Authors Note: Mrr. This is for Bara-chans fanfiction contest--of course I have to enter! A chance to write about beloved Hiei and Kurama! Whee! Anywho, this is a basic fic... no lemon.

            Yeah, yaoi. If you've read the rules of the contest, you've figured it out. ^_^ This is dedicated to Bara-chan for forcing me to write another fic because of her purty contest. Oh! And thanks to Bara-chan's itooshi, Hikari-sama, for pushing her to those heights. Mrowr. And much love to my own itooshi. ^.^ -=insert heart here=-

            DISCLAIMER: These charactors do NOT belong to me although the storyline does. So :P. I just mess around with the adorable little bishies, not buy their copyright...we can dream though.

            WARNINGS: Yaoi, lime, kissing, etc. Swearing, surly Hiei.. Enjoy, readers.

                        Brady

                                                                        *

            "Hiei?" Kurama peered around the trunk of the tree, the rough bark scraping against his cheek. The kitsune didn't mind it much--his attitude was currently focused on the surly demon sitting at the base of the tree.

            The fire demon had his arms crossed over his finely muscled chest, chin lowered so his collarbone was touching his chin. His eyes were halfway closed, the crimson pooled diverted to the ground.  Kurama could see his flesh twitch at the soft voice although he didn't respond vocally.

            "Hiei?" The kitsunes voice was gentler, form moving to sit next to his friend on the ground. "Are you all right?"

            Usually Hiei would respond with a grunt or a long moment of silence until Kurama decided to speak again, but this time he merely sat there, shoulders lifting into a shrug. His eyes remained downcast, brows furrowed as if deep in thought. Kurama frowned again, his eyebrows furrowing more on his forehead.

            "Hiei, what's wrong?" The slender boy moved his shoulder against Hieis, awaiting a growl or snarl or something of the animalistic sort but got none of which he wanted. Instead the fire demon looked up; his face was blank in an odd sort of way.

            "Yuusuke proposed to Keiko."

            The flat tone made the kitsune automatically suspicious, slim fingers gently stroking at the ground. "Yes, Yuusuke proposed. Is there something wrong with them finally marrying?"

            "He's half demon." At Kuramas questioning look, Hiei glared at him before looking at the ground, expression rather sheepish. "Demons don't marry."

            "He's also half human, Hiei. Humans marry." Kurama shrugged lightly, not really understanding why it upset his partner so much. "He was raised by a human mother as well. I don't blame him for marrying Keiko...she's a nice girl and they're in love."

            "Will you marry?" There was an accusing tone in the short demons voice, eyes slanting to watch the kitsunes expression. First the gentle features morphed from shock to surprise to suspicion. They were three of the many expressions the Forbidden Child was used to seeing--just not on his Kurama. "You were raised by Shiori. You live as a human does. Your body isn't half demon but your soul is. Will you marry a human girl like that bastard Urameshi as well?"

            At first, the redhead man could only blink in sharp shock at the words flying from his friends' mouth, eyes widening with each sentence. His mouth fell slightly ajar before his vocal chords were able to respond. "I don't plan on marrying anyone or anything until I fall in love, Hiei. What does it matter who I choose to or to not marry?"

            "So that's a yes." There was a degrading snort and then silence for a long moment. "...Why aren't you married already?"

            "I'm only nineteen, Hiei." His light tone was lost on the demon and inwardly the kitsune sighed. This was going to be hard to explain to a pissy Hiei. "I love a lot of people but I'm not IN love with them."

            "How's there a difference?" There was a haughty note within his friends' voice. Kurama resisted the urge to scream.

            "Would you marry Yukina?" Kuramas own voice was snippy and short, green eyes narrowing slightly at the shocked look on Hieis face. "Exactly. There are some people who love you romantically and some you love platonically."

            "...How do you know the difference?" Hiei turned to face his friend, eyebrows furrowed as in deep thought. His chin tilted upwards in order to be at viewing point with Kurama and his wiry arms folded smoothly. "How do you know the difference between platonic and romantic love?"

            Once again the youkai was caught speechless by the questions shot at him. He would've asked again 'Why does it matter?' but this time he had a feeling it was being asked out of pure curiosity instead of spite. It wasn't often Hiei asked out of curiosity.

            "Well..." He paused, tilting his head to one side. A light smile danced across his features although his eyes were distant. "With romantic love...it's weird, really. The person makes you feel shy and wild all at the same time. They make you want to be perfect and to be imperfect just to show them that they're the real angel instead of you. Being with the one you love is like a taste of a fantasy--you're able to just be happy by looking at them and having a conversation. With love, it doesn't matter if you're only friends or if you're lovers or married...Just knowing that they care is enough."

            "...Sounds like you know what love is." Hiei scowled deeply at the far-off smile on Kuramas lips, arms tightening their hold on his own chest. "Who was she?"

            "Does it matter?" A delicate crimson eyebrow raised, his own hands rising to brush the dark locks from his own forehead.

            "Yes. Who was she?"

            His shoulders raised in an imitation shrug of Hieis earlier one, eyes closing gently. "It isn't a she. It's a he." When he opened his eyes, a grin was now replacing the far off smile. "And no, Hiei, I will not tell you who he is. That's the one secret I refuse to tell anyone."

            The minute demon scowled angrily and moved to his feet quickly, cloak billowing. "I shouldn't have even bothered asking in the first place." His scowl only deepened as Kurama remained impassive, hands fisting themselves in his clothing. "You're Youko Kurama, you cannot love. Love to you is a single night with a being of choice." His sharp words were only made more painful with the tone of incredible anger. "And if you aren't Youko Kurama then you are Minamo Shuuichi, a mamas boy whose thought of true 'love' is the girl his mother chooses. Pathetic."

            Kurama stared at where Hiei had been a split second earlier, now an area of dirt and swirling leaves instead of tricolored locks and a flowing cape. His own hair, the color of blood in the darkening light, splayed around him in ribbons, the strands whipping at his shocked expression. Tears, sparkling as diamonds under the moon and trees, managed to press through the thin folds of his eyelids. The gentle liquid trailed down his pale cheek, shoulders leaning heavily on a tree.

                                                                        *

            Days and nights passed quickly while Hiei avoided his red-haired friend easily.  He simply reverted back to his ways of olde: speak not and don't be spoken to.

            Yuusuke was really the only one who noticed the rift between the two, approaching Kurama one night after a mission. The kitsune was toying with a small plant near a forest, emerald eyes closed and humming a soft song.

            "Did you and Hiei get into a fight, Kurama?"

            His eyes opened slowly, mouth curling gently into a sad smile. He had sensed Yuusuke; the redhead wasn't at all surprised at the question either. "He got angry at me, yes."

            "What did you do?" The black haired man seated himself easily against the tree Kurama was sitting next to. He cast Kurama an easy grin tilting his chin upwards.

            "He was trying to figure out the difference between romantic and platonic love. I described romantic relationships and he asked me whom I loved. I refused to tell him and he got angry. He left."

            "But you love him." Kuramas smile only became sadder, delicate features moving in a small nod. "Why don't you just tell him?"

            Kurama shrugged gently, standing with a fluid, feline grace. His hands moved against his magenta uniform, brushing away invisible dirt particles. "What does it matter, Yuusuke?" His face was an odd expression, something between breaking into tears and smiling in ecstasy. "Hiei doesn't understand…and why would he love someone like me? A Youko. A thief he helped one-upon-a-time."

            Yuusuke remained silent, eyes closing slightly. "He'll be at the wedding, right?"

            Kurama gave a faint nod, arms folding behind his back. His hair blew gently in the wind, as silent as anything. "Please tell no one, Yuusuke. I'm sure they all know but I wouldn't want it to be open for the public."

            Yuusuke nodded gently, smiling reassuringly at his friend. "Don't worry, Kurama--I'll be quiet."

            The kitsune gave a small bow, moving back after he did so. Neither of them said good-bye, but it truly wasn't needed. Not now.

                                                                        *

            The nights were lonely now, without Hiei. The demon no longer came about to visit and that in itself would make the kitsune miss his friend. But instead he made himself go about life normally, doing college work with ease and tending to his part-time job at a nursery. The plants flourished under his care, even if he wasn't using any 'gifts'.

            Long walks were how the redhead soothed himself, humming a song that was popular at the time or memorizing a passage from a book. The forest near Genkais house was the most used route for the youko, hair swinging to an easy beat. His life wasn't hell without Hiei--he had survived with out the fire demon before and, as long as he didn't ponder too long, he could do it again. Youko Kurama didn't survive for such a long time by pining away for others.

            So, that night, that fateful walk, he thought of Hiei. The wry little demon had become more agitated as time wore on, usually only speaking when angered. His words were harshly spoken; his mouth was always twisted into a hateful grimace of pain, whether emotional or physical.

            But his words...always his words played in Kurama's mind. The accusation of marrying a human girl, of falling in love with a ningen because his body was of the race. Absurdity, all of it, but the tone that was in that voice played on and on like a broken record.

            Pain, loss. Loosing. Fear. Agitation. Anger. All of it was swirled into one spiral of vocal release, pouring over the Kitsune with each step, each breath and each movement.

            "I should tell him. Just..." He trailed off, whimsical voice echoing throughout the silent forest. "Just to let him know..."

            "Tell who what, Kurama?"

            The stony voice made the redhead human jump although the familiar voice was the only thing that restrained him from drawing out his rose whip. Emerald eyes narrowed into a smile, lips parting slightly in the expression. "Good evening, Hiei."

            The demon didn't respond to the greeting; Hiei was shadowed in the trees dense blackness, crimson eyes peering out. He dropped from the vegetation, landing in a crouching position. "Who do you want to tell what to, Kurama?"

            Kurama forced his body to be at ease, a simple smile still dancing over his features. "Straight to the point, aren't you, Hiei?" His shoulders rose in a light shrug, chin tilting upwards to allow his eyes to slip closed. "Anyway, I was speaking of you. I wanted to talk to you."

            "Hn." That was his only comment, the suspicious light slowly fading from his eyes. His body straightened slowly, arms folding with a fluid grace over his black-clad chest. He would say nothing else; the next move was Kuramas.

            "You're my friend, Hiei." The words spilled from the mouth like a river, making each vowel a meaningful sound. Hiei listened to each deliberately spoken word intently, eyes narrowing once more at the soft hum in his friends' voice. "My very dearest friend indeed, but I shouldn't assume you know that."

            Hiei said nothing but his eyebrows furrowed in sharp lines, accenting his childlike appearance. After a long moment of tense silence, the demon chose to speak up. "So? Is that what you wanted to tell me?"

            "No....not really. There are a lot of things I want to tell you, but I'll only tell you one more thing tonight." His face screwed up thoughtfully, a sigh heavily at the maroon shirt. "I love you."

            There was a pregnant pause and the almost comical sound of an owls soft cry through the clear atmosphere. Hiei stood, impassive, eyes fixated on the ningen kitsune. Kurama was as calm as ever although his down turned eyes revealed his only turmoil.

            Hidden within the vibrant emerald depths lay a rolling fear and spine-tingling anticipation. One wrong word...one wrong action...it could all just make those eyes over flow and cause the first tears in hundreds of years to splash from Kuramas eyes. It was almost enough, the silence, to make his knees shudder. His palms were sweaty, slick against the flesh of his wrist.

            "...You're such an idiot, Kurama."

            Kuramas head shot up, teeth biting onto his lower lip to keep from asking a stupid question and to keep himself from sobbing. The tears were unable to be held back, flooding his eyes with fierce protectiveness. But they didn't spill over, much to the kitsunes gratitude.

            "You could've just told me before." The minute demon was perfectly serious, his face a mask of pure causality. His arms fell to grip his own waist in a semi-affectionate hug of the hips. Eyes, as slanted and wide as usual, were gazing upwards at Kurama. "You love all your friends, Kurama. I knew you cared for me."

            The kitsunes heart felt as if it was falling through his body, landing in a small heap at his feet. A little puddle of pulsing blood and cruel emotions, all boiling inside of him in one easy measure. This wasn't going to be easy but at that time, Kurama didn't really care much for what was wrong or right.  He was just frustrated.

            Frustrated with Hieis lack of understanding and simple openness about such things; frustrated at himself for being so passive in such matters--frustrated at the world for letting something so simple be so complicated.

            So he moved forward, quick enough to startle his friend but not slow enough to stop. Slender fingers gripped at the black clothed arms, pulling the demon into an embrace. His mouth, so innocent in appearance, crushed down on Hieis in a hungry need, drawing the very breath from the small man.

            The fire demon stood still within the embrace, lips eventually softening to return the gesture timidly. His muscles realaxed as well, hands rising to wrap around Kuramas waist, small figure pressing increasingly harder against the taller demon.

            After a long moment, air was becoming a preciously rare element and caused   the two to break apart, each panting shallowly. Hieis eyes were wide, in stark contrast to the languid slits from previously. Kurama wasn't blushing, nor did he look very shamefaced of the so-called 'forced' kiss.

            "Why did you do that?" They both knew they had to speak eventually, even if the communication was nothing more then a few terse words and uncomfortable glances. Hiei was the first one to speak up, a fierce glare angled up to his redheaded counterpart. His own cheeks were stained with a light pink under the tanned flesh, probably from anger or from being startled then pleasure or shame.

            The kitsune shrugged, pushing a few stray crimson bangs from his feminine facial features. "I wanted to." He knew that answer wouldn't be enough, but still he took his sweet time answering the unspoken question. "Remember, Hiei? I love you."

            "But you don't..." The demon trailed off, eyes suddenly widening at the impact of the words as the meaning hit him. He visible blanched, face paling under the light caramel skin. It was a contrast between the blushes that had been there only moments before. "Kurama--"

            The redhead held up a hand, silencing the startled fire being. His shoulders shrugged under the uniform, delicate chin lifting upwards to allow the boy to peer through the dense foliage into the darkened sky. "I want us to be friends. We haven't been as close as we used to these past few weeks; I miss being your friend, Hiei. And don't try to say I'm not. I know full and well that I am your closest friend--you told me of Yukina and your acceptance of Kuwabara... You shared with me your past and your few fears. I know your mind but I've never really explored your heart. I never had a reason to."

            The monologue paused long enough for Hiei to blink and partially absorb what the Kitsune was saying. So his talk late at night hadn't fallen to deaf ears; the redhead had been awake all along. If didn't surprise the fire demon much that his.... friend, yes, had listened, but the fact that he had remembered and treasured such a thing was completely puzzling.

            Kurama spoke again, jade eyes not even moving downward to study Hieis expression. "I told you I love you for a very simple reason--I do love you. I treasure you in my life and in my heart but I don't think you can love me back the way I want you to." He shrugged again, eyelids slowly drooping closed on the emerald pools. The moonlight was illuminating off his skin, giving it the youkais ghostly paleness and shoving away the ningens gentle tan. It was almost the undoing of the fire demon, but he kept his gaze clear on the friend before him. "I'm not 'settling' for being friends, Hiei...That's enough in itself. I know that...this is probably making you uncomfortable but I can't apologize for being truthful. I am sorry for dragging you along for my depressed little ride however."

            Finally the youkai glanced down, silver streaks in his hair from the light of the full moon. The shadows highlighted his face, making the bones more angular and eyes more slanted. Hiei remained silent for a long moment before moving closer to his friend. His hand reached up, toes moving upwards to propel him to Kuramas shoulder height. The minute fingers grazed the shadowed cheekbone of the ningen, words coming from his lips said in a grave, solemn voice.

            "...You look like an odd crossbreed of Shuuichi and Kurama right now, kitsune."

            A single eyebrow arched upwards on the kitsunes forehead, a gentle smile gracing his smile, more genuine then most of the expressions usually masking his thoughts. "Do I?"

            "The moon is making your hair look like it has silver streaks and skin pale. Your face is shadowed. You look like a hybrid." Hieis fingers moved to curl against the back of Kuramas neck, upper body strength being put to the test as he hoisted himself forward.

            His nose was against Kuramas lips, forehead pressed gently in the small furrowing between the kitsunes eyebrows. The fingers stroked the flesh in a gentle motion, crimson eyes peering out from under the surly demons lashes. "You're right, Kurama. I don't love you the way you want me to."

            Kurama nodded slightly, slowly, aware he should have been ready for the stinging pain and at the same time ashamed he felt the way he did. Of course Hiei wouldn't love him--it would've been almost impossible to imagine something like that.

            "But..." The demon quieted for a minute, own forehead wrinkling to ponder his next words. "...I care. Maybe in a way other then friendship. I really don't know..." Surprisingly, a childish grin spread along Hieis lips, looking shy all of a sudden. "I liked it when you kissed me."

                                                                        *

            The wedding was a truly white wedding, complete with a blushing Keiko and moronically grinning Yuusuke. Yukina was the Maid of Honor, and Kuwabara was the Best Man. It was full of flowers, grown especially by Kurama, and the room was filled with the heady perfume of roses from the Makai. Kurama had altered them, making the plants harmless, obedient and beautiful.

            Kurama was wearing a new suit, a pristine three-piece outfit with his own ebony rose in that small cute pocket. His hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, allowing only a few bangs to frame his face. Hiei was dressed in almost all black, save for a white shirt under his jacket and a sweet-smelling colorless rose in his own 'corsage pocket'.

            The couple held hands and danced through all the songs, faces expressing serene feelings. Hiei seemed almost possessive of his friend, hand firm in the hold of the kitsune. His face revealed nothing but vague indifference although the close perimeter against Kurama canceled that out.

            The redhead moved over to congratulate the couple, a brilliant smile on his face. His words were soft and graceful, truly unspoiled by the defeat of memorization. Keiko blushed at his compliment while Yuusuke smacked him on the back like friends are prone to do. Hiei said nothing but gave them a small nod and bow before moving once more to Kuramas side.

            Near the end of the wedding, Kurama led his demon lover out of the chapel, into a garden filled to the very edge with roses of every sort. His smile was sweet at the fire demons surprised, slightly tanned hands coming to rest on Hieis muscular shoulders. "They're beautiful, aren't they, Hiei?"

            "Mm." His faint noise of agreement was a far cry from the oh-so-usual 'hn' and it made Kuramas lips spread into a generous smile.

            "I love you, you know."

            Hiei knew, even without the reassuring stroking of fingers down his cheeks or without the light kisses and embraces. He knew the kitsune loved him because Kurama had said so-and he did not lie. Not to him.

            An idle thought played in the demons mind as he let himself meld against the warm form of his best friend and romantic companion. What if he allowed himself to give in to the throat-choking, wordless expressions that ran through him when Kurama said those words? What if he put words to the emotion, letting it reign throughout his body? What if he gave himself over completely?

            A backwards glance showed him Yuusuke dancing with his beaming bride inside of the building, windows glistening with leftover showers. A forward glance gave him Kurama, gently petting the rose petals with the gentlest of fingers, a small smile on his lips.

            "Ne, Kurama?"

            The emerald eyes glanced at him from their profile view, a quirk added to the kitsunes eyebrows. "Yes, Hiei?"

            There was a soft, slow moment as Hiei moved towards the redhead, plucking the ebony rose from the small pocket and pushing it behind Kuramas right ear. "You're beautiful."

            "I love you too, Hiei."

            He was rewarded with a smile. Ah, the beauty of understanding.

                                                                        *

            -=yawns softly=- Whoo, it's late. But this fic is finished. So…uh…hurrah! Thank you, Aniki, for giving me some much needed info. XD