Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Chapter 6: Changing Feelings, Altered Perception

(Kurama)

Morning

'Ugh! I feel terrible! What's going on? Where am I? What happened?' I thought groggily as my mind began to pull me back towards consciousness.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I realized two things. One: Someone brought me home. Two: Someone has undressed me. I made sure I grabbed the blanket up to my chest as I slowly sat up.

"So, you're awake now fox."

"Ah! Oh, Hiei, it's you. What are you doing here?" I said as I readjusted myself on my bed.

"You fainted again at school yesterday, fox. Don't you remember?"

I shook my head. "I must have been really sick or something. You said this happened yesterday. How long was I asleep?"

"Nearly twenty four hours."

I can't believe I slept that long. Goodness, my mother must be out of her mind with worry about now. I'll have to go downstairs and speak to her when I feel up to it. Right now, though, I have to stay where I am. Hiei has to leave before I can do anything else. Oh, wait…

"Who brought me home?"

"Urameshi brought you here. He wouldn't let me touch you, fox."

I sat up a little straighter and tightened my hold on the blanket that covered my bared chest. Yusuke had carried me home; meaning that Hiei may not yet know my secret. He was, however, broadcasting his distress at me.

"You need to calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Hiei said as he stood up out of the chair he'd been sitting in, knocking that said chair over in the process.

He was unstable again. This was unusual for him. Usually, I only had to balance him once every few months or so. This would make the second time in as many days that I've needed to balance his aura. It was then that I noticed something else strange about my koormie companion. He was shaking.

"Hiei, you're trembling. What's wrong?"

He didn't say anything, which should have warned me about his next action. He walked over to the side of the bed that I was facing and planted his hands to either side of my hips. I turned a bright crimson a second later. Hiei's nose was only inches from mine. Talk about a disturbance of ones personal barriers.

Hiei looked straight into my eyes as he spoke. "Do you have any idea how worried you made me, Kurama?"

"Hiei?'

"Partners means something, Kurama. You know that, right?"

"I…."

Gods, he's making it hard to think straight. What is going on with me? Hiei has been this close to me before and I never flinched, but now I feel like I should be scooting away. Self-preservation would explain the need to move away, but what about this strange urge I'm getting to shy away from his eyes? I don't understand.

I was drawn from my thoughts when I noticed that Hiei's shaking was getting worse. He was getting close to loosing his mind over this. I have to do something.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Hiei."

"It's okay, I'm just…I'm glad you're awake, Kurama."

He leaned forward so that his forehead was touching mine before he continued. "I haven't felt that helpless in a long time. It's not something I like to feel."

"You're unbalanced again. You should calm down."

"Why do you think I'm getting so close to you, fox? No way would I ever be this near to you if I didn't need to be balanced."

I felt myself blushing even brighter at what he'd just said. He's acting so strange. Even when the need is strong, he doesn't have to be this close for me to balance him. All I have to do is have a hand on him and he'd instantly be okay again. Something else is drawing him to me.

"Why are you blushing, Kurama?"

"You're invading my personal space."

Hiei smirked at me then said, "No, there's something more behind it. I can smell it in your scent. What are you getting so worked up over, Kurama?"

I felt faint. He's so close to me. Too close. I can't breathe, can't think. I have to get away. Need space. Need air. I have to get away. I have to….

I kissed him. I didn't hesitate, didn't try to stop myself. I just knew, just needed to kiss him. I felt a jolt of electricity run down my spine the instant our lips touched. It shocked me so much that I drew away sharply and scooted backwards from Hiei.

My mind came back to me then. 'Oh, God, I just kissed my best friend! My best guy friend at that. What just came over me? I just wanted him to move away and….'

I was brought out of my thoughts once more by Hiei's voice. "You really have no idea, do you?"

He turned his head slightly to the side before he continued, "To my kind and yours, partner means someone that is both a balance and counterbalance. It also means that sometimes one can become…attached to ones partner. Sometimes that works both ways without either partner ever knowing of it for many years."

I am so mortified. Hiei is being uncomfortably calm about this whole thing. I thought for sure that he'd at least punch me for doing that to him. I decided that I'd had enough of this whole thing and promptly hid my flaming face in my hands.

I felt the bed sink slightly when Hiei sat down next to me and scooted over so that his side was touching mine.

"Why are you hiding, Kurama?"

I murmured something incoherent at him, but did not remove my face from its hiding spot. I was just too mortified to look him in the eye.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you."

I shook my head in vehement denial at his command. I wasn't about to look at him when I'd just embarrassed myself in front of him. How could I have kissed him!

I was drawn from my thoughts when I felt a gentle pressure against my chin. He was trying to get me to look up. Doing it this way, where he is not being forceful, is the key to my undoing. I can't, in all fairness, ignore him when he's this way. I allowed him to raise my head so that our eyes met once more.

"Kurama, you don't have to be embarrassed."

"Easy for you to say! You don't have any moral boundaries!"

"And you have too many of them. What does it matter?"

"It matters to me, Hiei!"

By this time, my voice had taken on a shrill, panicked note. It was much higher than my voice was supposed to go, but I barely noticed it.

When I started ranting again Hiei grabbed my arm and pulled me forward. For the second time that day, our lips met. The reaction was the same, if a little more powerful. In addition, Hiei seemed to be into it. This is getting rather confusing.

When he allowed me to pull back he said, "Now don't start that again, fox."

He scooted back and got up off the bed as he spoke. He then turned away from me and started for the window as if nothing had just happened between us.

Before I could say anything to stop him Hiei had climbed out my window and disappeared into the night. Damn him, he always does this when something like this happens. Oh well, nothing to do for it now. Still, I think I need to reevaluate my relationship with my koormie partner. I think that maybe we may have just stepped beyond where I can safely say he's just…my friend.

And that's it.

After a moderate pause, here's the newest part.

Hope this little taste of romance sets everyone up for the better stuff in further chapters.