Hiei stayed with the fox all night. He himself didn't fall asleep for a while. He simply watched the fox's face. He seemed peaceful, as if he didn't have a care in the world. He used his own body heat to keep Kurama warm throughout the night, until he fell asleep, bending over the boy's head, his own head resting on his knee.
Hiei awoke long before the fox. It was still dark and cool, though it had warmed considerably. Hiei knew how Kurama had felt the day before. Even though his mother didn't know that the bandit was her son, hearing her say things like that about what he had done must have hurt, and hurt a lot. Hiei tucked a stray lock of long, red hair behind his ear, his fingers grazing across the fox's pale cheek. What he felt then he couldn't even begin to describe. It was a strange feeling, something he had never felt since he had found Yukina.
"It'll be fine..." he whispered, re-adjusting his cloak as the red head shifted positions.
A while later, Hiei felt the weight being lifted off his leg. Kurama's head was up, his arm on the ground, head twisted around to face the small fire demon. A weak smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "The sun is about to rise..." he muttered, his lips barely moving.
Hiei smiled one of those rare smiles that only the fox had ever seen, and turned his gaze towards the tree tops and the horizion beyond them. The sun's rays heated the air as it slowly lifted into the sky. They sat there quietly until the sky was bright. During that time Hiei realized what he had been feeling. He had been feeling love towards Kurama, like a brother or sister would towards their sibling. It was no romantic crush he had on another boy, it was the love that close families shared with one another, like the close relationship between Kurama and his human mother.
Hiei didn't know why he felt this way towards his demon friend. He had always considered Kurama a friend, but never thought about it in this sort of perspective. He loved Kurama like he did his sister, and nothing would ruin that kind of relationship.
