Caged

Kurama looked at Hiei as he slept on Kuwa's back. He hadn't expected that his friend had liked him. He had thought it all part of the act. The act that they were "together" for the mission. That Hiei had been faking all those caring things that he had done for the sake of the mission. But he must have been wrong. He had been wrong. Yusuke had told him that Hiei liked him. Kurama felt his heart flutter. Damn it, he didn't like Hiei. No way, no how did he like Hiei.

Kurama looked up to find them at the temple, Koenma standing with Genkai and Yukina in front of the temple. Simone bowed to Koenma. Kuwa gently placed Hiei under a tree and ran over to Yukina. Kurama sighed and headed over to his friend.

"Father sends his regards Simone, he says that he can't come to the Ningenkai, even for a friend," Koenma told the cat demon.

"That's ok," Simone said. She sat on the ground. "Its not like it really matters anyway. I rather like having this long distance sort of relationship thing going. I haven't seen him since I died."

Everyone stared at her blankly. Hiei yawned and slowly opened his eyes. Kurama turned to him and smiled sweetly at him. Hiei raised an eyebrow.

"They didn't know?" Simone asked Koenma, who nodded. "Oh.... I'm dead. I'm just a spirit that Lord Enma just happens to like."

"What the fuck?!" Yusuke shouted in Koenma's ear. "We were sent to save a spirit?!?!?!"

"Uh.... Yeah," Koenma replied. Yususke was about to strangle her when Kuwa interviened and knocked him to the ground (somehow).

Yusuke started to pummel Kuwa as everyone sweatdroped as per usual and decided to move on with their lives. Kurama just shrugged and looked to Hiei, but he was gone. Kurama was a bit saddened, but decided that he'd prolly see his friend later.

Kurama sighed as he looked out the window of his apartment. No one had seen Hiei since the case a few weeks ago. Kurama figured he had gone back to the Makai and Mukuro, but it wasn't like Hiei to disappear without saying goodbye.

Maybe he realized what he said and just can't face me, he pondered. He shook his head. The reconsidered, that probably was the reason. Hiei had never wanted to feel anything, and the fact that he felt something for Kurama was probably making him miserable.

There's got to be something that I can do, Kurama thought, but his brain couldn't think of a single thing. Damn it Hiei, where the hell did you go?

Hiei raised an eyebrow at the sight before him. Kurama was lying on his back on his western bed, but his head and arms were hanging off the bed. Hiei wondered briefly if his head hurt because of all the blood rushing there. He shook his head. He had come here for a reason god damnit, and he was going to do what he had come to do and leave. He didn't want to stay longer than he needed to. Yusuke had already told him what he had said, and he didn't want to really deal with the aftermath of it. He just wanted to say goodbye.

Hiei took a deep breath and went to the window and rapped on it lightly. Kurama's eyes snapped open and flickered to the window. His heart leaped and he was so surprised that he actually fell off the bed... on to his head. Hiei couldn't help but laugh at his kitsune. Kurama glared at him slightly, but got up and opened the window.

"It's been a while Hiei," Kurama said. Hiei instantly felt out of place, nervous and uncomfortable.

"Yeah," he said. Kurama sat down on his bed and motioned for Hiei to do the same. Hiei shook his head and just stood by the window. Kurama shrugged off his odd behavior.

"What happened to you Hiei? I haven't seen you in weeks," Kurama asked. Hiei shrugged.

"I've been doing stuff," he replied. Kurama started at him.

"Right. Stuff," he said. Hiei just looked out the window. "So, did you come here for a reason, or are you here because you missed me?"

Hiei glared at his kitsune. "I came for a reason Kurama."

"That's awful cold of you Hiei, you didn't need to add my name to the end of that sentence," Kurama said, he really was a bit hurt, but Hiei took the whole thing as teasing.

"Whatever. I just came to say that I'm leaving, for good," he said. Kurama blinked and felt his heart drop.

"For good?" he repeated.

"Yeah. I'm not coming back anymore Kurama. I'm staying where I belong, in the Makai," Hiei told him. Kurama stood up and walked over to Hiei.

"Is this because of... what you said?" he asked tentatively. Hiei stubbornly looked away. Kurama reached out to him and cupped his chin, and turned his face to look at him, but Hiei's eyes did not look at his kitsune.

"It is, isn't it?" Kurama asked again. Hiei didn't answer again. Kurama took away his hand from Hiei's face and put both of his hands on Hiei's shoulders. He shook him, getting angry for some reason. "Isn't it?!"

Hiei glared at the suddenly angry kitsune and nodded guiltily. Kurama's hands dropped limply to his sides. Hiei didn't even look at his kitsune as he turned and opened the window. When he suddenly felt arms wrap around his waist he stood stock still.

"Hiei..." Kurama whispered. He wrapped his arms tighter around Hiei and pulled him close. Hiei stood stiff as a board.

"Let go," he said. Kurama shook his head. Hiei moved his arms and tried to pry off the stubborn kitsune, but Kurama would have none of that. Kurama kicked Hiei's feet out from under him, and being unaware as he was, Hiei fell to the ground, kitsune on top of him. Hiei felt his cheeks heat slightly, but shoved the feeling away and ignored it. He tried to push his kitsune away, but found that said kitsune had pinned his arms.

"Kurama, let me go. I need to go," he said. Kurama shook his head in the negative. Hiei sighed. ".... What do you want?..."

"... I don't want you to go and never come back to me," Kurama said. Hiei felt his heart flutter, but quickly squashed the feeling, his kit hadn't meant it that way.

"But I don't want to come back," Hiei said coldly. I don't want to deal with the pain. I just want to forget that I loved you and you didn't love me back.

"How can you say that?!" Kurama whispered harshly into Hiei's ear. Hiei thought he almost sounded sad. "I thought we were friends!"

"I have no need for friends, they only get in the way," Hiei replied. Kurama's body started shaking. Hiei knew that he was hurting his poor kitsune, but he could think of no other way to get away from him, even if he didn't want to get away.

Kurama clung to Hiei, even as he felt him somehow managing to sit up and pry his arms free. Silent tears ran down his face. He couldn't believe that Hiei was leaving and couldn't believe he was being so cruel about it. His heart was breaking and Hiei didn't even.......

Hiei felt Kurama go limp. He felt bad, it seemed that his kit was really upset. He felt himself feel such hurt, such pain for causing one he cared about so deeply hurt and pain, but he had no choice. He took advantage of his kitsune's weakness to completely slip away and get to the window. He was halfway through it when he was suddenly pulled back into the room and flung furiously onto his kitsune's bed.

"Kurama?! What...?!" Hiei tried to yell at his kit when Kurama suddenly climbed on top of him and abruptly kissed him. Hiei was stunned to say the least. Thousands of thoughts went through his head, and yet his mind was empty. Just as suddenly as he had kissed him, Kurama had stopped and started to sob onto Hiei's chest.

"You can't leave me!" he sobbed. "I... I can't live without you... I can't...."

"Shh..." Hiei cooed as he cuddled his kitsune. "Its ok... I understand."

Uh.... Oops? He he he... This epilogue-y thing totally didn't slip my mind. I coulda sworn I had it, but when I looked in my documents... no epilogue.... So I had to rewrite it. And then I realized a had a couple projects due and had to work on them.... But I did get it done! Yay! Eh he he he... yeah... this is nothing like the original epilogue... if you wanna know what I mean go look at it on ....... yeah. Ok then.... On to the gigantamous (so isn't a word) THANKIES!!!!

Raging Phoenix – I fear the shoe. See? That last chappie wasn't the end. ... this is.... He he he.... Yeah... I'm glad you like/love this fic. That is truly wonderful to hear. Thankies thankies thankies for the continued support for this little... splurge... oooo... I spelled that correctly... he he he... yeah... I'll stop now. Oh! The kappa kappa kappa thing was funny!

Cattibrie393 Thankies for the review! I'm glad you liked my little endevour. ::nod nod::

What2callmyself – Thankies also for the continued support. I'm really glad that you enjoyed this story so much. I hope I satisfactorily explained how Kura didn't know... if I didn't... tell me and I'll figure out how to fix it nod nod Sorry this wasn't out sooner, but I hope you like it! ::hugs::

Kooriya Yui – Sowwie about the non-gory death, normally I'm very good at that... yeah... coughwintercoughmurderscough and no that isn't an advertisement, I'm just saying that has lots of death and blood and gore... I guess Jofrl's death was disappointing... but I don't think that all the bloody gore-y stuff is what mattered. shrug Maybe I shoulda tortured him a bit.... Oh well... I hope you enjoyed my little (not so little) epilogue. T'was fun to write. Thankies for all the support ::isn't sure if she should hug... is in a huggy mood::

Killer Goldfish – Still love that name... and maybe I was right about the aliens... they're everywhere... the truth is out there! (X-Files nut) he he he... I'm so weird... Anywayz... Thankies for all the wonderful reviews over the course of the story. I'm glad you liked it, even if the aliens interfeared.

Anychan – I don't know if I thanked you for your reviews yet... THANKS! I'm uber glad you like my story! Thanks for the cyber cookies, they were yummy. And yes, poor Kura... but I think he'll be fine... coughHieicough....