Hiei was laying in Yusuke's bed.
It was night now.The street lights were on outside the only window in the room.
Kurama saw Hiei's chest beneath the blankets pulled to his chin, rise and fall. The breathing was quiet, shallow-Hiei wasn't merely sleeping. He was unconscious-recovering...
"Hiei..." Kurama said.
Kurama saw it again, the spell, growing before the eyes of his memory.
Kurama started forward.
The room was dark. Yusuke had left the lights out and Kurama hadn't bothered to turn them on. He could see well enough.
The Jaganshii slept in one of Yusuke's shirts. It was too big for him. The Jaganshii slept, but his jagan was awake and it was staring straight at Kurama.
"Hiei..." Kurama whispered and sat down on the bed beside Hiei.
Hiei's arms were wrapped in bandages. Kurama could see where the shirt peeked up that bandaged wrapped the fire demon's torso as well.
So the spell had given Kurama ears and a tail...that same spell had torn apart Hiei...
Kurama bowed his head.
He looked down at Hiei.
He reached out and brushed his hand against the Jaganshii's cheek. "What have you done, Hiei?" he whispered when suddenly the demon sighed and turned towards that touch. Kurama pulled away.
The last thing on his mind had been that Hiei may be this badly injured. This was no side-effect of a spell. He looked at the broken form on the bed and suddenly leaned forward. His lips brushed against Hiei's and again Hiei sighed and turned into that touch.
Kurama pulled away. He was glad the Jaganshii was alright.
And then, he thought of Tohru, laying in his hospital bed....
"Ku...Kurama..." Hiei whispered.
Kurama paused. He had been getting up to leave.
"Kurama..." Hiei repeated.
Kurama stood, frozen.
Outside, a streetlight suddenly turned off. Kurama could the wind pushing through the streets. It was a high sound, strained, sad.
He took a step forward and knelt before the sleeping demon.
Hiei was dreaming. His face moved with some emotion and Kurama leaned forward.
He had meant just to sit closer, be nearer, but something caught his eye.
Blood.
On Hiei's belly, as he had turned towards Kurama, had revealed a stain both terrible and fresh.
"Hiei..." Kurama whispered and the voice wasn't his own.
It was deeper than his own.
It was older.
It was, as Tohru had said, "different".
Kurama couldn't have known, but in that moment as he bent and began to lick Hiei's wound, his eyes turned from their familiar green to gold. A gold both cold and hungry.
...to be continued...
Author's Note: Oooohhh! The plot thickens! What's in store for our heroes? What about Tohru (and there IS something in store for Tohru). Coming soon! (that means probably by Friday-sorry!!!! Lots of projects due this week). Oh! And you guys are so awesome-I really mean that! Thank you for all your sweet reviews!! You guys actually give me ideas for what to write when you speculate on what's next-that's pretty cool. :) Ja!