I'm on a roll! Two chapters in one day! Yay! I feel absolutely wonderful about being able to get out the new chapters this fast. I hope your enjoying all of it! Off to Chapter Three!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to YYH nor do I claim to. I don't want to be flamed for my writings!

DO NOT STEAL THE LYRICS TO THE SONGS CONTAINED IN THIS STORY! THEY ARE MINE! If you wish to use my songs, email me and tell me what they will be used for. I want to receive credit for my hard work in writing these songs.

I won't be using songs for the next few chapters, but they have not disappeared from the story entirely. If you would like me to send you the full lyrics of these songs, email me and tell me where I can send them. I will be happy to let anyone use these as long as I get credit and am told what they will be used for!

Please enjoy!

This story contains Yaoi, don't like, then don't read. I will not pay any attention to flamers who say they did not have a warning.

~Lyrics~

"Blah" Speaking

'Blah' Thoughts

*~*~~*~* Scene Change

**** Flashback or Dream

/Blah/, \Blah\ - Mental speaking

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Tears of Fire Chapter Three: Battling Myself

I battle my heart and try not to scream

I've fallen in love with just a dream - Battling Myself - A song written by me

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Hiei and Kurama got used to the idea of being bound together after about three months. Hiei would still occasionally disappear into the Makai for days at a time, but he was able to communicate with Kurama as if he was right by his side all the time. Kurama was still recovering from the poison and would sometimes fall ill. Koenma still kept sending them on missions, even with Kurama's disability. And on one of these missions, Hiei and Kurama weren't too happy with the aftermath.

*~*~~*~*

Kurama and Yusuke were hiding in the bushes, waiting for their enemy to show himself. Hiei was hidden in the treetops above them and Kuwabara was lying quietly inside the energy barrier that Botan created after he had been injured. Kurama's rose whip was coiled on the ground, handle in Kurama's hand, waiting to be used. A noise was heard from their left and Yusuke was the first to strike. A blue ball of light shot from his finger and their enemy was soon struck down.

Their enemy was a human looking creature with a yellow band of hair that ran around his head. His skin was a pale green and this, along with his large black eyes, was the only difference between he and a human.

Yusuke wiped his brow and smirked as he kicked the monster in it's side, confirming it to be dead. It wasn't dead, however. When Yusuke turned his back to give Kurama and Hiei the thumbs up, the creature moved and a dart shot from it's finger. The dart flew past Yusuke's face and hit Kurama in the shoulder. The monster smiled and managed to rasp out it's last words.

"That is poison from Master Ryuko. He said to be sure and give the fox this precious gift." He closed his mouth to swallow and opened it again to speak. His words were lost, though, when Kurama's rose whip tore through the pale green skin. Blood pooled around the thorns in the whip and Kurama fell to his knees, holding his right shoulder.

Hiei was the first to be by Kurama's side, even though Yusuke was closer. Hiei allowed Kurama to lean against him as Yusuke ran for Botan. Kurama smiled in spite of himself and laughed quietly in Hiei's ear.

"This is getting pathetic. We really need to kill that man."

Hiei laughed a little as well and gently laid Kurama down on his back when Botan came rushing out of the forest, Yusuke and a limping Kuwabara in tow. She smiled when Hiei sat down above Kurama and placed the fox's head into his lap. When she pulled the dart out, she noticed that Hiei closed his eyes and Kurama's body fell limp.

"Is he all right?" Botan directed the question to Hiei.

Hiei opened his eyes. "He'll be fine. I told him to rest."

Botan held her hands above Kurama's shoulder and a soft blue light surrounded the wound. "I won't be able to remove all the poison. Yukina told me that it was quite difficult for her to do it last time."

The soft light dimmed and Kurama stirred. Hiei helped him sit up and sat down next to him. Kurama raised a hand to his hand and sighed.

"I really don't feel to well."

Hiei crossed his arms. "Don't tell me about it. Believe me, I know." He sounded as though he was pouting. Kurama laughed a little before looking at Yusuke.

"Are you OK? I didn't get you with the whip did I?" Kurama sounded hopeful.

"I'm fine." Yusuke flexed his arm. "You scratched me a little but, it's not bad." He grinned. "Nice move. I didn't see that one coming."

Kurama smiled. "I didn't either. Just a reflex on my part. Now," he turned to Botan. "Can we go back to Genkai's? I'd like to get my keys and go home for a while." The others murmured their agreement on wanting to go home.

*~*~~*~*

Kurama smiled as Hiei helped him into the apartment. Hiei gently deposited Kurama on the bed before going into the bathroom and wetting a cloth. In the short time he was gone, Kurama had moved under the covers on his bed and had fallen asleep. Hiei placed the cloth on Kurama's forehead, which was quite warm, and closed his eyes as he sat on the edge of the bed. He gently brushed his mind against Kurama's, a way of saying goodnight, and got up to leave the room. He stopped however, when Kurama's mind returned the gesture. When Kurama's mind touched his, Hiei was able to feel Kurama's emotions stronger than normal. He gasped aloud when he felt the emotional pain and hurt. Figuring he would ask Kurama about it later, he left the small apartment on his way to Koenma. /Goodnight, my fox./

*~*~~*~*

"Now Hiei, be reasonable. I had to send him out. Believe me, I didn't know he was one of Ryuko's minions. I swear it!" Koenma was waving his hands frantically in front of him, trying to keep Hiei from coming any closer.

"Next time, do a closer inspection of these things before sending him out. If Ryuko gets a hold of him, he will kill him. And remember, if Kurama dies, I go down with him. I don't want to die anytime soon, either." He turned to leave but stopped when Koenma replied.

"Ryuko has been spotted again. One of our spies saw him around the edge of the town where Kurama lives. I wanted to tell you this earlier, but I couldn't do much with you attempting to kill me."

Hiei rounded on Koenma. "When was he seen?"

"Yesterday."

"YESTERDAY!? WHY WASN'T I TOLD!?" He didn't wait for the answer, instead he turned back around and sprinted out of the building and back into the human world. He flitted in and out of sight as he raced to get back to Kurama, all the while reaching out to touch Kurama's mind.

After a few minutes Kurama brushed back. This time, fear and physical pain was laced with the emotional pain and hurt.

Hiei paused for a millisecond. "Kurama."

*~*~~*~*

Kurama stirred when he heard the sound of someone entering his room reached his ears. Thinking it was Hiei, he mumbled out a greeting.

"Hello, Hiei. Why're you back so soon?"

He froze when a voice that was defiantly not Hiei answered. "Oh, hello my fox. Sorry to disappoint you, though. I'm not Hiei. You'll be wishing I was soon." Ryuko moved closer to the bed. He brought a hand up and traced patterns along Kurama's side as he pulled down the blanket that was covering him. Kurama was too weak to do anything but whimper in fear. Ryuko's hand soon was pinching and pulling at Kurama's skin.

Kurama's vision swam and he tried to curl up in a protective ball. Ryuko pulled him out of his curled position and roughly pushed him onto his back. Kurama's sore muscles cried out in agony and tears leaked out of his clenched eyes. The tears burned his skin like fire and he whimpered again. He barely noticed when he felt the gentle nudge of Hiei's mind. After a few moments, it registered and he sent his response.

Kurama faintly felt the burning pain of something scratching his skin before his vision darkened. He sent a call out to Hiei. \Please hurry.\ He blacked out before he saw his fire demon bust into the room, purple flames rising from his body.

*~*~~*~*

"Fox. Wake up. Come on Kurama, please wake up." The voice that drifted into Kurama's sleep hazed mind was scared. Kurama wanted to touch this person, tell whoever it was not to worry, but he couldn't talk. He blindly reached out and grabbed the hand of the person and smiled when it squeezed his in response. Kurama smiled slightly before he squeezed back. His eyes felt heavy again, and images of Ryuko flashed in his eyes. \Don't leave me, Hiei.\

A sigh of relief. /I won't./

Kurama allowed himself to fall back into the bliss of sleep and kept hold of the hand lying inside his.

*~*~~*~*

Gasps and laughs of relief met Kurama's ears when he opened his eyes and blinked away the brightness of the lights. The first thing he noticed was the warmth on his right side. He moved his head and looked into the sleeping face of Hiei. He smiled and gripped Hiei's hand tighter in his own. The second thing he noticed was he wasn't in his room anymore. He was lying in the bedroom he used in his stay at Genkai's shrine.

Looking around the room, he noticed the looks of relief of Yusuke, Kuwabara, Shizuru, Botan, Yukina, Keiko, Genkai and Koenma's faces. His eyes must've asked the question for him, because Genkai was answering the question he wanted to ask.

"You've been asleep for 2 weeks. We moved you here because we barely made it past Ryuko and his little temper tantrum he threw after Hiei removed you from your apartment."

Kurama's voice was hoarse. "Temper tantrum?"

They all sweatdropped before Kuwabara answered. "He blew the building up. A couple of people were hurt and they were all asking about the screaming they heard in your room."

"Screaming? I don't remember any screaming."

Koenma spoke this time. "Ryuko was a bit mad that Hiei stopped him from claiming you. He began screaming profanities before blowing the entire place apart. Talk about a dramatic exit." He rolled his eyes.

Kurama nodded and closed his eyes. Yukina and Keiko took on the roll of mother hen and ushered everyone out of the room. Kurama turned his face into the pillows and sighed. "I've been sleeping for two weeks and I'm still tired. There has got to be something wrong in that statement."

The warmth on his right side sifted and Kurama soon felt eyes on his face. He turned his head back and was met with blood red eyes. Kurama smiled.

"You shouldn't be tired. I should. I spent almost every minute I could up and watching you." Hiei's own voice was rougher than normal with sleep.

"You didn't have to. I know you were affected by this too, so you shouldn't have even tried to watch over me instead of resting this off."

"Well...sor-ry." The sarcasm dripped from the words. Kurama laughed and pulled Hiei closer to him. Hiei settled so he was half lying on Kurama's side and raised a hand to Kurama's face. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there to stop him from getting to you."

Kurama closed his eyes and shook his head. "It's not your fault. Remember, you saved me from becoming part of him, and that is the greatest help I could have received." He opened his eyes and smiled at Hiei. Hiei leaned forward at the same time Kurama did and their lips met in a gentle reassuring kiss. Hiei's mind wrapped around Kurama's in a soft embrace and for once in a long while, Kurama felt protected as he and Hiei fell asleep together.

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End Chapter Three. Hope you enjoyed! We now get to see some fluff! Yay!

Please review and don't flame.