Chapter 3

Hiei squinted as the sun baked his eyelids. Opening them, he realized that at some point, he had fallen asleep. Well, that was a surprise. He'd not gotten a descent night's sleep since he'd marked Kurama. He supposed that's what happened when you didn't have to fight your urges and make sure your partner stayed sane. Standing and balancing on the branch he had slept on, he looked to the sun, noting the time. 'Almost eleven.' He thought shrugging and stretching his back, it had been sometime since he'd slept in a tree, being use to a bed, well beds, if you included the one at Mukuro's. Maybe Youko was right, he has been spending too much time among ningens.

The fire demon began making his way back to the cave on the temple grounds wondering if Youko was still out, because he couldn't sense Kurama. Landing in a tree just above the burned out fire, he scanned the area, seeing no signs of a red or silver haired figure. He jumped to the top of the tree to scan the horizon, seeing movement, he headed in that direction. Coming upon who he thought was Youko, but when he landed at the side of the pond, he was surprised to be looking at the red head.

Youko had been bathing in the nearby pond, when he felt Hiei's presence. 'He is here Kurama.' The fox ducked under the water.

'About time.' Kurama said, causing the spirit yoko to chuckle.

Before Hiei landed, Kurama emerged, pushing red hair away from his face.

'Are you sure about my help?' Youko asked.

'What choice do I have, you love him as well and I can not do this alone.' Kurama said as he finished bathing before walking to the edge of the pond and grabbing a towel.

Youko only nodded. 'I hope for both our sakes he accepts.'

Hiei stood there and watched the red head finish. He thought about it on the way to the grounds, he was going to do it, how hard could it be. Kurama did it, but he did have his ningen side. The fire demon was strong though and this would prove his love to the red head and then they could move on with whatever fate had in store for them. He didn't want to kill the one he had come to care about. He'd only said it out loud once, or twice, but he truly 'loved' the red head and wanted to be with him, no matter what. Besides he owed the fox this chance, owed him for everything he had put him through.

Putting on his clothes, Kurama buttoned his tunic before addressing the fire demon. "Good morning Hiei, sleep well?"

Coming out of his thoughts, Hiei said. "Yes and you."

"Well." Kurama said, walking away and heading to the cave. Hiei followed.

Making it back, Kurama made sure the fire was out and buried, while Hiei was wondering why he wasn't sensing the red head and why he could control his urges.

"Kurama are you alright?" He finally asked.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Green eyes blinked.

"I can't sense you, it's like you can maintain your walls now…or something…I can't explain it." Hiei said.

"I should have done it from the beginning. I do not know why I thought I could do it on my own." Kurama said with indifference.

"Do what?" Hiei wondered.

"It does not matter." The red head shook his head before looking at the fire demon. "Shall we get this over with?" He asked, walking away and going to a nearby clearing.

"Kurama wait." Hiei said.

The red head turned, looking at the fire demon. "Hiei I do not want this to take all day."

"It won't, just hear me out." Hiei paused and removed his cloak and scarf.

The fox just stood there.

"I've done a lot of thinking and first I need to apologize for the way I've been treating you." Hiei explained.

Kurama's eyes grew big at the thought that Hiei was actually apologizing to him.

"Second…I…want…." Hiei couldn't seem to get the words out, Kurama cut him off.

"We do not have time for this." He said, reaching into his hair.

"Will you just wait a minute?" Hiei growled, walking forward to stand in front of the taller figure.

The red head lowered his hand as the smaller figure came forward. His green eyes watched as the fire demon drew his sword, still in the scabbard. The fire demon held it in both hands before going to his knee and placing it on the ground at the fox's feet. He then moved to both knees, lowering his head so he could present his neck.

"How dare you!" Kurama hissed through clenched teeth.

Hiei looked up confused.

"How dare you after what you put me through." Kurama growled, his anger rising.

Feeling the anger roll off the red head, Hiei stood and said. "I thought you would feel honored that I trust you to…" He was cut off, again.

"And you think that will make up for the past few months of pure hell you have put me through." Kurama spat, his anger so strong, his voice mixed with Youko's. "Forcing me to promise and than pushing me to train almost everyday, in 'hopes' of being strong enough to claim you, all that for you to just turn around and present your neck for the taking…you are crazy." The red head threw back the remark the fire demon had used with him when he'd asked to be marked.

Hiei just stood there.

"I do have one question." Kurama said, composing himself, his voice back to normal.

Hiei just blinked, waiting.

"Why did you agree to mark me?" The red head asked.

"Hn." Hiei smirked. "Well it didn't have anything to do with the fact that you were willing to go and find someone else to do it."

"Damn you." Kurama growled.

"Look, you were desperate to have it done and you are stubborn enough to have found someone else if I didn't…beside I wouldn't…couldn't stand for it…knowing someone else had their hands on you…on something that belongs to me." Hiei said, having a hard time getting the words out, parts were forced as he clenched and unclenched his fists.

Kurama's eyebrow went up. "Oh so now I am an object…a possession." He mocked.

"Damn it Kurama." Hiei growled. "You know I'm not any good at expressing my 'feelings', it's bad enough trying to show you." He managed to say calmly.

"So you just get on your knees and think that will explain everything?" Kurama said mockingly.

"I…" Hiei was at a lost. Why was Kurama acting like this?

"Oh that is right." Kurama cooed. "As you see it, feelings are for the weak…which you have no problem reminding me whenever you have the chance." He stated firmly.

'Kurama what are you doing? Are you deliberately trying to make him mad?' Youko asked. 'Claim him, he gave you the chance. There is no reason to fight now.'

Kurama ignored the spirit yoko and stared at the fire demon, waiting.

"Well?" Kurama raised an eyebrow, taking in the confusion on the small face.

"Well what?" Hiei said.

"Are you going to answer?" Kurama asked.

"What can I say? I won't deny what I said, but yet you know I only say it when I'm mad or upset……." Hiei said, shrugging and looking at him.

"Oh that explains a lot." The red head said, rolling his eyes.

"What are you trying to do?" Hiei asked.

"That is what I would like to know." Youko said.

"Enough talk!" Kurama yelled, reaching into his hair and pulling out a rose. Taking a defensive stance, he asked. "Shall we get this over with?"

"Kurama, we don't have to do this, just claim me and we'll go from there." The fire demon tried to reason. All the while hoping he was right and that he would be able to let the red head mark him without fighting back.

"You are weak!" Kurama cried out before he leaped, making the first move.

Hiei dodged just in time as the rose turned into the whip and stuck right where he'd been standing. He had managed to grab his sword as he landed several feet back. Drawing it, he took a stance and yelled. "What do you mean I'm weak?" At that moment Kurama went to strike again and managed to graze his leg because he'd hesitated about what the red head meant.

"You presented your neck like a weakling. You want me to claim you…then fight like it." Kurama said, striking.

"I'm not a weakling and like I said, I thought you'd be honored that I trust you to allow you to do it." Hiei growled, dodging the whip. Striking back, he managed to cut the red head on the arm.

Barely wincing at the blow, Kurama made several strikes in secession causing the fire demon to move back rapidly to avoid being diced.

"I won't hold back." Hiei said, trying to make the red head realize he could be killed.

"I do not expect you to and if you do then you ask for your death." Kurama said with everything he had.

They played the game of give and take, hit for hit, blood for blood, until both looked like they been through a war.

Hiei kept trying to talk to Kurama, kept trying to find out what was going on in that mind, but the red head would not talk, only strike. The red head was putting everything he had into it and running the fire demon in the ground.

Both were breathing heavily as they landed and paused. Kurama held his side where Hiei had managed to hit him in the ribs, cracking a few. Hiei sported his own wounds, mostly cuts, the worst one so far was across his chest, which was still oozing.

"You've improved." Hiei said.

"I was trained by the best." Kurama said.

'We are getting nowhere.' Youko said.

"I have a question." Hiei said, using this chance to try and talk, but also to catch his breath.

Kurama didn't say anything as he took deep breaths.

"Why me?" Hiei continued.

Cocking his head to the side, Kurama finally answered. "Why you, you mean why did I want you to mark me?"

Hiei nodded.

"You talked to Youko." The red head said.

"He told the truth." The fire demon said.

Kurama nodded, saying. "And I guess I need to apologize as well, we placed too much pressure on you, we asked too much."

"I'm sorry I failed you." Hiei said softly, lowering his sword.

"You did not fail me Hiei." Kurama said, relaxing as well. "If anyone failed…it was me." He said, coiling his whip.

"What do you mean?" Hiei asked, looking at him in confusion.

"I needed to come to terms with some things, things that I did not want to accept." Kurama said softy. "Fighting you for real, I now have no choice. That is unless you were holding back." He smirked softly.

Hiei walked closer, sword still in hand. "I didn't hold back, how's the ribs?" He said.

"They are fine." Kurama said, his hand automatically going to his side. "Hiei I have one last question." He said and looked up as the fire demon walked closer.

He got a nod to continue.

"Do you care for Youko?" He asked.

Hiei's eyebrows went up. "I care for you." He answered.

"That is not what I asked." Kurama sighed.

"I care for him because he is a part of you." Hiei said, stopping in front of the red head.

"So you kept telling me." Kurama said, his green eyes rolling, but then he said. "Then that would be a 'yes'?"

"Yes, why are you asking this?" Hiei asked, still confused.

"Because if you are really serious about me marking you. I am going to need Youko's help." Kurama admitted, lowering his head.

"I should have thought of that." Hiei said, thinking.

"I can not do it alone." The red head stated. "The reason why you can not sense me or read my mind right now is because I am drawing off of Youko's rei." He said, still not looking up.

"So him telling me you didn't want his help also meant you wouldn't allow him to help with your mental walls because…" Hiei said, stopping as Kurama finished.

"I want you to accept me and not because I have Youko to back me up."

"And I will tell you what I told him." Hiei said, crossing his arms, with the sword still in his hands. "You have been at my side for years, not much would change. I have always been honored to have you at my side and always will. Youko has also been at my side and I accept him as well, you two are one and that's the way it is." He smirked. "Remember, you are still more ruthless and cut throat than me."

Kurama smiled. "You should know. I am not strong enough to claim you, no amount of training will make me strong enough, I will have to use Youko's ki and I would not mark you if you had said 'no'. It would not be fair, to you or him." The red head told him.

"If that's what you have to do…then do it." Hiei said.

"I…we have no way of knowing what the outcome will be." Kurama said.

"A three way mark." Hiei said.

"Maybe, but I would be doing the marking, only drawing what I need from Youko, so there is no telling…" Kurama paused.

"So what." Hiei said. "We had no way of knowing anything so far. I didn't know I would have these urges. I just thought the others were being pricks." He muttered the last part, speaking up again, he continued. "You trusted me and I failed. And you sure as hell don't deserve to be treated like a slave, so what's left? I'll admit I didn't even know if it was possible for you to claim me. So we could be here forever trying to kill each other, or I could just let you claim me and we let the chips fall where they may." He shrugged.

"When did you become the rational one?" Kurama asked, smiling.

"Funny fox." The fire demon grumbled, but there was a small smile on his lips.

"We sure are something." Kurama said, still smiling as he placed the rose back into his hair.

"That we are fox." Hiei agreed, dropping his sword.

"Hiei." Kurama paused to make sure he had his attention. "I am sorry for asking you to do something that I had no right to ask. I should have realized you would not be able to control your urges, from what I know, they are strong, even for the most controlled being." He said.

"I should never have forced you to claim me." Hiei admitted.

"So the path to truth was littered with our ignorance." Kurama muttered.

"Truth is not what you want it to be, it is what it is, and you must bend to its power or live a lie." Hiei said Youko's saying.

"Then shall we get this over with?" Kurama said with a firm nod.

Hiei took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm ready."

"Well then little one." Kurama's voice mixed with Youko's. "Get on your knees and present that gorgeous neck."

Hiei's eyes went wide, a little shocked at the demand and also a little scared. He did not expect Youko to be present, just Kurama drawing of his ki.

"Scared little fire?" The mixed voice asked, amused.

"I…" Hiei was at a loss for words.

Kurama's voice came back. "Hiei, I knew this was not going to work. Youko can be too demanding….." He said with a sigh.

"No." Hiei shook his head. "I want this…I want you…both of you." He said and got on his knees to hopefully prove what he meant.

"Why?" Kurama looked down at him, confused.

"Why what." Hiei smirked. "Why would I agree to be one with you, why do I want to spend the rest of my life tied to you, there are a lot of 'whys' Kurama." He used his own version of a phrase Kurama had used about why he wanted this. "But there is a single why." The fire demon said, looking up and making eye contact.

Kurama just stood there, stunned and confused, wondering if this was a dream.

"I love you…both of you." Hiei admitted softly.

The red head fell to his knees and grabbed the fire demon, hugging him as tears fell. Pulling back he said. "You know there is a small chance we both could die."

"You just now telling me that part." Hiei growled. Seeing Kurama's tears he added. "Then I will die with you." He whispered and placed his head on a shoulder.

"I….we love you." Kurama whispered.

"I know." Hiei smirked.

Kurama held Hiei tighter and moved him so his neck was bent and exposed. Pushing aside the short hairs that curled over Hiei's neck, he was getting ready to bite, when he felt the fire demon begin to struggle. "Easy little one." The mixed voice said. Hiei started struggling more, managing to get his arms free, he back handed the red head across the face. Kurama grabbed the small wrists as silver hair appeared and green eyes turned gold.

Hiei was all out panicking now. He went to raise his ki, but Youko slapped him across the face.

'Youko!' Kurama yelled as Hiei went limp.

"He is all right. I just gave him something to calm his nerves." Youko said, laying the small figure on the ground.

Hiei was numb, his arms and legs wouldn't cooperate as he felt himself being placed on the ground.

"He is all yours." Youko said before fading.

Kurama looked down and saw a white residue on Hiei's upper lip.

'You drugged him.' He said, raising an eyebrow.

Youko shrugged. 'You need to do it before he comes around.'

"I hope you do not regret this Amai?" Kurama whispered. "I did not expect to claim you this way. Youko was only trying to help." He kissed the fire demon's forehead.

The red head positioned Hiei into a tight ball, pushing his head between his knees. He then pulled the black pants until they ripped, exposing a pale rear and saying. "I am sorry Hiei. I truly hope this is what you want. If we survive, we will have a lot of talking to do and…it will be an honor to be by your side." Licking his finger and wetting it with spit, he began preparing the fire demon for claiming, doing what Hiei had done to him, placing another finger and finding that spot, he brought Hiei to a small climax and bit down.

Hiei didn't know what to think. He felt himself climax, but it was not as noticeable as the intense searing pain shooting through his neck. He couldn't move and was down right stunned. 'Is this how Kurama felt?' He thought just as everything went white.

Kurama felt Hiei tense as his ki flowed around them, he was just about ready to let go, when his neck started to burn and the world went white.

End Chapter 3