kurama gained a new perspective on Hiei's seeming aloofness. Especially when six throbbing inches of decidedly aroused fire demon pressed up against him, and wiggled back and forth against the cleft of his behind.

"Hiei..." he gasped, feeling a finger replace the stiff arousal, zoning in on his perineum, stroking lightly. Hiei's fingers wrapped around his slick flesh more securely, pumping his hard ache while he pushed the other finger inside him, smoothly. It hurt -- Yuusuke had entered him dry and unprepared, earlier -- but soon his whimpers were soothed away as Hiei's hand continued to move steadily, then his finger brushed over a sensitive inner wall. Kurama cried out, pelvis stuttering into Hiei's hand, only to have that pressure taken away.

"Hiei, damn you -- "

"Not yet," and he could hear amusement in Hiei's voice, he swore he could.

"Hiei -- if we do it in here, we could slip and crack our heads open," Kurama realized worriedly.

"Hn," Hiei replied. "Then we'd better not do it standing up, baka."

Kurama chuckled. He reached forward and shut off the water; turned and scooped Hiei up in his arms. Hiei struggled, made a fuss, and gnawed at his shoulder. "Lemmee go! What're you doing?"

"Our first time is not going to be in a bathtub," Kurama informed him calmly, carrying him into the bedroom, relieved beyond words that Shiori and the rest of the family were away for the weekend, with no possible chance of return.

"Hn. I don't see why it matters." But Hiei's arms wrapped around his neck, and something prodded him insistently in the belly. He grinned and pressed his lips to Hiei's smooth cheek, who turned his head away, grumbling a little bit. Undeterred, Kurama latched onto his earlobe and sampled it, nibbling delicately.

He deposited Hiei on the futon and took a moment to admire the fact that there was a very wet, very naked, very aroused fire demon in his bed. Hiei glared up at him resentfully.

"Were you planning on joining me anytime soon?"

Kurama smiled and leaned over; pressed his lips to the headband that warded Hiei's Jagan and felt out the contours of the closed third eye underneath. A spasm went through the fire demon's body; he shivered and leaned into the contact, Kurama's lips the only thing joining their two bodies. Slowly he reached out and his fingers felt out Kurama's erection again, wrapping possessively around the upcocked flesh.

"Mine," he told Kurama, looking up at him, his eyes a little fierce. "I'm not going to let anyone have you again, fox."

Kurama shifted in his grip, pushing into his hand with a small sigh. He bent and rubbed his nose against Hiei's, felt the fire demon's lips parting before they even touched his -- their first kiss. His mouth closed firmly over Hiei's, pushing his tongue between them, and Hiei drew him in even closer. His free hand stroked into the lower curve of Kurama's back, settled low and gripped him, exerting pressure towards the bed.

Kurama accepted the direction; kneeled on the bed and Hiei rose up on his own knees to hover against his body, lips biting and tearing at him, grinding them together with a jolt, his hands grabbing Kurama's butt. Kurama's breath huffed against Hiei's tongue in rhythmic starts and he exhaled in whimpering little moans as they pressed against each other, rocking to the time of his accelerated panting. Hiei growled, the sound approaching a purr, as he pushed harder, clutching at him, getting desperate and finally shoved Kurama onto the bed.

"*I* want you," Hiei mumbled against his lips, kissing his face and throat.

Kurama's heart made a little frisson in his chest and he wrapped his arms around Hiei. "Now?"

Hiei rubbed against him, still-slick penis moving hard as it tracked up against his inner thigh. His mouth was heavy on his, held Kurama's lip between the bumps of his fangs but didn't bite down hard. He nodded, tugging Kurama's lower lip with the movement.

He parted his legs wide; let Hiei squirm between them and groaned as he found the entrance, but merely rested against the closed pucker of flesh. Hiei's hands stroked under his legs, encountered the backs of his knees and lifted, pushing Kurama's legs up to where he wanted them. He paused, the erect pulse of his tip pressing deep into the crack, and his eyes were fixated on Kurama's face. "Are you sure...?"

Kurama nodded positively, the flaming halo of drying hair fanning around his face with the movement, spread out on the white pillow. He reached up to frame Hiei's narrow chin in his hands, traced up to the wide high cheekbones, and smiled. "Now."

Hiei leaned forward with a low barely-heard groan to kiss Kurama, claiming his lips, straining into the tight space of his body at the same time. Kurama muffled his instinctive cry of pain into Hiei's lips, not wanting Hiei to stop or hesitate, just wanting to get past the initial push, that first flare of pain that accompanied it and on to the ecstasy that shook him and rolled along his nerve-endings. He thrust up to meet Hiei and they moved together, the harsh lolling pants of their mingled breath a standing counterpoint to the rushing beat of flesh against flesh, and the thunderous thrum of blood in his ears.

The groan rumbled up, low at first, then overlapped over both their bodies -- Kurama wasn't sure if the noise was escaping his own open mouth, or Hiei's -- as they worked each against the other's body. Hiei labored over his lips as each furious thrust delved deep inside of him, tip caressing the velvety, responsive inner wall and he moaned, twisting up his bottom to push Hiei further inside, furthest...and the tilting of his own penis against the flat sweat-soaked planes of Hiei's stomach sent him over the edge. He felt teeth graze his cheek; Hiei snapped at Kurama's ear but only brushed feather-light, controlled even as he came inside of Kurama, panting. His tongue was a wet squirm inside Kurama's ear as he groaned again, still coming.

Kurama went limp, cupped Hiei's bottom and cradled him against his body as the fire demon shoved himself as far inside as Kurama's rear would allow him, breath hissing into Kurama's ear. He jerked once more, hips starting, then relaxed.

Gradually their hoarse breathing slowed.

"You want me?" Kurama murmured, still clinging to Hiei as the fire demon's tight grip loosened, and he squirmed away, pulling out of him with a little 'popping' sensation. Kurama gritted his teeth but it had been worth it. "I didn't think you did. And after what happened, I wasn't sure you'd *ever...*"

"Did he hurt you?" Hiei demanded suddenly, growling into Kurama's startled face.

"Iie, it wasn't his fault, Hiei. It was Hikaru's spell."

Hiei stroked perspiration-soaked hair away from his luminous cheek. "Then I'm glad I killed the bastard." His hand reached between them, cupped Kurama's cooling flesh. "I meant it, Kurama...I won't let anyone else have you." He frowned solemnly into Kurama's half-lidded emerald eyes, heavy with the satiation of their sex. He tilted his head, crimson orbs narrowing, to see how Kurama would take this statement.

Kurama just wriggled a little in Hiei's arms, getting more comfortable in their loose-limbed sprawl. "All right." He closed his eyes; pushed his nose into the crook of Hiei's shoulder.

Hiei puffed softly in surprise. "Really?"

Kurama curled his fingers around Hiei's narrow waist. "Yeah."

He felt Hiei rest his head gently against his own, their foreheads touching. "*MY* fox." He tried the words out to see if they fit, his tone low, a faint thread of wonder woven through it.

Kurama pulled him closer. "And you're *my* fire demon," he replied. And grinned into the salty skin of Hiei's neck. "But not quite the cold marble statue I thought you were..."

"Hn."