"Hiei!" the fox screeched, running up and kneeling next to his friend. The poison gas did not effect him, as it was him who had planted it there. The small demon's pulse was quickly slowing, as more and more of the poison entered his body and then bloodstream with the breaths he took.

"God why did this have to happen?" Kurama wondered, bending over Hiei's still form, his head on his chest. "Why me? If I hadn't been so damn protective over my stolen artifacts, this wouldn't have happened. I'm so sorry Hiei!" the fox wailed. He was letting out an immense amout of energy with his frustration, anger, and saddness. All of his pent up emotions let loose. The fox lifted his head off of Hiei's slowing chest. Slowly and deliberatly, Yoko Kurama, the most well-known thief in Makai, placed his lips around the other demon's. He took a deep breath, as if sucking the poison out, then breathed out deeply, giving the other some of his own, clean breath.

Let me breathe for you, my friend.. he told the small fire demon. Just give up. Don't work your body to resist the poison, just give in and let me do it for you.

The familiar voice entered his head. A warm sensation filled his mouth, throat, heart, and lungs. Each breath the fox took, a new feeling formed in him, something he had never felt before, though had always wanted. He obeyed the fox, with the warm sensation of his lips against his own, breathing for him. He gave up, just as Kurama had instructed. He quit breathing, yet it still felt like he was. Breath was moving in and out of his lungs, just like usual, but it wasn't his breath. It was the fox's. He had always wanted something like this, but never knew that it would come in this sort of way.

Hiei didn't know how long he lay there, underneath the fox's strong and powerful body. As he gave up, his awareness to his surroundings began to diminish, as he slipped into complete unconciousness.

There is a cold feeling against my back. It's bothering me. Why won't it go away? I feel cold all over. What is wrong? What happened? Why do I feel this way? I am lying down. I never lie down when I sleep, I am always sitting in a tree. Why am I not in a tree tonight? Where am I? What has happened to put me in this sort of uncomfortable situation? Questions filled the small demon's mind as he slowly returned to reality. His ruby eyes cracked open and were greeted by a stone ceiling. What? Where was he? What had happened? Then all the memories of the night before came flooding back. That's right... running away to Makai, becoming ensnared with cursed vines, the poison gas, someone calling his name... the caring words and the warm breath... the breath... the air... the fox. Kurama. Where was Kurama?

Hiei bolted up, but winced in pain and grasped his chest, right where the vine had wrapped itself around him. He realized there was a white bandage wrapped around his chest. Had the fox taken care of him? He realized his foot also seemed slightly sore. It was the one the other vine had trapped him in as well. His ankle was wrapped in the same sort of bandage.

Slowly and carefully, Hiei sat back up and leaned against the cool rock wall. The fox was no where in sight. He searched the dark corners of the large cave with his Jagan. Had the fox just left him to heal on his own? No, he'd never do that. He remembered the words the fox had spoken to him: Let me breathe for you, my friend... Hiei's cheeks tinted pink at the words. Had they had a special meaning in them? Just give up. Don't work your body to resist the poison, just give in and let me do it for you.

Let me do it for you... Those words...

"Ah... I see you're awake."

A strong voice cut through his thoughts. Hiei looked towards the entrance of the cave and saw a silhouette against the light from the outside of the cave. Hiei knew it was the fox. He simply grunted a reply.

"What happened?" Hiei wondered, even though he already knew. He just wanted to make sure.

"Do you not remember?" the fox asked incredulously, his golden eyes widening.

"No... I do remember... it's just, surprising, I guess..." Hiei said quietly, dipping his head down and finding small patterns in the rock.

Kurama nodded in small agreement, before entering the cave fully and laying down a dead rabbit. "Something to eat," he said simply, and his fox ear twitched. "Thought you might be hungry."

"Oh.. thanks," Hiei replied meekly. This really wasn't his style: to be waited on. He was usually the one doing everything. To be injured and weak was not the position he liked to be in.

The two sat in uncomfortable silence, simply tearing away at the raw meat. Hiei usually didn't eat his meat raw, but it didn't hurt him to do so, and he didn't really mind either. Yoko Kurama, however, always ate his meat raw, and even as Shuichii Minamino, he liked his steak extremely rare.

After the fox had finished his portion, he changed back into his human form. Strong demon energy that Hiei would recognize anywhere filled the cave, and when it cleared, the red-head sat in place of where the larger fox had been just moments before.

"So why'd you run away Hiei?" Kurama suddenly asked, looking up and straight into Hiei's red eyes. The fire demon wanted to tear his gaze away from those piercing emerald orbs, but found it impossible.

"Why would it matter?" he asked dryly, finally able to look away from the other demon's eyes.

"Why would it matter?" the fox repeated. "I don't know... maybe because I care about my friends and worry when one runs away and almost kills himself."

"Hn. Stupid fox," Hiei grumbled, crossing his arms.

"So why did you run away?" Kurama pressed again, narrowing his eyes. He wanted an answer out of the stubborn demon, and he'd get it. That's what he was famous for, anyway: getting what he wanted.

"It's none of your buisness."

"Like hell Hiei! I want an answer!" the fox demanded, suddenly become angry. A strange demon aura radiated off of Kurama's skin. Hiei was unsure of what the feeling was. He'd never felt that sort of emotion come from the fox before.

Hiei wasn't sure what to do or say in this sort of situation. What should he say? I ran away because I was sick of the fact that I couldn't tell you that I loved you? Yeah right. Hiei smirked inwardly. I wonder how he'd react to that?

"Why'd you follow me?" Hiei countered.

The fox started. He hadn't expected that kind of response, but he quickly recovered. "I told you. I worry when my friends run off and do something stupid. You're lucky I did, because otherwise you'd be dead right now."

Hiei grimaced. Yeah, that was true. He should be glad that the fox decided to follow him. "So why did you follow me?" Hiei asked again, repeating his question just like Kurama had repeated his. "I don't think your answer was the complete truth."

"What makes you think that Hiei?" the fox frowned. Had the other demon read him that easily? After all, he had told himself that he would tell Hiei he loved him... but he just couldn't force himself to do it.

"You don't seem confident in your answer. I know you Kurama, and something seems off. I want to know what it is."

Kurama's green eyes widened at Hiei's perceptiveness. He was right, though. Now he refused to tell Hiei the truth. It just wouldn't come out of him. He wasn't able to say it. It was too hard. What if the fire demon rejected him? That's the worst he could do, right? Even so, the pain of 'no' would be too much. "Why are you so insistent on an answer?"

"I just want to know," Hiei replied impatiently.

"Why?" the fox continued to press. He was digging himself deeper and deeper into Hiei's patience. The fox knew he would just come out and say what he wanted to say eventually. Kurama knew there was something he wanted to say, he could sense it, but he guessed, just like him, he wasn't able to because he was scared.

"Just answer the damn question fox!" the demon demanded, punching the floor, and wincing at the shock of the punch on his chest. But he did nothing about it. He punched the floor again, this time with his other hand. Bits of rock scattered, flinging in every direction. One hit the fox's cheek, leaving a small mark and a trickle of blood. "Answer dammit!"

The mark on the fox's cheek healed visibly, and again, he asked why.

"Just answer!" Hiei's patience had completely run out. At this rate he was about to run up to the fox, grab his collar, pull him towards his face and demand an answer that way.

Again, the fox questioned why. He would not give up on this verbal attack.

"Because I love you dammit!" Hiei screamed. His eyes were squeezed shut and his head was bent.

Kurama's emerald eyes widened, but otherwise showed no other response. "Um... could you repeat that?"

Hiei didn't seem to know what he had said, until finally it hit him, several seconds later. He jerked his head up, his eyes wide, surprised... but most of all, frightened. Oh fuck.