Chapter Three

Sleepless Nights Painful Days

Mukuro entered her friend's dark, bleak room. Swords hung on the walls limply, smelling distinctly of death and blood. It was not surprising since each of the swords had probly killed dozens, if not hundreds of different demons...Or humans.

The room was sparcely furnished. There was a lighted desk in the far right hand corner and a chair in the left. A bed also took up a small space along the wall in between the two. Above the bed hung a tear gem. She recognized it as Hiei's mother's gem. It hung limply from a black leather throng and sparkled in the small amount of light coming from the black curtained window. Under the glistening beauty of the gem sat another beauty, the one she had come here to see.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his elbows resting heavily on his knees and with his head lowered, drowsily hanging from his slim neck as if it were a thousand pound weight. His legs were bound, as they usually were, and his bare chest shone in the dim lighting, she payed no heed. She was used to seeing her friend this way.

A way she was not used to seeing him, though, was exhausted and pale. His eyes without thier crimson luster and with pain coursing through every inch of his frame. That is what she saw when he looked up to her, weariness etching deep lines into his face and dark circles into the hollows of his eyes.

"Hiei, what's the matter?" She asked him worriedly, her concern growing with every second he looked at her through his, now dead, crimson orbs.

"Just tired." He stated affirmitively. His voice dragging with each word.

"That's not it." She pressed, trying not to let her worry show in her features. "There's something else."

"I'm just tired." He insisted. He wasn't giving in to any of her prodding. "I haven't been sleeping much lately."

She could see her arguing would get her nowhere, so she changed her tatics, cunningly. "Why haven't you? I've never known you to be one who tires easily."

That is when his eyes seemed to come alive. However, they were not the alive she was looking for. They were not vital, nor vibrant. They were just angry. Fire seemed to spark in their depths, warning her of coming danger if she kept on.

No matter how much his eyes warned her that this was unwanted conversation she still pressed, leaving no chance for his escape. "Well? Answer me dammit!"

"Why do you care!" His frame flew up from the bed and he spread his legs and clenched his fists, as if he were about to enter a battle. And his small body seemed much taller in his furious state.

"Beacause it interferes with your training!" She lied, hoping that the hurt she felt would not show in her voice. "The more tired you are, the weaker you are!"

He seemed to deflate at that, flopping back tiredly on the bed and cupping his head into his palms. "Look...I...I apologize" He seemed to have a hard time making the words emerge. "I-I'm just tired, okay? I've been thinking too much lately."

"It's alright, Hiei." She allowed her eyes and voice to soften at him for a moment, giving in for now. Then she turned on her heal and headed, with all the dignity of a lord, out of her friend's room.


I'm yearning

For your touch

To hold you in my arms

Just thinking of you hurts

But to forget you

Is far too hard...

Hiei layed back again against the post of his bed, trying to quell his thoughts, to allow sleep to come. He kept remembering the Kitsune in his dreams. His dreams, however, had no place in this world. He wanted to forget. Thinking of his love hurt too much to endure. He just couldn't seem to forget. Hell, he couldn't even keep his thoughts from the Kitsune-youkai for a moment.

He allowed his head to flop back against his pillow, truly trying for sleep. He had always thought of sleep as being for only the weak, but he had been without for three days and it had really taken its toll on him.

He closed his eyes restlessly and in the darkness Kurama appeared. He held his rose and smiled just as he used to. No one had ever noticed what that smile did to Hiei. He could see it now, the scarlet strands of his hair spreading about his shoulders and his lanky body poised as it always was.

He had always wondered what it would be to touch his skin. Soft as silk, he supposed. Beautiful and pale, in deep contrast with the crimson strands of hair that flowed about his dainty features. He groaned softly and shook his head. Thoughts like this were going to be the death of him. He turned over and cursed fluently into the pillow untill he fell into a deep, and dreamless sleep.


"Hey Keiko!" Yusuke bumbled into the door, with less stealth that a Mazaku should.

"Finally, you're home! Where where you!" She yelled, her hands on her hips and her face stained red.

Yusuke grinned largely, as he did frequently as of late. "Cheating on you with a hot American." He joked.

She smiled at her husband's childish demeanor. Ever since she had told him of the baby, he had been obscenely giddy and had treated her like a queen. With him this way, it was hard to stay angry at him for long.

"Oh, I thought you where with the Irish one this time."

"Nah, she was out of town." He came up behind her and put his lanky arms around her ever-expanding stomache. "Actually, I went to see Kurama."

"Oh and how's he doing?"

"I don't know...He seemed a little out of it...I caught him off guard...That never happens."

She looked back at Yusuke. His smile had faded, and a concerned frown marred his handsome face. Worry showed in the dark depths of his chocolate eyes, and she couldn't help but wonder...Was there something wrong with the Kitsune?


Authors Babble: Hey ppls waz up? So how'd you like chappie three? I would really like to hear about it in your reviews. (hint...hint...HINT). Do you get it? PLZ review! The ratios to how many ppl have read this story and how many actually review it are pathetic...AND discouraging! KK and with that said...I will take: constructive critisizm and/or flames...Or praise is welcomed as well. I really don't care as long as you review. Oh yes, and thx to all my reviewers that do have the decency to tell me what they think...I praise thee! I should have chapter four out in no time. If you have any thoughts that you don't want to put in your review feel free to e-mail me. Oh and sorry for the chapters being so short, (and maybe a bit boring) But the real action comes soon, thx for sticking with me.THX and CHOW FOR NOW!