Doo-dee-doo! Who likes fish sticks? N—no one? Oh...I see. Okay then.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, oh no!

The Sleeping Demon

Kurama kicked off his shoes as he sat down on the edge of his bed. He watched as they stumbled about his feet, one landing upright and the other on its side. He looked down at them, his mouth sinking slightly to the left as he wondered where Hiei could be.

He'd sensed the demon near him since the previous night. At first, when he looked up and saw that Hiei was not outside his window, he thought it was his imagination. But then...the feeling didn't go away when morning came. That demon was near; where, Kurama wasn't exactly sure.

On his way out that morning, Kurama searched the around of the outside of his home. Hiei was no where to be seen. Kurama figured he was just around, somewhere in the neighborhood and at full youki, seeming to be close, when really, any distant from the demon would result in a sense of him.

But, as Kurama walked further and further away from the house, the trace of Hiei's 'ki decreased. At school, Kurama couldn't feel it at all. He concluded that Hiei wasn't necessarily following him, and that was understandable. Hiei wasn't one to make it that obvious anyway.

Kurama felt strange, though, when he began walking home again and felt himself getting closer and closer to Hiei. Then it dawned on him. Hiei wasn't known to stay in one place for very long, and yet it seemed like he hadn't moved from wherever he was located since the previous night.

Concerned, Kurama hurried home. He searched each of the rooms in the house, including Shiori's room, but didn't see him. At dinner that night, Kurama was fraught with frustration. Shiori told him to get to bed early that night, but Kurama wasn't planning on it. Tired as he was, he wanted to wait and see if he couldn't come up with a reason for this.

By the time he'd gotten all of his work done, the only logical excuse he could convince himself was truth was that Hiei had somehow, and for some very strange reason, left a piece of himself at Kurama's residence.

Whatever it was, expended youki was Kurama's theory, Kurama was not terribly sure that that was right. He'd do more focusing the next day, thankfully a day off. He settled down in bed, ready for slumber.

Just as he dozed off, he heard a knock at the door.

"Shuu-chan..." Shiori spoke out softly. "Are you awake?" Kurama sat up slowly and pulled his sheets off of himself. He stood up and shuffled over to the door, yawning as he pulled it open.

"Is something wrong?" he asked her. She shook her head, handing him the phone.

"It's your friend, Yusuke." Kurama nodded, his expression a little less tired now at the prospect of talking with Yusuke. They didn't see each other as often as Kurama liked, and so Kurama loved to hear from him when he got in touch.

"Thank you," Kurama said, taking the phone from Shiori.

"Not too long, now," she said. "It's after bedtime." Kurama looked at her as she walked away. He'd always gone to sleep at ten, but he never really considered it 'bedtime.'

"Hello, Yusuke..." Kurama said, closing the door behind him. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Yusuke said, sounding as if going to sleep were the furthest thing from his mind at that time. "Hey...I need a favor."

"What's that?" Kurama asked.

"Could I uh....borrow your bike? Mine's got a flat...well...actually....the tire's falling off of it, it's so old."

"I see," Kurama said, sitting on the bed.

"Yeah. So could I use it? Just until I get another one, I mean."

"Sure," Kurama said. "It's locked up down in the basement."

"Thanks," Yusuke said. "Keiko's gotten into this exercise craze and thinks I should start biking with her on the weekends. I told her, I said, 'Keiko, are you nuts? I get into enough fights everyday without having to do Pilates.' And she said, 'Yusuke, you need to stop roughing it up with them demons before you sustain brain damage' and I said, 'well sheesh, Keiko, no need to use big words' and then she said, 'see what I mean!'" Kurama chuckled.

"Sounds like you two had quite the talk," he said.

"Yeah...so now I don't have a choice. She said I can't go get ice cream with you anymore. I have to substitute yogurt or something for it."

"I'll make sure your cheat days are worth it, Yusuke...if that's what you're getting at."

"Thanks," Yusuke said. "I appreciate it."

"So...we still up for Sunday?" Kurama asked.

"Yeah. I'll give it back then...but I'll still need it next week. I should have a new one after that."

"I barely use that thing," Kurama said. "Use it for as long as you need. Just...bring it back in working order."

"Definitely," Yusuke said. "Thanks. See you soon."

"Right. Goodnight, Yusuke."

"'Night, Kurama." Kurama hung up the phone and left the room. He set the receiver on its base in the living room and then went back up to his bedroom, maneuvering slowly through the dark house.

Once inside his room again, he flipped on the light. Now what did he do with the key to his bicycle lock again? He looked through his dresser drawers, not seeing the key. He sat down at his desk, and looked through those drawers. Again, no key. He sat back and thought for a moment. There was only one other place he kept things like those and that was under his bed.

Kurama kneeled next to his bed and leaned down, reaching his hand under to feel for the box he kept odds and ends in. Instead, what he felt was entirely different. It was...clothes? He reached further, feeling something within the clothes. He gripped it, his eyes popping open. A...body?

Kurama lowered his head to peer beneath the frame, his eyes immediately settling on the dead to the world form in front of him. So that's where that demon went.

Kurama smiled, but then quickly frowned. What on earth was Hiei doing under his bed? If the demon needed some place to sleep, it would have been Kurama's utmost delight letting him have his bed.

But Hiei, without even warning Kurama, just fell asleep in his house...and in his room, nonetheless. Kurama went to shake him, but then stopped. How long had he been asleep? For over 24 hours...? Kurama face went from confused to concern as he shook Hiei awake.

Hiei's eyes popped open, his expression a threatening one. Kurama suspected he would do that, and was even prepared to be attacked. But once Hiei saw that it was Kurama, he lowered his head a little more and snuggled into the carpet. He closed his eyes.

"Wake up, Hiei..." Kurama whispered gently. "Are you alright?" Hiei's eyes opened no further than a slant.

"Tired..." he murmured. "Sleep."

"Come lay on the bed...where it's comfortable." Hiei shook his head, his eyes drooping heavily.

"Sleep..." he mumbled. Kurama pulled him out from under the bed. Hiei muttered disagreeably, but made little to no effort to stop Kurama. Kurama picked him up by his underarms and laid him face down on the bed, swinging his legs up after he let him go, grunting with the effort meanwhile.

"There we are."

"No..." Hiei murmured. "Vul...nera...ble..."

"I'll watch over you while you sleep, Hiei. How's that?" Hiei mumbled something intelligible and snuggled into the bed. Kurama smiled at him and sat down on the bed. He reached for Hiei's boots and began to take them off. He wasn't prepared for the odor that hit him once the second boot hit the floor. "Whew!" he said, pinching his nose. He gave Hiei a quizzical look before gripping him and turning him over.

There wasn't anything wrong with him from what Kurama could gather. There weren't any cuts and bruises, and thankfully, when Kurama removed his cloak and scarf, there weren't any other odd odors. Thinking that gave Kurama an idea. He shook Hiei again.

"Sleep..." Hiei muttered.

"You should go use the bathroom..." Kurama said. "It's been a long time."

"Tired..." Kurama frowned.

"How tired can you be after all of that rest?" he asked. Hiei breathed in deep and peered at Kurama through tired lids.

"Can't a guy get some sleep?" he asked, attempting to sit up. "Damnit. You've got me here all out in the open. Need to be hidden for sleep." Hiei leaned over, apparently drifting off again. Kurama quickly grabbed him to stop him from falling over.

"I don't want you having any accidents in my bed, that's all."

"I'll get up when I have to eat and stuff. Just sleep now. Somewhere hidden."

"I'll watch over you when you're in my bed," Kurama said. "That way, any demon that tries to attack you will have to get through me first." Hiei nodded and fell forward, too heavy for Kurama to stop him. He landed partially in Kurama's lap, his face dug deep into Kurama's stomach. He began to snore.

Kurama shivered. The vibrations of the demon's deep and heavy snores made him tingle. He looked down at Hiei and shook him. Hiei didn't rouse. Kurama sighed heavily.

"Well, now what?" he asked himself, shivering again when Hiei snored a little louder than before. He lifted Hiei up by his arms, straining a little as Hiei had become very heavy again. He laid him back against the pillows at the head of the bed.

Hiei's expression was soft and relaxed. Kurama stared at him for a while. It wasn't often that Kurama got to see him that—dare he say—adorable. He wasn't necessarily crushing on the demon, but there was some attraction there. The attraction, however, Kurama kept a secret. He wouldn't dare attempt any type of physical action with Hiei knowing that the necessary feelings weren't there.

Hiei took in a deep breath and had stopped snoring. He turned his head to the side and smacked his lips, as if tasting something. Kurama smiled at him. He wondered what it would be like to...

Kurama moved closer to Hiei. He laid down next to him, sliding his arm underneath Hiei's back and pausing there. Hiei didn't move. Kurama continued, sliding closer to Hiei. He settled next to him and wrapped his arms around him. He laid his head down on Hiei's shoulder.

It was obvious Hiei hadn't gone there directly after a fight, or anything strenuous. He smelled quite nice up close and was clean. A lot of the time he was a little dirty from his adventures. Kurama wouldn't have minded cleaning him up, but Hiei never offered. here to rest...must have been premeditated.

And...sleeping for so long. It was a big risk. He must have gone under another form of hibernation, and Kurama never minded watching him through hibernation. But...Hiei never offered.

So then...why was he here now? Hiei never really trusted anyone fully to look after him. He'd always do it 'against his better judgment.' But obviously, his presence there that night was one that he'd thought out. Was that to say that...he trusted Kurama to look after him?

If so then why did he hide himself? Was he desperate for a place to go, and this was his only choice besides outside? Or...was it simply that he didn't want to burden Kurama with his hibernation by making it clear that he intended on having Kurama's help through this?

Hiei himself had mentioned that it was to have himself be hidden from view. But there had to be some level of trust, or else why would he have chosen Kurama's house, of all places? Just to sleep, just to rest, but away from the dangers of being out in the open and...perhaps...in the comfort of Kurama's space.

Kurama pulled the demon closer, looking up at him as he lay there. Hiei twitched and there was a slight murmur of activity in his forehead. He groaned and turned over towards Kurama. Kurama didn't move until Hiei stopped moving. He pulled himself up and looked at Hiei. They were face to face.

Hiei looked so innocent. His expression was so timid. Kurama couldn't explain what he felt as he watched him. It evoked the same feelings he felt when he looked at Yukina, except, knowing it was Hiei, Kurama felt sad. There was so much the demon had gone through that Kurama hurt over. He knew his pain was merely empathy—Hiei's was the real thing. First hand experience with hurt of that magnitude. Kurama held Hiei tighter.

Forbidden Child. That wasn't necessarily a name that Hiei held with pride. There was a bitterness in his face and voice whenever the name came in conversation. Kurama thought it fitting of the demon, for it was what he was. No one could help that, no one could change it. But it was not to be forgotten. It was to be changed into something else entirely.

The way people called him Youko Kurama sometimes, with so much spite. He had to hear...to face it. It was who he was and no matter how people tried to turn the name into an insult, Kurama held it. It was his and his only.

Hiei was the one and only Forbidden Child. It was his past and no one else's. The name was his badge of honor, his identification. Being branded with the name was one thing, but accepting it as his own was another.

And Hiei was Hina's Forbidden Child. He was Yukina's Forbidden Child.

He was...Kurama's Forbidden Child.

Small and helpless, and yet...so efficient enough that he had lived, and was lying with Kurama, in the sanctity of Kurama's arms as he had been since he arrived. Though Kurama was not there physically with him, his worry and concern was enough prove that the demon was safe in his hands.

Kurama held the demon even tighter, and closed his eyes. Something about that demon's warmth, something about his breath as he slept. Kurama focused mainly on the heartbeat, hearing Hiei's life and feeling his pulse. So efficient that even through years of rejection, he persevered.

Kurama was near tears at this point, thanks to years of growing up watching 'As the World Turns' with Shiori in the afternoons. Yes, Kurama was soft at heart sometimes, especially when it came to people he was closest to. All those years of never really being accepted. Kurama shook his head. Hiei must know that he was surely accepted now. In the place he loathed the most, by the kind he loathed the most. By humans, but by humans and demons alike.

Kurama dug his face into Hiei's chest after scooting down a little. Hiei made the smacking noise again and it made Kurama smile. The demon's heart pumped on and Kurama listened dutifully. There could not possibly be a cold, stone heart inside the walls of Hiei's chest. How bitter he must have been, but he had to know that there were those who would never cast him away.

There had to be a large, bright heart inside, one waiting silently for those very types of people to love. To hold tight and to cherish.

Kurama could kid himself no longer.

He was in love with Hiei and he knew it.

And though the feelings, the ones deep inside the demon and the ones most risky to reveal, may never be reciprocated, Kurama would be sure to always keep an open heart and mind for his demon. And to be there whenever he needed him, whether under his bed or in the warmth of his arms.

Fini. Please review!

J3