AN: Hey guys! Long time no update! This is the first fanfic in a while that I've written that I feel is good enough for you people to read. From my alpha group, this has gotten good reviews. Kudos goes out to my beta reader, BlueUtopiah. She found a Naruto virus in here. That is changed. I think I caught everything. If I didn't, please let me know. ENJOY!

------------

------------

Colour. He knew he should be surprised but for some reason the colour around him was fascinating. Somewhere in the back of his head he was aware that his friends were calling out to him and he was aware that they were busy. How did he know this? He wasn't sure, but he just knew there was a good reason and not to worry.

He was aware that his hand was gripping something attached to his chest, but when he looked down, it was obvious it penetrated his chest; his hand merely moved it from its original target: his heart.

His wide, vivid eyes turned their attention from his chest to his opponent. It was obvious the demon in front of him was an opponent, but for the life of him he couldn't remember why…he felt sleepy and his body felt heavy. His eyes started to droop and the demon that had his hand through his chest grinned all the more. It was when his chin touched his chest that he realized he was poisoned. His knowledge of poisonous plants and their effects quickly ran through his head but in his state he couldn't come up with a plant that his symptoms were similar to.

He checked his body. Yes it was damaged, but there was still enough youki in his body to be used safely without endangering his life further. He winced as he moved his arm up to his hair. He noticed that the demon slowly withdrew his hand, unsure of what he was going to do. His eyes were focused on his opponent, but occasionally blurred. The longer he stayed focused, the more frequently they blurred. He finally managed to pull the rose he kept tucked in his hair out and in front of him. It took more focus than it usually did to keep his hand around the flower. Scratch that; he had to actually concentrate and focus on holding the flower.

He swayed on his feet. His opponent, whose name he consequently forgot, smirked again. It was hard to school his features and keep them blank. He had had a strong urge to scowl, which reminded him of someone he should know… He slowly put youki into the flower as the demon came closer. He smirked to himself. This way he wouldn't have to worry about missing if, more likely when, his vision swam. The demon was a few meters away, an average human's stone throw, when he made his move.

"Rose Whip!" The flower snapped into a deadly whip and promptly tore his enemy into pieces.

He didn't know who screamed.

The rancid, stale and stagnant air was suddenly flushed from his senses as a cool breeze refreshed the burning air in his lungs as he took a breath of fresh air.

He swayed on his feet.

"KURAMA!"

Kurama…he knew that name…yes…it was his name. He knew that now.

"Damn you!" Someone yelled at him. That's right…two demons out of the group had caged him in a barrier. Oyadama and Bikou: cell two of nine of the group they were after. He remembered now.

"You…" Kurama said uncertainly as he turned around, swaying. "You die…now."

The demon, Bikou if he remembered right, which he highly doubted, smirked as if he was bluffing. It was taking more youki than he thought it would to keep his rose a whip. He could finish this. Kurama's dulled green eyes narrowed. He would end this.

He stumbled. Bikou took action.

"Rose Whip!"

Blood spattered across his face, but he was more concerned about the slash the demon had managed to inflict on his chest. With Bikou dead, the barrier completely dissolved and Kurama was suddenly aware of how cold it was. He could see his breath, was even fascinated by it. Kurama wasn't aware that he dropped his whip-turned-rose-again until he saw it in the snow that blanketed the ground.

How did that get there? Kurama thought to himself.

The bloody red-head's intentions had been to pick up his rose and return it to his hair, but the next thing he knew his glassy green eyes were staring at the clouding sky.

It's going to snow. The thought randomly flitted through his abnormally empty mind. There was a nagging voice in the back of his head, rather insistent that it be given attention. Try as he might, there was no way that he could grasp what it was trying to tell him. His thoughts were greasy and slippery as oil; impossible to navigate let alone traverse to the far reaches of his now slipping conscious it was calling from.

Kurama again turned his attention back to the sky from his mind. He watched as the colours swam and blurred together, his mind coming up with shapes and images in the colours that only it could understand.

Eyes.

Kurama blinked.

Eyes were in his vision. He frowned, thinking hard. Eyes belonged in faces, he was sure. The chocolate brown eyes were in focus, but eventually bled into everything else. The face had been blurred to begin with. But there was something in those eyes that, for some reason, troubled the red-headed youth. He attempted to focus again, but the blurry image of a face talking came into view. Kurama was going to give up and was going to answer to sleep's insistent calling when the most interesting thing swam into his vision.

Red.

Eyes of red.

Eyes were not supposed to be, oh, so spicey, bloody red. There was something about these eyes. Something that flitted around in Kurama's murky brain. Now the youko was frustrated. This was important. Eyes belonged to a face, yet, no matter how hard Kurama tried to focus, the face never appeared clear. It was indistinct, a little fuzzy, except for the eyes.

Eyes are the windows to the soul. Where had that thought come from? Somewhere deep in his foggy mind. Like a fish, it had flitted to the surface, interested in some sort of movement before diving again.

There was something to those eyes that, Kurama was certain, only he was seeing.

Or being let to see. His mind struck and dove again.

Funny he should be thinking of fish.

"Kurama," the red eyes murmured. Indeed. The voice that belonged to the eyes had not spoken, mumbled or whispered. The tone could only be called a murmur, and Kurama was surprised he had been able to hear it over the static and nature sounds that filled his hearing.

Or were those his thoughts?

The name, though, was important. The eyes were searching his eyes. They were searching for something, and Kurama knew it was important. Recognition? Was he looking for recognition? Two strong arms held him. Two…wasn't one of those arms threatened…or had been…

"It was being disagreeable so I had to punish it," the Jaganshi said.

The Jagan.

Hiei?

"I'm here, Kurama," the red eyes said. The red eyes looked around before they leaned in closer. "Please stay here," they murmured.

Had he spoken outloud? Apparently.

Why would he leave?

Was he going somewhere?

Wait…that statement was important. It had something to do with the past of those red eyes, of Hiei. He had to tell him.

"I'm…" Kurama took a painful breath. The red eyes leaned in close to hear him.

----------

Hiei's eyes softened, imperceptibly to anyone but the fox in his lap at what he said, but hardened again when he realized that the fox had closed his eyes.

"Kurama?" Hiei was wise enough to poke him. When he got no response, the fire demon's scowl deepened when he realized that this was a state of unconsciousness instead of the restful sleep humans tended to take.

"Detective," Hiei said calmly. Yusuke was yelling into some kind of two way receiver that had Koenma's face in it. Yusuke either didn't hear him or was ignoring him. The Jaganshi deducted that it was the former due to the volume of the detective's cursing and yelling.

"YUSUKE!"

The tirade abruptly stopped and the detective turned around in order to properly address Hiei. Had the Jaganshi actually used his name? But, despite all his rough decorum and underestimated intelligence, Uremeshi Yusuke proved why people called him an idiot daily.

"Huh?"

Hiei frowned. For being their team leader, he sure was monosyllabic and imbecilic…but not as bad as the tall dumb one. He made Yusuke look like a genius. Hiei mentally cringed at the thought.

"The fox is unconscious."

He received this strange look from the detective until comprehension dawned on his face.

"Fuck!" He turned to the receiver before continuing his tirade on the hapless godling.

This situation didn't look good. He looked up when he noticed a droplet of water run down the side of Kurama's face in a facsimile of a tear. Hiei looked up to see snow falling and scowled. He never did have any good memories tied to snow.

----------

It was strange. He was running through the woods. The colours were a blur, but for some reason his mind identified all the plants growing in the area. He slowed down and realized he knew them because he had planted them. From the large trees all the way to the smallest, humble ground plant and blade of grass. He had planted all of them with his own two hands.

Why was he near this den of all places? These plants would only let him anywhere near this area. Kurama continued towards the den, drawn to it, but at a walk instead of the headlong rush he had previously been entertaining. It was somehow important, very important, that he not rush to his old den.

It was something about the plants, how they greeted him and how they reacted. They were happy to see him, yet somehow sad; some were even agitated. He was a bit confused on how a plant could have mixed emotions. Kurama contemplated this as the plants moved out of the path for him.

Then again, they were Makai plants.

Kurama abruptly stopped. He stretched his senses out and found the fish of a thought to be true that had flickered to the surface of his murky mind. The plants seemed agitated at his halted progression.

He was alone in these woods.

----------

Genkai frowned when she saw the state that Kurama was in, and it wasn't the least bit 'good' in any way.

"How long?" she asked after she sent Kuwabara in search of Yukina.

"Since the end of the battle," Yusuke proffered. That did nothing in ways of describing time to the psychic martial artist.

"Several hours," Hiei told Genkai from his perch in the window.

"I'm here!" Yukina said as she rushed into the room. "What do you need?"

"We have our work cut out for us, Yukina-chan," Genkai told her as they began to go to work on Kurama.

----------

Kurama had started moving again when he realized how agitated the plants were becoming, their behavior bordering on vicious. He continued on through the plants, soothing them with his youki. They visibly calmed when they recognized his presence. Why had they become so agitated?

He made it to his den with little hindrances there after.

It was just as he had left it. The small plants and shrubbery in the mouth to take care of…less pleasant guests. If the bones on the floor were any indication, there had been enough visitors for his pets to become picky over what they ate. He gave them some of his youki in praise and they rustled their leaves and bloomed in appreciation.

Inside, everything was covered in a fine layer of dust. Everything, however, was still here. To make sure, Kurama ran a quick inventory of what was present against a list he held in his memory. Yes. Everything was still here. He got a sudden urge to visit this den, which was strange when he thought about it since he was standing in the middle of it.

Something flashed in his mind. Snow. Wasn't it supposed to be winter?

But he was in Makai, right? He was in his den. Or was he supposed to be somewhere else?

Wait.

Eyes.

The memory of eyes was very strong in the fox demon's mind. Brown eyes were fleeting, but red eyes were very prominent in his memory. More silvery flashes of his elusive True memory. He only knew of one person who could have eyes like that…

----------

"Hiei?"

Everyone in the room turned to look at the unconscious figure on the futon in the corner of the room, or at least the ones that heard the feint voice. Kuwabara and Yusuke were engaged in a rather involved melee game of some kind. Keiko was laughing at the boys as Shizuru was kicking their butts in the game, a cigarette smoldering away in the corner of her mouth. Yukina's attention turned from making tea to Kurama.

It wasn't obvious, but Hiei's attention turned from gazing out the window to Kurama despite the fact that the small demon never moved.

Genkai got up and went to still the now agitated unconscious Kurama.

----------

Why was Hiei so important? There was something important, something very important in the puzzle that was missing. Kurama knew there was. Was it the reason his den had called him? Why he had sought it out?

Was it the reason that his plants were so vicious?

Something among his booty and loot caught his eyes. When Kurama unburied it and dusted it off, he smiled when it answered all the questions that plagued his mind. The fox decided this den was long overdue for a visit.

----------

Genkai had been unable to calm the agitated fox and, much to everyone's surprise, when Hiei came over to see what was wrong with Kurama, the red head quieted down.

"Looks like you're going to have to give up your window perch, shorty," Kuwabara taunted.

"Ha!" Yusuke crowed. "Killed you!"

The tall carrot top's attention was immediately refocused, not at all seeing Hiei's scowl at the scathing comment. "What the hell, Urameshi!"

"Got you, Yusuke," Shizuru said as she exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"What!" Yusuke shouted. "I thought we were a team?"

"It's a melee game, idiot," Shizuru informed him. "There are no teams."

Hiei decided that their conversation was unimportant. He pulled up a chair and did the only thing he could other than sleep. Wait. Hiei waited for what he, dare he think it, hoped wasn't a lost cause.

"Don't you dare make those words you told me a lie," Hiei mumbled acidly as he sat vigil at the pale fox's bedside.

----------

The first thing that registered was quiet. Where ever he was, it was peaceful. Upon opening his eyes, he found that it was dark. Too dark to be his room. Carefully sitting up, he noted he was at Genkai's temple. Something tinked onto the floor. Attempting to see what it was, Kurama came face to face with Hiei; red eyes almost glowing in the dim light of the night that filtered through the window into the room casting everything it touched in a silver light.

Kurama was suddenly aware of a pain in his chest. Hiei's eyes glanced to his chest. The red head carefully lay back down before examining his chest with aching arms. He grimaced at his findings.

"I didn't think it was that bad." His voice was hoarse from not being used.

"A week and then some." Kurama's green eyes widened as Hiei continued. "Apparently there was some kind of poison in your blood stream. Yukina did what she could, but Genkai said it was probably because your body houses Youko that you're still alive."

Kurama was lost for words.

Hiei moved back to his perch on the window sill. "You should get some sleep."

Kurama didn't know what to think or do or think. So he did what Hiei suggested. He was not prepared for the next day at all. When he awoke the next morning he was attacked. Not physically, but verbally. There was Yusuke with his loud exclamations of joy that he was all right. Kuwabara awkwardly said he was glad to have him conscious again. Yukina smiled a lot and brought him tea. Keiko stopped by after school which she promptly tore into Yusuke about skipping after she confessed her gratitude on his recovery. It was dinner time by the time everyone had settled back down again. It wasn't until everyone was asleep that Kurama managed to get some time to himself to talk with the antisocial half Koorime.

"You were worried," the red head proffered. Kurama had entertained conversations with Hiei before, but he could only remember one of them that the small demon had initially started.

Hiei narrowed his eyes at the statement. Kurama was keenly aware that the window was cracked. The look that was coming his way spoke for itself. Kurama had made reading people an art.

"Why in hell would you think that?" The red eyes clearly said.

Eyes are the windows to the soul.

The thought flashed through his mind again, and Kurama frowned.

"Why would you doubt me?" Kurama asked. Despite what Hiei wanted, there was no way the demon could answer that question with his eyes alone.

"There were times," Hiei said slowly, as if unsure if he should be talking, "that your condition was touch and go. Genkai considered taking you to an emergency room. A couple days ago your youki dropped to a dangerously low level."

Emerald eyes full of intelligence and cunning met and held bloody ruby eyes. The silence was pregnant.

"I meant what I said," Kurama said when it was evident that Hiei was done socializing. He settled into bed as Hiei turned back to the window, memory playing like a film in his mind.

Shallow breathing. Too much blood. Not good. Hiei thought as he picked Kurama out of the snow as the Detective finally made a connection with Koenma and proceeded to yell at the godling.

"Hiei?"

Hiei looked down to see the idiot fox staring up at him looking confused. Kurama was never confused which made the small demon feel uneasy.

"I'm here," Hiei told Kurama. The red head's eyes searched his eyes. It was rather disconcerting. It looked as if Kurama could only see his eyes. "Please stay here," Hiei had said after he leaned closer so the fox could hear him.

Kurama looked even more confused if that was possible. Hiei kept his face schooled to give Kurama something solid in his liquidated perception. To Hiei, it looked as if Kurama was searching for something to say.

"I'm…" Hiei watched pensively as the fox took a painful breath. "I'm not going anywhere…" He finished in a breathy whisper. Another pained breath. "Don't you…" The small fire demon watched the pain dance across Kurama's features before passing. "Don't worry…I won't leave you."

It had surprised Hiei to no end, and he couldn't question the fox further, since after his pained confession, what else could he call it, he had immediately passed out. Hiei glanced over at Kurama sleeping peacefully on the futon in the corner. He frowned. He got the feeling that, even though everything was all said and done, it was only just beginning.

fin