I'm quite proud of this fic...really. It came to mind while I was bathing--okay, that was enough. This one-shot is dedicated to my closest friend in 'Le bish'

Disclaimer: Nope! Togashi-sama very much owns them.

"Bath Talk"

In the death of the night, the two silhouettes sprinted through the road, crossing to the other side of the path and slumping to the wooden door tiredly. Kurama fought against the tiring wave that washed upon him, his knees twitched, neglecting the feeling, he held on tighter to the now unconscious fire demon in his arms.

The door was opened quietly, Kurama winced, there was imaginary weight on his shoulders, the dried blood caked to his wounds were ailing him, souring the already sensible wound. Determined, the redhead continued up the stairs, his feet trembling against the contact of the cold, wooden floor. A dizzy spell elaborated on his head, fogging jade orbs, blinking the cloud from his eyes, Kurama ascended the rest of the stairs.

He, with great difficulty, placed Hiei on his clean bed. His knees giving up from under him, doubling over on his hands and knees, he grimaced. Glancing back upwards to face his unconscious friend's face, Hiei was filthy, his black attire covered in his own crimson life source, sweat matting his ebony bangs to his forehead. Weakly smiling, Kurama rose, taking his friend to the adjacent bathroom.

Hiei awoke to the feeling of warm water surrounding him, blinking his disorientation away, his vermillion eyes caught Kurama's exhausted gaze. The fox was leaning to the porcelain tub, his chin resting on his forearms; smiling tiredly, the redhead lifted his head to regard the hiyoukai.

"You're filthy" Kurama whispered warmly.

Hiei smirked, looking down on himself, his arms withheld gashes, his knuckles freed from skin, his clothes loosing the color of blood as the running water from the taps fell above him, the water tinting pink. Slightly grateful to be leaned into the bath, Hiei insisted on sitting up, wincing along at the ache on his back.

Kurama straightened up in his kneeling position, his trembling hands tying his hair into a ponytail, clearing the mane from his tired pale face. "I…need to take a look at those wounds, Hiei…"

Grunting, Hiei nodded. His fingertips grabbing the hem of his tank top, peeling the shirt, the fire demon grimaced. There was a deep cut in his back, horizontally tracing his spine, blood trekking down his heated flesh. Kurama frowned, fingering the flesh of the wound. Out of instinct, Hiei growled at the retreating wrist.

Being absolutely knowledgeable, Kurama inspected the wound from afar, the flesh had been torn and if not treated, the morose wound would get infected. Dunking a cloth in the water, Kurama probed the slash, cleaned it. Hiei hissed heavily, his fingers tightening into his palms.

Hiei slumped against the water once the cleaning rag left his back, his deft fingers unbuckling the thick, white belts. Slipping from them, Kurama dodge as the black pants flew past his head. Showing no reaction to his best friend's nudeness, Kurama took in his hands the soap, soaking it in the pink water and lathering his hand in it.

Hiei glared. "If you must know, I'm not a child, Kurama"

Dunking the soap in the water, Kurama answered calmly, "I know"

"Then what the hell are you doing?"

"As I said, you are filthy, I need to clean the wounds to properly dress them"

The fox had started tracing, with the bar of soap, his arm, ridding Hiei's skin from dirt and grime. Although, Hiei had growled warningly, Kurama had ignored him, his mind at the task in hand.

Hiei relaxed minutes later, his muscles slipping into tranquility. His crimson eyes following every movement of the fox's slender hand as it traced his arms, his hands, his chest, (His nose, Hiei bared his fangs at this, and Kurama chuckled) and his back.

Washing the soap buds from the hiyoukai's flesh, Kurama snatched a bottle from the inside the cabinet, pouring the pinkish content into his hand. Crimson eyes narrowed menacingly, taking the bottle voraciously from Kurama's hands and sniffing the liquid.

"It smells disgusting," Hiei commented, "I don't want that"

Kurama closed his eyes in annoyance, "If I am correct, Hiei, It smells like roses"

Hiei snorted. "Exactly"

Without his consent, the substance was poured over his head, thin fingers massaging his scalp afterwards, creating a white foam. His teeth grinded over each other, growling feral-like to his best friend, in disdain, Hiei crossed his arms grumpily. If filthy he'd usually ran to the lake deep in the woods, disposing of his clothes and dunking into the water. He wasn't attracted to going into ningen showers, laying on the tub, and appreciating someone who is moving his fingers into his head.

Dropping his mental wall, Hiei exhaled against the feeling of Kurama's fingers, letting his heavy eyelids fall, the fire demon slipped into the enjoyment of his companion washing his head.

The subsequent sensation he felt made him nauseous, the redhead was leaning him back to the water, fearing the consequences, Hiei's distrustful demeanor cleared the darkness in his eyes. Seizing Kurama's wrist dangerously.

Shifting jade eyes to the iron-grip evoked on his hand, Kurama assured softly, "I need to wash the shampoo from your head"

Hiei's hand tightened around Kurama's wrist, starring a while longer, challenging the fox wordlessly to prove him right that he was going to smother him to death. Kurama was calm, silent, his eyes asking for his friend's consenting. Sighing, his fingers slipped from the warm hand and fell to the stained water. Long fingers threaded through his ebony strands, untangling some knots and washing the soap from the host's head.

Hiei was wary by nature, the thief in him bringing instincts to the peak of his throat.

The spirit fox's lips roused in a smile, kissing Hiei's forehead. Upon pulling back; harsh, garnet eyes scrutinized him suspiciously and almost untrustingly. However, what slipped from the fire demon's lips was not what he expected. "What about you?"

Kurama's brow furrowed at the inquiry, understanding soon after, he was as dirty as his friend had been in.. "All in due time, at the moment, I'm more worried about you"

Hiei scoffed, "Do you seriously think a gash to my back is going to kill me?"

"It could get infected"

"And that still won't stop me"

"Nevertheless, the aftermath will be the same"

"Hn"

"You could die"

"Hn"

Kurama frowned, searching for any sign of regret on his friend's face, he found none. Hiei was usually a coldhearted bastard, but not that much of an asshole to actually face his death by a gash to his back with actual honor. Having had his eyes transfixed on the fire demon, he noticed a thin like of the slashing through Hiei's neck.

Meeting the ruptured flesh with his fingers, Kurama asked. "What happene

In disagree to the proving finger, Hiei leaned away from the finger, "I'm under no obligation to divulge"

"You are right. Regardless, would you stop a faithful friend from worrying?"

Garnet eyes widened, his lips parting in gaping fashion. Had this halfling not been his friend, Hiei would have already killed this being mercilessly for having the guile to ever worry about him. The emerald gems that were fixed on his own ruby gems withheld warmth, the warmth that usually was bellied in Kurama's eyes whenever he would glance at his mother. But this warmth was different, this warmth was for Hiei.

Swallowing dryly, Hiei looked elsewhere. "Something too dishonorable"

Reading through the lines, Kurama closed his eyes. "Ah. At the moment of suffering grief and sorrow, desperation enveloping one's heart and being bold enough to bring one's blade to the own flesh"

Draining the water from the tub, the kitsune could feel Hiei's eyes, aghast in astonishment, on the back of his head. His fingers shifted through the taps, turning counterclockwise the knob, moving away as the water started flowing from the showerhead.

Hiei's eyes narrowed as the water sprayed on his face, moving his head from the water's range, he was met by an offering hand. Hiei watched the pale limb warily, relenting, he was lifted to his feet.

Kurama trusted himself from the wall of the bathroom, sighing in pent up exhaustion, however, smiling. "Can you keep your balance?"

Having heard the inquiry, Hiei glanced up to the showerhead, watching the crystalline water falling over his nude form. Never glancing at his friend, he countered Kurama's question with a question. "Do you trust me?"

"Implicitly" There was no hesitation, nor second thoughts when Kurama had answered truthfully.

"Get undressed"

"W-what?"

"Do what I say, fox!"

The shower curtain was not dividing them, it was pulled up to one side, Hiei standing under the water, and Kurama standing at the other side, peeling his clothes. Not once did Hiei's gaze drifted to glance at the kitsune, never once did he defiled Kurama's trust by glancing at his bare body.

Kurama, tentatively, he entered the commode, closing the burgundy curtain behind him. His eyes locked on Hiei's stern gaze; but the fiery, crimson eyes softened, and Hiei smirked.

"You said you trusted me"

"I didn't specify."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I did say I trusted you implicitly…with my heart and soul…but never with my body"

The water running, Kurama's breathing and Hiei's chuckle was the only sounds echoing throughout the bathroom, moving closer to the redhead, Hiei spoke once more.

"Remember this, Kurama. I can get your body to agree"

Moan.

I hope that not only, Le Bish, but everyone else like this pretty little one-shot. Remember to please review!