(NOTE TO ALL WHO READ!) I do not own any of the characters in this story. The only thing I own is the plot... (It is mine, you cannot have, get your own!) Please review and give me your thoughts on my first new publication. I haven't written in years and am looking forward to your feedback. ENJOY. ;)

The cold wind whistled past the tall redhead as he rushed from the garage, through the garden to get through the back door of his little apartment. The lights were on and that simply meant one thing. Hiei was home. The thought made the tall kitsune smile warmly as he stomped the snow from his boots against the frame of the door. He pushed open the back door and hurried into the small kitchen that rested peacefully beyond the door. Hiei was at the counter cutting up the ingredients that he had pulled out for a hot stew for dinner. He looked up at the windblown fox and smirked.

"What are you smirking at?" the fox asked harshly as he brushed the pile of snow from his winter coat.

"Hello to you too, Kurama," Hiei said as he went back to cutting up a carrot. "I told you to take the truck to work today... That jeep of yours is a summer car... not for driving through negative temperatures at night."

Hiei picked up the cutting board and walked over to the stove where a pot of stew was simmering away. Using the knife in hand he slid the carrots from the cutting board into the simmering broth and turned the temperature up just a nudge to the ideal temperature. Kurama continued to watch the small demon as he pulled off his outer coat and hung it in the small laundry room next to the back door. He walked to the table in the middle of the kitchen and sat at one of the chairs. He reached down and began to untie the boots that were still riddled with snow. Hiei glanced at him out of the corner of his eye as he pulled out a medium onion and began to chop it into small bite size pieces.

Kurama pulled out of his boots and stood up to place them in the same room as his coat. "Do you need any help with anything?"

"Nope," Hiei said as he added the onions to the pot as well. "It just needs to boil for another thirty or forty-five minutes and it will be done."

"It sounds like you have been home for a long time tonight," Kurama noted as he walked to a cabinet and pulled out two wine glasses. "What happened with Yusuke? Did he send you home early?"

The only reply was a grunt from the smaller man as Kurama walked around him to the fridge where he knew his favorite wine was waiting to be opened. Kurama knew better to push for an answer when it came to the former Spirit Detective. Yusuke and Hiei were just starting to get to the point that they would consider each other friends and he didn't want to upset the little fire demon. "So... how was work for you today, fox?"

Kurama smiled lightly as he turned to Hiei with the glasses and the wine in hand. "This good."

Hiei frowned as he looked at the fox's emerald green eyes. He didn't know whether the wine was a good thing or a way to cope with a shitty day. "Good day?"

Kurama's smile brightened as he walked to the table and sat the glasses down to open the bottle of wine. "Weellll..." unable to pull the cork out with his fingers he raised the three-quarter full bottle to his mouth. Hiei tensed as he watched Kurama pull the cork from the bottle with his teeth, he hated watching Kurama do that but given that his fingers were still red from the cold he didn't scold him for it... this time.

"Today when I walked into Koenma's office... I thought it was just to go over my last quarterly reports in the finance department," Kurama said as he poured wine into each of the glasses. Once both were full he sat the bottle aside and handed one of the glasses to Hiei. "Instead... Koenma was pleased that even being out of work for two weeks I was able to catch up AND surpass the other financial advisers. He told me that he was extremely happy that I was feeling better and that my work was over the top. Well before I could thank him for that... He gave me a raise and a new title. You are now looking at the new Chief Financial Adviser."

Hiei smiled brightly at Kurama and held out his glass to toast. "Wow. congratulations Kurama. I am so happy for you. I know that you've been working for that position for a while."

Kurama smiled proudly before he took a sip of his wine. He glanced over the gold rimmed wineglass at the smaller demon standing across from him. He knew that Hiei was genuinely happy for him and that he might not know exactly how to celebrate something so foreign to him. But Kurama had a few ideas in mind and he knew that he had to be cautious in approaching the subject with his best friend and roommate. Sipping his wine silently he smile behind the glass and began to think about how to talk the fire demon into doing said ideas.

Hiei looked at the pot on the stove behind the fox and frowned to see it boiling harder than he had wanted. He sat his glass down and walked over to tend to it. Hiei sighed inwardly as he tended to the flames under the pot. He knew that Kurama was truly happy about his new position but where did that leave him? Being a financial adviser to Lord Koenma took up almost all of his time with his roommate and he rarely got to spend time with the redhead. What would more responsibilities at work mean for the little fire demon and the unspoken feelings that he harbored for the beautiful ex-fox standing a few feet away? Would he ever get to spend time with the man he trusted with his life, his very soul? Would he ever get to express to the fox the feelings that were boiling just beneath the skin of the Forbidden One?

Kurama smiled lightly as he walked over to where Hiei was standing. He leaned against the counter and smiled down at the little fire demon. "I haven't even told you the best part..."

Hiei looked up at the fox and smirked. "What's the best part?"

Kurama smiled again and sat his glass on the counter beside him. He leaned over to Hiei and dared to make the first move. He leaned in closer and kissed Hiei gently on the cheek. "I get to use Yoko's form any time I want..."

Before Hiei cold register what Kurama had just told him the air around them changed. It was warmed with a different kind of heat. One that only foxes could conjure... but Kurama hated heats... Uh-Oh...

"Kurama?" he looked at the fox and saw just that. Instead of the tall green eyed red headed boy, standing there was the Adonis of all fox demons. The Yoko. Golden eyes that blinked and could see directly into your soul. "Yoko..."

Yoko reached in front of the fire demon and turned off the stove, stalling the cooking process for the pot in front of them. He gripped Hiei's forearm and slowly pulled the small fire demon into his strong chest. The Yoko wrapped his arms around Hiei and swayed back and forth for a second. "My little demon... How I have longed to hold you just like this..."

Hiei blinked and wrapped his arms around the Yoko. He looked up into those golden globes and his breath caught in his throat. What he saw was pure lust and utter longing there. 'Surely that isn't what I see... He wouldn't want me.' The voice in his head seemed to draw him from his stupor. Yoko frowned as Hiei slowly pulled away. His giant ears atop his head dipped in sadness as he looked the demon over.

"It is you that I want," Yoko read his thoughts. Kurama had strung him along for years and never once touched the fire demon the way that Yoko had wanted. "I have come to care for you a great deal, Hiei."

Hiei blinked as he looked over the fox before him. "Why would you want me? I am nothing but a lowlife..."

"No You Aren't." The fox stopped him. He strode the short distance between them and placed a gentle hand on Hiei's cheek. "Kurama may have been blind to your feelings, love. But I have seen it and I have wanted that."

"Why?" Hiei asked again. Hiei leaned into the Yoko's palm as he felt the soft hand grip his cheek.

"Because it is what I have been searching for my entire life," he said softly as he leaned down and kissed the startled fire demon. "I have been looking for someone that will love me for who I truly am. Someone that would love me for me. Not for the treasures that I have had. Not for the ability to say that they had been with 'The Great Yoko'."

Hiei sighed lightly. "But..."

"Shhh..." Yoko slowly pulled the demon into his arms and lifted him easily into his arms. He turned and walked into the living room just off the kitchen. He gently placed Hiei on the couch and sat on his knees before him. "Hiei do you realize what power you truly have?"

Hiei shook his head as he looked at the fox. Yoko smiled as he reached up and took Hiei's hands into his own larger ones. "You have the power of love. I know it sounds so cliche' but it is the truth."

"I don't understand," Hiei said as he looked down at the mighty fox on his knees before him.

Yoko smiled lightly and looked up at his little fire demon. "I have had many partners in the past... but none of them had what you have. I have only bedded them just to sate my own selfish needs. But you..." The Yoko kissed his hands and rubbed his face over the backs of Hiei's knuckles. "You have given me another choice in this life. You have made me realize that I would do anything to see you smile. I have abandoned all my selfish ways and I swear to you now... I will never do anything to hurt you. I have fallen for you. And I am asking that you be my mate."

Hiei's eyes grew wide. 'Mate? Fox demons do not mate for life! They bed as many partners as they can before their lives come to an end... but this beautiful fox is asking me to mate him?!' "But Yoko... I do mate for life... your kind don't."

"That is why I am asking YOU to be MY mate," Yoko smiled up at the young demon. "I love you, Hiei."

Hiei choked on the breath he didn't know he was holding. The great fox demon had said that he loved him. Hiei was truly stunned and was at a loss for words. He searched his brain for the answer that he wanted to say but still nothing came. Since words evaded him Hiei did the next best thing. He shifted on the couch until he was able to slid into the Yoko's lap below him. He wrapped his arms around the Yoko's neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Yoko sighed and purred his content and deepened the kiss.

"I take that as a yes," Yoko stated as he broke the kiss for air. He panted lightly as Hiei nodded his response. He drew Hiei into his arms and leaned him back against the couch. He deepened the kiss once more and felt Hiei's response to the new angle intensify. He slowly laid the fire demon on the floor beside the couch and kissed his neck at the base. Trailing light kisses from one side to the other, Hiei thought his skin was going to actually burst into flames from the teasing caress. Hiei's eyes closed to the sensation of the expert fox above him and he smiled a tiny triumphant smile. 'Of all the others in the past... it was me... Hiei The Forbidden One that was able to tame the fox. I will treasure this forever. I love you, my fox.'

The end. Well I hope that you all liked it. Again it has been YEARS since I have written ANYTHING so I do appreciate any and all comments that you might have.