****

'Well, at least I remember that part.'

'How could you forget, you where there! It wasn't that long ago!'

'I have a lot on my mind, you know!'

'Like deciding which pacifier to use each day?'

'Just continue with the story...'

****



"It's so cold! I'm freezing my butt off!" the tall, auburn haired Kuwabara Kuzuma whined, for what seemed to his companions like the hundredth time.

"Will you shut the hell up, Kuwabara!? We're all sick of hearing your stupid complaining!" answered his black haired schoolmate and former rival, Urameshi Yusuke.

"But I'm cold! It must be like, negative fifty degrees out here."

"You're in love with an ice apparition and you're complaining about being cold, maybe you should rethink this a little..." Yusuke said, glaring at him.

"Yeah, but she's so sweet and warm in my arms..." He crooned, beginning to drift into a daydream about Yukina.

"Why didn't you wear a JACKET," Hiei snarled suddenly, not so much caring about Kuwabara's complaints, but hearing his sister talked about in that way did not agree with him.

Kurama stifled a chuckle, knowing very well what had caused Hiei's sudden outburst but not wanting to cause the small demon to become angry with him.

The group of four had begun their mission and were making the long trek up the mountains to the spot where Tsumetai the ice demon had last been seen. Somewhere along the trail was a cabin where they were to stay, but they knew they would not reach it until nightfall. Kuwabara had suggested several times they stop to rest, but reaching the cabin quickly was important, as the temperatures were already frigid, and would be even colder after the sun set.

Several hours passed, and an excited Kuwabara finally shouted that he had seen smoke in the distance. The quartet quickened their pace, and soon reached the cabin, which was in the hands of the administration of Spirit World, and reserved for the detectives.

When they stepped inside, they saw that the front room of the cabin was illuminated by nothing but a single candle. Despite the apparent lack of any sort of fire or heating, however, the room was considerably warmer than the icy landscape outside.

"Welcome..." came a raspy voice from the darkness. A step closer to the candle revealed a counter much like that of a hotel, though it was crude and wooden.

"Who's there?" demanded Yusuke, stepping directly in front of the counter.

An old man crept into the light to face Yusuke. He could have been over one hundred years old if judged by his looks, and appeared to be missing an eye, though whether there was a gaping hole or merely a shadow on his face was hard to determine in the extreme darkness.

"You must be Koenma's boys..." he said in a barely audible tone. His visible eye examined each spirit detective slowly and carefully.

"What a creep..." Kuwabara whispered.

"You work for Koenma?" Yusuke asked him.

He did not say anything this time but simply nodded. When he moved, a tiny creaking sound could be heard, as if he were going to fall to pieces at any moment.

"I guess we're in the right place then," Yusuke said, turning back to the others.

"I'm afraid we've only got two beds available for you..." The old man said, before stepping back into the darkness. The group heard a door slam shut from somewhere behind the counter and he was gone.

"Goodnight then," Kurama said, walking off to find an empty room, with Hiei following silently behind.

"What!?" Kuwabara shouted. "I'm not sleeping with Urameshi! I'm not that kind of guy!"

"Then I guess you can just sleep out in the snow," Yusuke taunted as he hurried down the dark hallway to find the other bed.

"Aw, fine! Urameshi, wait up!" Kuwabara stumbled after his friend and after several minutes of arguing they decided to take turns sleeping on the floor.

In the other room, Kurama was carefully taking off his blazer and settling into bed. Hiei was leaning in the corner.

"Aren't you going to come get some sleep?" Kurama asked, turning down the covers.

"I don't need a bed..." Hiei mumbled.

The redhead sighed and blinked at the fire demon for a moment.

"You'll need your full strength tomorrow, and I'm sure you won't get much rest standing against a wall all night," he remarked.

Hiei opened his eyelids and looked up at Kurama, revealing two glowing red eyes. They stared at each other, Kurama wondering what Hiei's response would be.

Finally, he broke his stare and took a step across the room, climbing into the bed beside Kurama. The moonlight made Kurama's green eyes sparkle brightly and he smiled.

"Goodnight."

"Hn..."

Though he hoped to receive a goodnight back from the little demon, he decided that the customary 'hn' would suffice, and he allowed himself to fall asleep.

Hours passed, and the black haired figure could not seem to fall into unconsciousness. He gazed at the teenage boy sleeping next to him, and wondered what he could be dreaming of. Though he knew probing into Kurama's mind with the Jagan Eye to see his thoughts was possible, he did not wish to invade his friend's privacy.

A friend indeed, the word hovered in his mind. Never had Hiei allowed anyone to become so close to him. Someone to share his feelings with... though rarely. He could not admit it out loud for fear of damaging his pride, but Kurama was the best friend he had ever had.

So often they were near in battle, fighting side by side, but never before had he been near to Kurama as he was now. So close to his own body that he could feel the other boy's breathing. It was startling that a face so serene in sleep could be a ruthless killer when awake.

Then, possibly overcome by the spell the sleeping beauty next to him was casting with his loveliness, or possibly giving in to feelings he did not even know he had, Hiei reached his hand out to touch Kurama's mane of red hair. Just as he was about to thread his fingers through it, though, he pulled away. In one fluid movement he slid to the floor and out the window, swearing at himself inside, and leaving Kurama asleep in the cabin.

In the sky above, the ever talented and intensely pretty Ferry woman of Spirit World, Botan, was approaching the cabin on her flying oar.



****

'Modest, aren't we?'

'Oh hush...'

****



As she neared the earth's surface, she spotted a dark clad figure huddled on the roof of the building. She swooped down and hovered several meters above the small fire demon and peered at him.

"Hiei, why are you sitting on the roof?" she inquired.

"Why not..." he hissed.

"Is something the matter? It's very cold out here and you really should be inside, you know."

No answer came. So, of course never willing to give up, Botan prodded again.

"What's the matter, Hiei? You can go on and tell your good buddy Botan!"

"Nothing..."

"Oh, I don't believe that for a second! Don't worry, I can keep a secret!" She chirped, hovering closer to him, still with a smile on her face.

"Go away."

"Well there's no need to be rude!" she huffed.

"Please don't force me to tear your vocal chords out." Hiei growled, baring his fangs.

"Oh dear..." Not wishing to be maimed, for she knew that Hiei would most likely not hesitate to make good his threat, Botan quickly flew to the ground and stepped into the cabin to find Yusuke.

Hiei braced himself against the bitterly cold wind that swirled around him as he sat on the roof. This was not the first night in his life he had spent in the chilly outdoors, but felt more uncomfortable than ever before on this frigid evening. He had fought many battles, but suddenly there was an internal battle raging.

"What possessed you to do that..." he thought, still scolding himself inside. "You have no time to concern yourself with intimacy, you stupid fool." He stared off into the distance as he wrestled with his own thoughts.

"Besides..." he then said out loud, "he would never want me anyway..."