Again, I say, the rating is deserved! If shonen-ai makes you uncomfortable, STOP NOW!!! That's the last warning you get from me. That said, I hope you enjoy. These guys aren't mine. Have fun! Sorry it's so short. Forgive me? Onegai?

Midnyte-fox

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Hiei POV

I stood there, looking at him, unsure of what to say. Finally, not being one to dissemble, I just looked him straight in the eye. Then I went out on a limb.

"Kurama, I can't tell you in so many words how I feel. I-I'm just not capable of expressing myself like you are. I can't give you eloquence." I smiled ruefully. "For that matter, I can't really give you much in the way of coherence. But, I can tell you that I did not mean to injure you. I," I took a deep breath, "I care for you greatly," I said gallantly. I stared at my feet again.

I heard a heavy sigh. It was full of exasperation. "Hiei."

I looked up again. He had reached over and set the rose and the tear gems on his bedside stand. I flushed a little. I didn't usually cry, but for some reason it had seemed right to give my tears to him.

I watched him as he thought. His hair draped over one shoulder, and I had to resist the urge to touch it. His jade eyes regarded me with a soft serenity and a bit of resignation. I fidgeted a little, not liking such close scrutiny.

"Hiei, come here." He looked at me steadily. I went and sat down beside him. I grimaced. He didn't look at me, only stared straight ahead. When he finally did turn his gaze to mine, it was questioning. "Hiei, what do you think of me?

I drew in a sharp breath. I'd had a feeling he would ask something of the sort. I said nothing for quite awhile, weighing what I should say. What I could say.

"I care for you," I said finally. "I care about how you feel, in every manner. I look at you, and I see someone who can look past the . . . the boundaries everyone erects around themselves. I see someone who cares, and is cared about. And most of all, I see someone who deserves all of that care." I said the last sentence in a rush.

Kurama looked away again. "But what do you define me as, Hiei? What am I to you?"

I frowned. "Define you? I can't define you, Kurama. You are changing, you're shifting. Like . . ." I paused. Inspiration struck. "Like the play of moonlight on water! Ethereal, sometimes. A stream." I shook my head. "Defining you would be impossible."

He turned to me again, his eyes fierce. "Then don't try to define me, Hiei. I am not one thing or another. I am both, and none. I just am."

I flushed under his gaze. He was right, I had tried to define him. Then I had reacted according to that definition.

"Kurama, I . . ."

"No, don't apologize again. Just remember."

He reached a hand out to brush my cheek, and I noticed a dark spot in the middle of his hand. Catching it, I turned it over and looked at it. Two small drops of blood beaded on his skin, where the rose had been clutched too tightly. Not thinking, I brought his hand to my lips and used my tongue to clean the blood away.

My eyes were downcast, so I looked up in surprise when I heard a sharp intake of air. Kurama's eyes were closed and he bit his lip. Realizing what I had done, I contemplated letting him go, but decided against it. He wasn't pulling away.

Slowly, I let my tongue trace the lines of his palm, down to his wrist. I bit down lightly on the soft skin there, and watched the color rise to his cheeks.

Raising one hand, I slid it into his silken hair, feeling it slide against my skin, cool and soft. He sighed, and I moved closer. Tentatively, I pulled his head closer to mine and dropped a kiss onto his mouth. He sighed against my lips, kissing me back. My eyes closed.

When I opened them again, breaking the kiss, I looked down into his face. He looked up at me, eyelids lowered. The look in his eyes was sultry, sensual. It was too much, and I felt my hand clench in his hair. Throwing thought away, I leaned down, claimed his mouth with my own. His lips parted under mine, and I deepened the kiss. I felt one of his hands move between us, grabbing onto my shoulder. I pulled away, and heard a murmured sound of protest. I couldn't look at his face without losing control, so instead I tilted his chin up and away from me.

He gasped when I kissed his neck, and slid his other hand around my waist. I felt him tugging at my shirt as I continued to trail kisses across his neck, up to his ear. One of my hands unbuttoned his shirt, and I began to trail biting kisses down his chest as well. He gasped again. I stood up, breaking away from him. He leaned forward and pulled off my shirt. I discarded the clothing in a pile on the ground. Then I reached for him, pushing his shirt down his arms and flinging it to land next to mine.

Moving back to him, I pushed him back until he was laying flat and knelt over him. My thoughts were chaotic, amazed that he was allowing this to happen. Amazed that I was allowing it to happen. He reached for me again, eyes burning with the force of his desire. I shuddered as he slid one hand over my stomach, around to my back. I felt his fingertips trail up my spine. I shivered, grabbed his hand.

"Kurama . . ." My voice was a low growl. He shivered under me, and I couldn't help but look at his face. His eyes were closed, mouth swollen with the force of my earlier kiss. His head was tilted back slightly. The whole vision of him was so erotic, I couldn't help myself. I took his mouth again.

He moaned low in his throat as I pressed against him. I growled, losing my grip on what control I had.

Then I felt him curl one leg around me to bring me closer, saw him tilt his head back to offer himself, and any control I had shattered.