Genkai's temple was quite, the sound of crickets chirped away in the night. A beautiful moon shown through the thin temple doors, illuminating the rooms within. The night wasn't too far along, however, as five out of the six occupants were still awake.

Kurama, Yusuke, Kazuma, Yukina and Genkai all were crowded in the living room area. The Fox and Yusuke were chatting to one another, while Yukina and Kuwabara watched television together on the couch. Genkai was busy making up a healing remedy for her newest bother, Hiei.

"Man, Kurama, I still can't get over how close we were to losin' Hiei back there." The leader of the group sighed, as he took another bite of his chocolate bar. He even hated to think about it, but he was glad that the horrid beast was finally gone, so that they wouldn't have to deal with it anymore. "I bet that if you hadn't force-fed him that leaf-thingy, he would have probably bled to death, eh?"

The savvy redhead nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, I know." It was hard to envision his best friend in such a condition, again. He would be sure to try and think of a better plan next time to keep them all uninjured next time. "Hiei would definitely have bled to death if we were only a few minutes late. This creature was no ordinary one to survive Hiei's black dragon."

"Aw, hey guys! I forgot to tell ya! Hiei said somethin' that might make ya'll jealous!" Kuwabara's scratchy voice rang up as he turned his entire body spastically, as he just remembered.

Brown and green colored eyes darted over to the natural redhead. "Ha! What did he say, Kuwabara? Did he confess his undying love for you~?" Yusuke joked, as he laughed loudly, noticing the angry red blush that spread on his face. Kurama lifted a hand to his mouth to stifle a giggle. He knew that Hiei would never say such a thing.

"Urameshi!" Kazuma nearly screeched, leaping from the couch to stand his ground. "You know that the Shrimp wouldn't say anything like that! But he did say something else that would probably stun you!" This notion silenced the raven-haired male from his uncontrollable laughter.

"Ah yeah? Well then tell me, what did he say?" Actually, Yusuke was a little bit intrigued. What could have Hiei said that would possibly shock him at all?

"Hmph! You would have never guessed it, but Hiei thanked me for saving him! He said if after you all left the room. Although… I am not sure how he would have guessed since he was knocked out…" He started strong, but ended with a soft note of curiosity. He didn't even question how the little fire demon knew that it was him that carried him. Unless "Kurama, did you tell him?"

With a generous smile, the redhead stood from the table he was seated at. "Yes, Kuwabara. I told him before you and Yusuke walked in. At first he seemed very angry, though, I guess that I was wrong. You know Hiei doesn't give his thanks without reason." Glancing his emerald eyes at the clock, he noticed that it was time to give his friend a visit to see his condition. "I am going to check up on him. I hope he won't complain too much." Sighed Kurama, as he started to walk off heading to Genkai.

Yusuke grinned, giving him a thumbs up, "If he tries to fight ya, Kurama, just tell him that I'll kick his little ass." His usual joking threats were always taken lightly, just as they should. He knew that if Kurama had any trouble with the little guy, Yusuke could easily pin him down.

"Yeah! Me too, Kurama! If he refuses I will hold him down myself and shove it down his throat!" Kazuma said with a fist held high.

With a stifled, perverted giggle, the raven-haired male nearly burst into laughter at what his old friend said. "Damn, Kuwabara. Take it easy, I guarantee that Hiei is a virgin; don't be so rough with him when you finally have the balls to do him!" The leader said, as he fell to the floor laughing at the paled and drained face his friend.

"URAMESHI!"

"Are the herbs ready yet, Genkai-sama?" Kurama asked kindly, walking over to the elder.

A small "hm" escaped from her, as she held up the bowl up crushed plants, mixed with her energy. "This should do it for now. Spread it over his wounds, and it should help."

With a curt bow in thanks, the Fox grabbed what was offered. "Thank you very much, Genkai-sama. I am sure Hiei will benefit from it." With her ki mixed into these herbs, they were more powerful than Kurama's plants could make. He was lucky to have her available to help.

Walking out, the redhead sighed softly when he heard his two friends hit the ground, and a rough voice of the pink-haired woman to yell at them for wrestling in her house. Those two were always at each other's throats, almost as bad as Hiei and Kuwabara. At least they knew where to stop before anyone got hurt.

Even with the door slid shut, Kurama smiled softly, when he heard Yukina's worried voice chime up for them to separate, in which the room silenced. Kuwabara's voice was radiating off of the walls as he apologized for upsetting her, and for making a ruckus. If only he knew that the real consequence for upsetting Yukina wasn't Genkai at all, but the injured demon just a few doors down. Hiei, even in his current state, wouldn't be afraid to kill for the safety and protection of his sister.

~ O ~

A door slid open, quietly, as tender footsteps approached the sleeping dragon. Hiei was still knocked out; although, his hibernation was possibly over and he was just merely resting. Kurama knew that nothing could wake him when he was in hibernating, so with a gentle hand, he placed it on the smaller male's shoulders, shaking lightly. "Hiei. Hiei wake up, I have to check on your wounds."

A soft groan left his throat, tossing his body to rest on his side away from the redhead. "Go away, Kurama…" He was having such a nice dream too, and now he was a bit grouchy from being woken up. The raven-haired fire demon knew that Kurama would get his way, but it was never his style to give up so easily.

Hiei heard his friend sigh out, knowing that underneath that fiery hair, he was planning a retaliation attack. "Please, Hiei. I wish not to pin you down, just to check on your wounds."

He was serious, the black dragon assumed that just from his tone of voice. With a mix between a groan and a sigh, Hiei sat up slowly, his back to the sneaky fox. "You don't plan to hurt me, do you, Fox?" He asked with a tilt of his head, looking back at Kurama over his shoulder.

That tired stare. Those glazed over auburn eyes, seemed to read him just from the glance. With the moonlight illuminating his back majestically, the humanoid-fox couldn't help but to feel a slight fix of arousal that sprung through his loins. Swallowing thickly, "I promise I will not harm you, Hiei. When have I ever done such a thing?"

Hiei chuckled. It was a low and it shook his shoulders, lightly. "You are lucky, Kurama." A bandaged hand was raised to rest on the side of his head. "I don't quite feel like myself at the moment." Turning to look at the redhead through gaped fingers, the fire demon gave a small smirk.

Tilting his head, Kurama was confused. "Are you unwell?" If Hiei was feeling sick, then he would gladly aid him. Reaching out, the fox-demon gently grasped the smaller one's hand, noticing that he was really warm, almost feverish. "He is a fire-demon, so his natural temperature would rise. Although, he is also half ice-demon, so his temperature should balance out." The thought quickly rose through his mind, trying to decipher what was wrong with his best friend.

Hiei was also not fighting back at all, like he assumed. He raised a knee for his elbow to rest on, as Kurama held his hand. The half-koorime thought nothing of the small contact. He never allowed anyone other than his sister and Kurama to touch him like that. His gaze never left the conjoined hands, "I am not sure." He said, unusually uncertain.

Now, the Fox was worried. Hiei was always certain about everything that he said. Cautiously, he raised his hand, as non-threatening as possible, to touch the cloth that covered his forehead. Hiei's eyes closed slowly, when he felt those cool fingers touch his band, and a bit of his brow, a silent message of continuance.

Lifting the protector away, just to the top of his hairline, Kurama placed his entire palm on Hiei's forehead, wary to be cautious of his third eye that was closed. "He is warm." "Hiei, have you been moving around since I left you earlier today?" It was a soft question, not an accusing tone was used. No wonder the fire-demon felt a bit ill.

The hand resting on his forehead was welcoming, to say the least. Strangely, the touch seemed to help calm him. Almost as much as when he would look into the tear-gem of his mother. "No." It was a small and curt answer, but it was true. "I have been resting the entire time you have been gone."

A soft hum left the redhead's throat, moving his hand away from his forehead and replaced the protector, squeezing his other on the bandaged one. "I am not sure if you are running a fever, but you do feel much warmer than usual." The small and tender affection didn't go unnoticed from the smaller male, as his deep red gaze opened and traveled to the connected hands once more. The stare made him a bit nervous. "Would you like me to stop holding your hand, Hiei?" He knew that he should have just let go, but moving too suddenly wasn't the best idea when it came to the little youkai.

Closing those long-lashed eyes again, Hiei shook his head from side-to-side slowly. "It is soothing." This time, however, he didn't open his eyes back up. "I feel exhausted, but I don't feel tired." In all honestly, he felt sick more than anything. A bit of worry entered his mind that his wound was infected which signaled his temperature spike.

The centuries old fox could easily see through him. Hiei was unwell, and he had to try and make him feel better. Letting go of his hand, he wrapped an arm around Hiei's back slowly, as to not startle him, and the other under his knees.

It wasn't until the little dragon heard a soft thumping against his head did he, slowly, open his eyes. He was pressed up against a strong chest, and he was being carried. "Where are you taking me, Fox…?" Even his own voice was soft, too soft for his liking. He wouldn't struggle, only because he felt too weak. He hated that word. 'Weak.' He was nothing close to that horrid word, but he couldn't describe his current condition in any other way.

In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but to notice how light the man in his arms was. Was he always this light? When was the last time he had eaten anything? "I am taking you to the hot springs. Genkai has made a special mix of herbs for you, and I need to wash your injuries out before applying it." Kurama made sure to travel with as little jostling as possible, as to not aggravate the smaller male further.

Hiei blinked, lifting his head away from the warmth of the body holding him. "How strange, Kurama. What do you plan to do, bathe me?" He said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Of course, he knew how to give himself a bath. Hiei may be weak but he was, most certainly, strong enough to bathe himself.

"That is precisely what I plan to do, Hiei." Almost immediately after he said that, the little dragon's ki flared. "Come now, Hiei, do you think I haven't seen you nude before?" When he was patching him up, there were a few deep gashes on his upper thigh, which needed to be tended to. How else was he supposed to get to it?

A blush rose up to tint his pale cheeks that he will deny to his dying day. "Not that I know of, Kurama!" His eyes narrowed to slits, was this one of the Fox's tricks? There was no way he would be caught so vulnerable. He was proud of his figure, but he still didn't want to be spied on while naked.

The sly Fox couldn't keep the grin from appearing on his face, as he pulled open the doors to the backyard hot springs. It was a private area for bathing, and it was a perfect place to relax. "You didn't notice the injuries adorning your legs? Especially in the upper thigh regions? Besides, you were still out-cold when I first patched you up." Seating the fidgeting demon on a raised rock near the sauna, Kurama walked over to retrieve a towel.

Now that Hiei knew of the Fox's intentions, he placed both hands between his legs, resting on the rock he was sitting on. He had no idea that there were injuries below his waist. "If you think I won't put up a fight, Fox, then you are wrong. I am not getting in the water with you in the room."

Hiei's boots were already off, so the only obstacle that lay in Kurama's path was his pants. Luckily, he removed the three belts that were needed to hold them up when he was out-cold. This made them even easier to remove since they looked like they would fall down his skinny legs at any moment. "The faster we get this done, Hiei, the faster I can leave you be. Now, don't be rash, but I will be bathing you. I need to make sure that you don't have an infection."

Those pale hands reached for the pants line on the youkai's little waist but they were gripped by warm hands. "No, Kurama! I may be injured and unwell, but don't think that I can't put up a fight." There was no way he would allow the visibility of his naked body while he is awake. The Fox may have gotten a peek while he was unconscious, but not while he is looking him right in the eyes.

Kurama sighed, already tired of these shenanigans. "I am warning you, Hiei. Don't make me use force." He didn't want to harm the injured male, and knew that he wouldn't. He assumed that if he could bind the man's arms then that would be enough to make him submit. He would also need to use specialized plants, since Hiei still had a bit of fight left in him.

Blood red eyes narrowed dangerously. "Just try me, Fox." He was confident, even though he was at a disadvantage. Within a moment, Hiei vanished, and appeared on the other side of the room. An arm wrapped around his stomach, and his teeth were gritted together. It hurt to move like that, but he would gladly fight his way out of this.

The surprise disappearance didn't alter the redhead's expression. Standing straight, and turning around, he faced the rambunctious fire demon with a tired look. "I warned you. Now, you will play by my rules." Kurama said as he reached to the back of his head, under his hair, for a seed. Tossing it to the ground, it came alive with an energy flare, growing into a vine covered plant. "This plant will not harm you, but it will contain you." He said as he snapped his fingers, and the thing flung its thorn-less vines Hiei's way.

The dragon's eyes widened, as the plant charged his way. With his quick speed, he was able to dodge the first attack, but for how long. Charging his ki into his palms, Hiei didn't have the strength to summon the black dragon, but perhaps the mortal flame would suffice in bringing the vines to ash. There was no way he could get close, so he threw a fireball at the vines, as he jumped to the right to dodge another onslaught of the attack.

Landing on wobbly legs, the youkai grunted in pain, as he felt his injuries jostle from the sudden movement. He barely had time to think, however, as the vine that he had thought was exterminated, emerged anew, and lunged at him again. Hiei panicked and leaped again, sadly this time, he felt a tug at his right leg. Glancing down, he noticed the same vine that used to be on fire, was wrapped tightly around his calf, causing him to fall forward.

Kurama merely stood there, watching the whole fight with unblinking eyes, never moving an inch. When the vine finally caught him by the foot, he forced more vines to catch his upper body so he wouldn't rip open anymore injuries, preventing him from landing on the floor. Three more vines wrapped around his remaining limbs, and brought Hiei over to a patient redhead.

The fire demon struggled fruitlessly against the restraints on his arms and legs. "Kurama! Release me!" He growled out a command; although, with the look on the Fox's face it seemed that he was ignored. He was placed on his feet, the vines making sure that he couldn't move, or control his energy. It seemed to put a cap on his ki, so that he couldn't use any attacks. The sly Fox had thought ahead.

"I am sorry, Hiei. I had tried to warn you, and now you will have to bathe with an uncomfortable restraint." With another snap of his fingers, the vines that held the demons arms, moved them to his back. Carefully, they positions his arms bent at the elbow, at nearly a ninety degree angle, with one parallel to the other in the middle of his back. This was done to prevent further movement. The vines snapped themselves off of the main plant, and wrapped tightly around both arms, securely restraining Hiei from further movement.

A threatening growl left Hiei's lips, when he felt his arms moving without his permission behind his back. Deep and angry eyes glared up at Kurama. The other casually walked up to him and bent over slightly to begin stripping him of the bandages. "Relax, Hiei. You will feel more comfortable if you would just relax. The more you pull, the stronger the vines will be.

The black dragon's body heated up on instinct to try and rid his self of the restraints, but he couldn't get into contact with his energy. The plant seemed to block it off, leaving him vulnerable. His body tingled when he felt those skilled fingers peel off the sticky white bandages on his skin, watching them fall to the floor, lifeless.

Hiei would run off, but the vines still held down his legs, so he was grounded in one position until they were removed. He felt cold, when the bandages were gone, revealing a bruised and battered body in the wake. The small youkai felt a bit embarrassed at the way he looked now. Not that he wasn't proud of his battle scars, but he felt a bit out of place in front of the master thief. He had attained these scars, and failed in his mission. Kurama had succeeded, and came out unscathed.

Darting his gaze over to the lower left, he felt those emerald eyes look upon his injuries with a stealthy grace. "The largest wound on your lower right stomach seems to be a bit infected." That was the injury when he was stabbed by the creature's large spiked tail. He still remembers the feel of that huge spike sinking into his body and ripping his organs in the process. He shivered at the spike of imaginary pain.

Kurama took note of the involuntary shiver that rippled through the smaller demon; he would have to be extra careful when cleaning out that wound. It was a sickly shade of black and red crusted over the large hole where the spike penetrated his body. Around the gash was a purple, black and red bruise, possibly happened when Hiei reopened the wound. Powdered on top, was familiar pollen that did its job to keep the blood coagulated, in other words keeping him from bleeding out.

Carefully, Kurama kneeled down and gripped the top of Hiei's pants and started to pull them down. The fire demon held his breath, and leaned back, turning his head away. A deep blush spread on his neck and crawled to his face, as he clenched his eyes shut. He couldn't get away, as he felt the fabric slide down his thighs, and pool at his ankles.

It was of no surprise to the Fox that the little dragon didn't wear undergarments. Most demons didn't believe in underwear, and Hiei was one of them. Glancing up at those tightly closed lids, a small smirk appeared on Kurama's face as he briefly took in the view of his little fire demon. Hiei's size was proportioned to his body; because of his short stature, he wasn't as large as the Fox was, but decent for a man with his height.

Emerald eyes traveled further down to assess the damage done to his friend's body. Reaching up, he gently pulled off the bandages that were wrapped around his thighs, hearing a hiss from above; whether it was from pain or pleasure, he was unsure. A deep gash, located on his pale left thigh, started in the middle front and worked its way diagonally up and around inward toward his buttocks.

Hiei's mind panicked. He was so close. So close to the most sensitive part of his body, he could practically feel the others hot breath dance across his scrotum. Biting his lip to keep down any sound that threatened to crawl up his throat, the dragon clenched his eyes shut further to keep from looking down at the Fox. "Right, this isn't anything sexual… He is just looking at my wounds…" He was lucky that his body was able to control itself, since he hasn't been physically stimulated, but the feeling was still there.

Gently, Kurama placed a hand below the gash, pushing slightly, signaling the vines to spread Hiei's legs outward a bit more, so he could investigate. His thigh involuntarily flinched at the sudden contact, feeling him shiver in place. He tilted his head and leaned down to get a better look at the injury. The wound managed to reach completely around to the other side onto the little demon's cheeks. Standing up, the Fox made his way around to the other side of the bound youkai.

Hiei's eyes darted open when he felt the other stand, and followed his movements, turning his head to keep eye contact. He felt so exposed. Tied down and his body spread eagle just waiting for something drastic to happen. This felt like no ordinary check-up.

His entire body flinched, when he felt a palm rest gently on the top of his back, just above his bound arms. Hiei had seen it coming, but it still didn't settle the dark shivers that darted across his spine from the contact. "Relax, Hiei, I will not hurt you." His shoulders shook, slightly, as a mix of fear and sexual desire sprung through his nerves. He hated to have someone at his back, especially when his is bound and vulnerable to attack. Although, he knew that Kurama would never do anything to harm him.

The small demon couldn't watch him anymore. Jerking his head back forward, he felt the other slowly crouch behind him. The hand was still placed against his upper back, though it didn't help relieve him of the fear. Without warning, a gentle hand was placed on his waist, the same side as the injury. Hiei couldn't keep down the frightened grunt that shook his entire body. His eyes were widened with horror, staring forward. The lip that was between his fangs ripped, feeling the blood sliding down his chin to gather there only to drip to the floor between his legs. Tears gathered at the edges of his unblinking eyes, when he felt a thumb from the hand on his waist grip his cheek and pulled it to the side a bit.

Kurama knew he was pushing it, now. Taking a quick look, he noticed that the injury seemed to reach upward and outward to the middle of his left cheek. Removing his hands entirely, he walked around the fire demon. Looking at the crumbled mess of his friend, he regretted taking his time. Those ruby eyes held a sense of fear deep within, and to add to it, Hiei looked like he was about to cry.

Being careful and slow, the redhead reached his hand out to the dragon's mouth, and wiped away the trail of blood with his thumb. Hiei flinched back, but didn't bite him like he had assumed. "Your wounds are healing, but with the medicine, it will heal faster. Now, let's get into the water." The minute he said that, the vines holding the demon's legs released him and Kurama moved to the side to allow him to walk into the water.

The Fox had expected the tiny demon to immediately flit away, never to be seen again; although, if he were to do that, he would have to come back eventually to get the vines removed. The person who attached the vines will have to be the one to remove them. Did Hiei know that? He was unsure, but he had a clue by the look on his face that he knew he was trapped either way.

Emerald green eyes stared back into those unblinking shocked red ones. Was he frightened? The shaky demon merely stood in place, not taking his eyes off of the Fox. Was he planning something? "Do you need any help, Hiei?" Kurama asked, as if his friend wasn't standing naked in the room with him.

The fire apparition visibly flinched at the sound of the other man in the room, snapping him out of his feared trance. He was embarrassed, and a bit frightened, he was unsure why. The Fox hadn't harmed him at all. He had only touched him in places that no other living creature has before. Of course he had been injured there, but never had the physical contact been so gentle, caressing.

Ignoring the red that stained his cheeks, Hiei closed his eyes, and held his head down, walking to the water's edge. Taking a cautious step, the fire demon made his way into the warm depths of the heated pool; continuing until he felt that he his waist was completely covered, he stopped. His arms were still bound as a gaze of deep auburn peeked over his small shoulder at the still-standing redhead.

Kurama was going to strip to keep his outfit from getting wet, but he decided that Hiei's comfort was more important than his own. Never taking his eyes off of the pair staring at him, and grabbing a bar of soap and cloth, he walked into the water with smooth steps, up to the uneasy youkai. "Relax Hiei, I told you that I wouldn't harm you, and I plan to keep it that way."

To try and relax the timid demon, Kurama walked around to his front. Those flaming eyes never leaving his face, as the Fox dipped the washcloth into the water, and lathered it with the soap. "This might sting a bit, but it will help clean out your injuries." He said softly, trying not to startle the bound youkai.

Hiei grit his teeth, when he felt the somewhat ridged cloth, gently, rub against his battered body. Not once did he take his eyes off of the working redhead. He hoped that his humiliation was soon coming to an end, but he was still fortunate to see that Kurama still had his clothes on. He knew that it made the former Fox uncomfortable to be in wet clothes. Strangely, the fire demon also had a different feeling about that. Almost like he wanted the other man to remove his clothes as they both entered the water. He mentally shook his head at the thought. Preposterous.

Glowing green eyes kept watch of his hand at work, cleaning out the crusted blood that was missed and bits of pollen that were stuck to the gaping wound. Pulling the cloth back, he dipped it in the water to rid of the stained red color that it had obtained, and lathered it back up, before continuing with his upper chest. Three deep gashes lined diagonally up from the right to the left side of his torso. These were not as bad as the stab wound on his lower left stomach. The injury on his thigh was deeper than these; he was surprised that Hiei didn't notice that one at all until he mentioned it.

Kurama's fingers gently brushed over a soft nipple, taking in the sight before him. Hiei was surely beautiful; especially in this intense moment. He was bound, completely at the Fox's mercy. That hard-as-stone gaze never leaving his face, trying to concentrate on the person rather than the hands that roamed his body.

Placing his other hand on the smaller ones shoulder, he rubbed at the smooth chest, wiping the injuries clean and being careful not to open the forming scabs. Kurama could feel the small chest rise and fall with every breath he took. No heart beat was detected, though. Demon hearts don't beat; he would have been worried if he suddenly heard the thumping of his still-beating heart.

Hiei seemed more docile now than before. The young demon was so concentrated on getting away, and now he merely stood there, motionless and speechless. Had he given up? Or was he just waiting for the right moment to strike? Perhaps he just wanted this all to be over with. If only he could read what the other was thinking, but it was hard behind that emotionless stare.

There was no panic. No malice behind those ruby red eyes. Kurama was sure that he would have seen something by now. He was still, until a deep breath made the small breast pushed his hand back gently; falling back down after a deep sigh left those supple lips. "Are we done…?" The sound was so deep, rhythmic. It vibrated through the soft flesh that the Fox was cleaning, making his skin tingle.

Blinking out of his trance, Kurama looked back into more focused eyes. "Almost… Just have to clean the gash on your thigh." He noticed that Hiei visibly flinched at the mention of that particular injury. The Fox pulled back the soiled rag, and cleaned it once more, getting ready for the more sensitive part of the demons body. Would he allow him? "I will be quick, I promise."

For some reason, Hiei didn't trust the words that came from the master thief at that moment. He wouldn't be quick; he had a feeling that something else was going to happen. Although, he had no other choice.

Slowly, the fire apparition turned and walked to the side of the water, where it was shallow enough to reveal everything down to his mid-thigh. His fingers clenched in the tight bondage behind his back, getting nervous, as he kept his back turned on the sly Fox. He was getting tired, as he turned his head back to look at Kurama with dull eyes.

It was like an invitation. The moonlight shown so beautifully on his back, it was almost illuminating. When the water receded, the Yoko inside of him nearly made him growl with a primal and dominant rush. He had to hold back. He could tell by the scent that Hiei wasn't ready. If the Fox gave into temptation, he would scare away his prey. And those eyes… Deep ruby gems glimmered dimly at him, and it nearly drove him to press him against the rock he was facing.

Swallowing, Kurama kept his cool, and approached the demon from behind, slowly. He pressed a hand onto the fire demons upper back, pressing him forward to rest his upper body against the rock formation. "Please bear with me." With as gentle movements as possible, he lathered the cloth once more, and pressed flatly to his left cheek.

A gasp left the dragons lips, at the cold feeling of the soapy cloth that touched him. He already felt vulnerable from having his back turned to the sneaky Fox, but it was made worse by the fact that he was bent over at an angle. Without his consent, his entire frame was shaking. His body told him to be nervous and frightened, but he knew that Kurama would never hurt him. Although, it did sting a bit from the wound he was trying to clean, but it was expected.

The semi-smooth rag rubbed in small circles on the little demons rear, gradually heading south. Long, nimble fingers traced down Hiei's back, over his bound arms, and stopped at a narrow hip. With a light grip, the Fox moved closer, bending over the shivering man, he maneuvered the cloth to slide between his legs to continue cleaning.

Hiei clenched his teeth, pressing the side of his face closer to the rock. A strangled hiss left his throat, at the working hand. On instinct he spread his legs wider, making available space for the cold cloth and warm hand to maneuver. Kurama was so close; it nearly drove the great Jagan master insane. He could almost feel the two low-hanging bits of hair that he usually kept in front of his ears on his tiny shoulder.

It took every fiber of the Fox's self-control to keep himself from purposefully rubbing a hand on the fire demons scrotum that hung between his legs. Surprising himself, he stayed on task, and tried not to breathe the dragons scent too deeply, it would only arouse him further.

Seconds felt like minutes, as time rolled slowly. Taking each staggering breath through an open mouth, Hiei closed his eyes, praying that this moment of embarrassment would end. Strangely, a different feeling mixed in the pit of his stomach, along with anxiety, fear and shame. It was a foreign feeling, one that the dragon tamer had never experienced before. The feeling brought a fluttering sensation throughout his entire being, and wasn't entirely unpleasant.

Kurama released the Jagan master all together, and took a few steps back. "I am done. All we have to do now is apply the medicine and you will be free to go." He never meant to keep him this long, his arms must be killing him from being pent up on his back.

The outside was freezing as Hiei left the safety of the warm waters. The soft sound of splashing echoed through the silent room, as he made his way on shore near his clothes. He kept his back to the Fox, already embarrassed enough that he had seen everything. There was nothing more to hide. His dripping wet body, was shivering from his waist down to his legs. It seemed that both demons wouldn't dry off before this was over.

Water splashed as Kurama exited the sauna, shivering at the nippy air that met him. He would have to change his clothes after this, he hated to be wet. He decided to walk past the nude demon, and into the room where Hiei was previously resting, expecting the smaller man to follow. He knew he was sick, but he assumed that he didn't want to be touched like that in his predicament.

Just as the Fox thought, Hiei followed quite a distance behind the redhead. His body was reacting strongly to moving in such a condition, but he bared it, finally making it into the room. Kurama was kneeling near his bed, and preparing the concoction of medicines needed for his injuries. He stood at the door, thanking the lord that the moonlight only lit up his upper-body, as he stood in the doorway.

The scent coming off of the fire apparition seemed more apprehensive than anything else. He knew that Hiei was a tough man, but he looked more like a broken stallion, giving up on trying to buck its rider off and simply giving in. "Come on, Hiei. You look a bit cold, don't want that fever spiking."

Swallowing, the fire-demon did as he was told, and slowly made his way over to the kneeling redhead. Being careful, he knelt down, trying not to fall on his face, and pulled his legs from under himself to try and cover up his privates from being exposed any further. It wasn't working too well. Hopefully, Kurama would trust him enough to remove these restraints, they were starting to hurt. He felt the bed he was on dampen in places that his knees and rear touched, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

The redhead scooped a handful of the strange green goop from the bowl, it smelled strange, almost like multiple green-leafy substances mixed into one. "Be still, please." He chimed softly, as he reached out and smeared a good amount onto the largest wound on his body. That stuff was, absolutely, freezing. The minute it touched his heated skin, it made him jump a bit from the shock.

Hiei is a fire-demon but that didn't mean that he was immune to the cold. He hated to be cold, his body temperature was drastically effected, he'd much rather be hot. His entire body reflected the feeling of those hands on his body, one was holding him on the shoulder, and the other was working its way up to the gashes on his chest. He was lucky that he was too cold to keep any sexual feelings that rushed through his head.

Kurama took his time to feel out the shivering body before him. The darkness wasn't covering anything, and he could see it all. From his finely tinted red cheeks, down to the closed legs before him. He knew that he shouldn't waste time, Hiei was cold, but his body was fluctuating in temperature spikes, he could feel it. How strange.

A strangled moan left the youkai's throat in a soft plea, "K-Kurama... Please, h-hurry..." The Fox had to shake his head to try and rid of the immediate sexual thoughts that spewed in his mind. There was no way he would suggest something like that, he was merely cold and wished to get this done so he could cuddle back into the covers.

"Of course, Hiei. I apologize." He stated, as he finished with the final injury on his chest. "How would you like me to apply it to... uh... your final wound?" He had an idea but he knew that he was pushing boundaries, but it had to be done.

Hiei darted his wide gaze at the shimmering green that stared back. "C-Can't I just put it on m-myself?" He asked a bit loudly and angrily. He didn't know what was the big problem of himself doing this, he was fully capable.

The Fox-demon sighed, knowing that he would fight back. "Would you really want to risk spreading this stuff on your genitals? I have a strong feeling that if this came in contact with such sensitive skin, it would highly irritate it. Better to be safe than sorry." Not that Kurama didn't want Hiei to do it himself; a feeling deep within him wanted to do it for the poor fire-demon.

A low growl emitted through clenched fangs, as he decided not to argue. The quicker he can get his pants on the better. Pulling back to his knees, he lifted himself, feeling off-balance from the restraints. "Just get it over with, please..." He said, surprisingly without a stutter, closing his eyes.

Kurama grabbed the bowl and knee-shimmied his way over to the apparition, being so close he could feel the soft breath dance across his clothed chest. "You can lean on me if you feel like you are going to fall." He assured, before placing the bowl behind Hiei, on the side of him.

Without a bit of warning, the smaller male fell forward, leaning his entire body onto the strong chest of the Fox-demon. Was he just tired? The redhead didn't question it at all. He had stated that before, and plans to keep it. Reaching a hand around to press onto his lower back for support and steadiness, Kurama scooped more of the messy green goop, into his hand and began to spread it onto his rear.

He was careful, making sure not to miss a single bit of the open injury, and made his way down to between the demons little thighs. He pulled his hand back, and scooped a little more into his hand, before pulling his own hips back while keeping his chest forward to support the leaning demon. His hand moved to the front to complete the job, as he wiped the rest of it on his already wet pants. "Alright, Hiei, now I just have to re-bandage it, and I will leave you alone."

A soft "hn" vibrated from his chest, as the demon refused to move. The Fox didn't complain, instead he reached behind himself to retrieve the bandages and slowly started to wrap up the small demons lower wound.

When finished, he put the bandages down, and placed both hands on the fire-demon's shoulders to push him back to lean on his own legs. "Sorry, I have to finish. You still feel a bit warm, though." He said as he reached for the white wrappings once more.

Hiei blinked slowly, as he was pulled away. A light flush ran over his neck and cheeks, feeling those hands working on his chest. To be truthful, he felt a lot better. After he had a nice dip in the sauna, and now his injuries didn't hurt anymore. He just wished that he could have gone without the whole nude thing.

A smile of satisfaction spread over the redheads features, as he pulled back. "There, finally finished. I will fetch your clothes for you." He stood and left the still-bound demon alone for a moment, as he retrieved the forgotten pants in the sauna room.

Kurama placed the article of clothing in front of the fire-demon, and gently tapped on the restraints with the tips of his fingers. Quickly, the plant unraveled itself from the youkai's arms, and traveled up the redheads instead, finding shelter within the confines of his sleeves.

Even with the injured and sick raven-haired man, he still managed to put on his clothes with an impressive speed, less than five seconds. Standing up, Kurama gave a short bow. "Good-night, Hiei. Sleep well, alright?" He said softly, turning to leave.

"Kurama, wait..."

Although there was nothing else the fire apparition wanted to do than to lay down and rest, he simply couldn't. Not after he felt the strange safety and comfort that he found within his friend. He actually felt warmth from him when he was being patched up. It was nice, and if Kurama hadn't pushed him off, he was sure to fall asleep against him.

The half-breed did as he was told, and turned to look into those pleading ruby eyes. "Yes, Hiei? What is it?" He asked softly, kneeling down to the hunched over figure in the bed. His intelligent mind was trying to think ahead, as usual, in these situations. Was he hungry? Thirsty? Needed an extra blanket? Was he in pain?

"Please sleep with me."

Kurama had not expected such a statement. It made his entire face red with a blush at the bluntness from the demon. What could he possibly mean by that? Knowing Hiei's usage of the human vocabulary, he was probably, literally, saying the true meaning of his words. He knows of the fire-demon's little knowledge on the human slang terms. Even in the Dark Tournament, he had never even heard of Rock-Paper-Sissors.

Shuichi and Youko was practically screaming in his head at the thought of actually having sex with the small and vulnerable demon, telling Kurama to "go for it!" However, the more calm and strategic side of his half-breed self forced his mind to calm and straightened out his thoughts. "Of course, Hiei. If it will help you feel better."

Hiei blinked in a bit of confusion at the strange flush that crept over the usual stoic Fox. Although, he immediately seemed to sort himself out, as he started to climb into the sheets. The fire demon wasted no time, as he moved aside to allow the taller male to slide in next to him. It was a tight fit, since it was a twin size bed, nearly pressing the two males against one another to keep from falling off.

Kurama reached down and pulled the blankets over himself and his little youkai. "Good-night, Hiei." He said again, softly, looking at his friend as he lay on his side facing him. The moonlight hit his face perfectly, showing those naturally wide eyes as they stared back up at him, almost longingly. He had thought it once before, but Hiei was really beautiful under the moon's gaze.

Gripping the sheets lightly, the half-koorime swallowed thickly, and curled in closer to the warmth of the other man. A deep rumble of "night" echoed to the redhead softly, as he closed his eyes, thankful that he wasn't alone on this cold night. One would think that he would be ready to kill the man that is laying beside him. Although, no murderous thought ran through his mind at all. Kurama was just trying to help him in his time of need. He'll find a way of revenge when the sun rises, until then, he plans on taking a good rest next to his half-breed.