Well, it's happened again. Hieica has another ear infection—

Hieica: Weeee! Drugs!

and is actually in pain (ignore the bouncy, she's on meds) and is suffering. So, of course, it's time for another sick-fic. It's a one-shot, and I don't think you can really say Hiei is sick but. . .oh hush. It works.

'

"EEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAUGGGGGGGGHHH!"

"Hn. Pathetic."

Hiei ignored the rest of his attacker's death scream, instead turning his attention to the wound on his chest. There was a a long scratch running down from his shoulder to near his stomach. It wasn't pumping, but blood was still oozing out of the cuts.

Hiei cursed himself again for being so unguarded. He had been walking in the forest, simply to scout out the area, when vines and branches had whipped in to restrain him. He had evaded the surprise with the help of his speed, but all the dodging and darting had left him open once. A branch had used that opening.

Still, it was easy to ignore the wound. He wanted to kill whoever had been foolish enough to attack him, so what was a scratch compared to the prey-hunt? Unsurprisingly though, the plant manipulator was not as smart as his trees. He had left himself completely open except for a few vines strung between branches to act as a shield. Not wise. Hiei toasted him within seconds.

Now he was finally taking the time to examine his plant-inflicted wound more closely. He did not like what he saw. A greenish sap that he had not noticed before was dripping down his torso, mingling with his blood. It didn't look very healthy. No doubt poison of some kind. And Hiei didn't usually carry andidote to vegitation poisoning.

But he knew someone who did.

I'm so used to plant attacks from Kurama, that when he's not around I expect the damned foilage to stay still! I don't want to deal with this. Hiei looked down at his chest again and heaved a sigh. Well, he's just going to have to deal with this then. Having made up his mind, the fire demon quickly bandaged his wounds and flitted off.

'

Kurama had been having a very nice day so far. School had gone fine, he had managed to avoid the attacks of his many fanclubs, and his latest few seed experiments were going well. This, along with the fact that his mother was visiting a very close friend of hers and would be gone all day, gave him just what he wanted by the afternoon; stress-free peace, and room to be a little, ah…out of character for Shuichi Minamino.

It couldn't last.

Nevertheless, Kurama wanted to take advantage of whatever time he had, even if he did expect something to go wrong within moments.

Moments passed though, without any problems. The star student only had a small bit of of homework that day and he finished it quickly. After his books were put away he set out a few of the experiments he was conducting; a small bowl filled with liquid with a single flower floating in it, a glass filled with a red liquid and another with green, and two pots filled with dirt. One pot had a small green seedling that had just begun to grow. The other looked bare of any life.

Kurama directed his attention to the bare pot. "Hmm, it doesn't look as if the enhancer is working." He sighed. "Well, so much for the powder additive. Maybe my liquid makai cern will help." The time passed like this, until the redhead noticed that the flower floating in the bowl had closed up. What? But that only happens when—

His musing was interrupted by a black blur landing lightly on his floor.

"Hiei? It's been a few days. How are you?"

The crouched demon didn't stand. "It's. . .not a. . .pleasure visit."

Kurama was immediatly at attention. He knelt down by Hiei and shrugged the black cloak off his friend's shoulders. "What--?

"Poison, mixed into a blood gash." He'd tell the fox the whole story later, but he really wasn't in the mood to deal with a description now. Instead of speaking anymore, the fire Demon staggered over to Kurama's bed and sat down. He busied himself removing his shirt and the bandages while Kurama went to get two of his most-used first aid kits. One a human kit, and one of his own making.

"Here." Kurama thrust a glass filled with a light blue liquid into Hiei's hand. "Drink it. All of it. It's a basic antidote. It will slow the poison's advance in your body while I figure out a more through cure.

Hiei drank the contents of the glass in two gulps, then, through slitted eyes, watched his friend examine him.

The plant user was not happy, and he cursed the demon dimwitted enough to play with trees this powerful. He didn't even have to ask Hiei to know how he had gotten the wound. Obviously some fool new to plant magic had wanted to make a name for himself, so he had set off to tame the Red Forest. Hiei had just been in the wrong place in the wrong time.

"One just doesn't go gallavanting off to try and tame trees so old and wise that the very essence of Makai has seeped into them!" He looked imploringly at Hiei. "Please at least tell me that whoever did this got ripped to shreds."

The weakened fire demon nodded and managed a smirk. "Of course he's dead. The fool was an absolute weakling. Even I could tell that the tress were not happy with being used, and I wasn't the one controlling them. More like they were trying to kill him and got me by accident."

"That is most likely what happened." Kurama replied. "I know that forest, and it's a very decent one. It's called the Red Forest because of all the blood that's been spilled there, but most of that isn't even the trees' fault. They were just. . .making Makai a cleaner place. They're probably sorry to have harmed a bystander as yourself. I'll have to visit them later to ask for details."

As he was talking, Kurama had also been mixing up a salve. The final creation was the same bright green as the sap. "Hiei, lie down. I have to dress the wound."

Trust was something that Hiei did not compliment someone with very often, and Kurama always got a thrill of pleasure when the fire demon obeyed without suspicious resistence. He got that thrill now, when his friend flopped onto his back and waited.

Kurama wasted no time in applying the salve. Soon Hiei's entire torso was covered with a layer of green, an explanation to go with it.

"The salve is a counter to the poison in your blood. Over a period of a few hours, it will completely draw the poison out of your system. You can tell how far along it is by the change in color. When the poison reacts with the salve, the salve turns brown. When the whole layer is brown, it can be washed off. Then you'll just need bandages and sleep to fully heal." Hiei looked down at himself. Sure enough, there were faint brown veins lacing throughout the green.

"How long?"

Kurama allowed himself a small smile. "I'd be very surprised if those cuts were still there in two days."

Hiei "hn-d" and lay down again, making himself comfortable. Kurama correctly interepreted that as something like "I guess can tolerate you for two days" and made himself busy putting away the kits. One of the symptoms of the poison drain that he had conveniently forgotten to tell Hiei was fatigue.

Sure enough, by the time the redhead turned back around to observe his patient, the small fire demon was asleep; streched out on the bed, but carefully, so that he wouldn't get any of the green salve on Kurama's sheets.

Kurama smiled again, bigger this time, because Hiei couldn't see. I'll have to remember to let the Red Forest know that they don't need to be too upset over their mistake. No lasting harm was done, and I think it is safe to say that I might have even gained from the experience.

He looked over his patient one more time, before leaving his room and heading to the kitchen. A hot meal would be good for Hiei when he woke up.

Reviews, questions, comments, and critisisms are welcomed and appreciated. (Koi, feel better soon!)