This chapter is for DemonUntilDeath, who reminded me that I needed to update.

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Chapter 7: The Other Face

I woke up a few hours later to the sound of Kuronue's groaning. My first instinct was to slay the source of the frustrating noise, which, in a sleep-induced haze, I had convinced myself came from some puny creature.

In fact, I had begun imagining how beautifully I could make the pest bleed, and was just getting to the best part, when I heard the bat call out for his brother. I instantly turned around and rested my elbows on the bed I'd been sleeping against.

The bat had apparently been able to sleep, lucky bastard. But now he was interrupting my sleep by calling out for the brother who had just put him in this situation. I did the only thing I could have possible done in that situation and smacked him on the head. Normally, I'd have kicked him, but his head was the only uninjured place on him.

With a cry, the bat sat up, rubbing his head. I smirked a little, waiting for him to calm down. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as I had thought.

The brat looked at me, eyes widening as he realized that I was helping him. He wanted to know why, but I didn't have an answer for him.

It was a little past dawn, and there was no way I was sleeping with the bat in a bed near me. He was watching my every move as I stood up and sat on the bed next to him. He watched me with a defeated gaze, with the look of someone resigned to death.

And if anyone knew that look, it was I. I'd seen people lose life through their eyes countless times, even before my sword touched them. One thing that I hadn't had to do before that point was to try to put life back into someone.

As it turned out though, I didn't need to worry. All through the day, I watched over Kuronue. I changed his bandages, brought him food, and even helped him walk outside. By the end of the day, I was exhausted. Just being in the shape shifter's presence wore me out.

By the time sunset arrived, we were both fast asleep. I didn't want to deal with another day of this. Fortunately for me, the bat was resilient, because the next morning, he jumped me.

As soon as I woke up, he pounced, latching onto my arm and nearly reopening his wounds. I growled at him, but if I forced him off, all of my effort would have been undone. "Off." I growled, trying to convey that he should not touch me if he wanted to live.

He seemed eager to flirt with danger, so he ignored my warning and held onto me tighter.

"You're my hero…" he murmured, practically panting at me.

I dropped him.

"Owww!" he yelled, glowering at me. "Why would you want to hurt me, my precious murdere- Ow!" I hit him again.

There was no way I was going to tolerate that kind of behavior from him, even if I had just tended to him all day. He fell silent, leering at me intentionally.

Why do I keep putting myself through these things? "Look." I began seriously "I kill demons for money, your brother has hired me, and as far as I know, he doesn't want me helping you. Yet, I'm risking my job by having you here, and your brothers beat you for this kind of behavior. I suggest you stop trying to get me in your pants."

The bat scowled at me, but he seemed to listen. I told him that I was going out for a bit, and ignored him when I wanted to know where I could possibly go.

I found Kurama in the usual place, lying on his back and gazing at the treetops. When he heard me, he sat up and smiled, and I felt warm. I approached him, and before I knew it, my face was by his chest, and he was examining my hair.

I blushed, flustered by his nearness. It seemed that he noticed my rapid heartbeat, because he backed away sheepishly.

"Sorry," he murmered, "I was just noticing your hair."

I laughed; I couldn't help it, he was just too cute. My laughter only made him blush more and try to defend himself. "It's because your hair is black too, just like those three!"

I stopped laughing and watched him rant about the similarities in our hair color. He was very passionate about the subject. Kurama went on and on, just like the first time I met him, until I began to feel tightness in my chest.

He was… so out of place here. Kurama was not the type of demon who was made for suffering, no matter how well he appeared to handle it. I wanted to do whatever I could to give him a better life than this one, but I had been killing his defenders.

"Kurama," I whispered so quietly that I wasn't sure that I made any sound at all. Yet, he heard me, and turned to listen. I told him about my job, about whom I had killed, about what I was doing to him.

But once again that demon, that amazing demon, took everything I said in stride. He smiled his sad smile, and he told me that he already knew what was happening, even before I did.

He lifted his head, and looked at me with tear-filled eyes. "But, Hiei," he said, his voice trembling, "I'm glad that you care about me. Really, it makes me… happy." He smiled a genuine smile that warmed my heart more than anything else ever had.

I heard a gasp from the bushes, from the bat that had been listening in on this conversation the whole time. So, this side of Kurama surprised him… I decided that if he was anywhere near as frozen by that smile as I was, then there was nothing to worry about from him.

Kurama hugged me, sobbing, and I lifted my arms to hold him as he finally broke down. "Thank you." He whispered over and over. "Thank you so much…"

Kurama knew what I had been doing to him, but he still found comfort in my arms. I looked at the beautiful boy and smiled, he really was just a boy.

"So sentimental…" I murmured, petting his trembling head.

He looked up at me, surprised. "Sentimental, me?" I just smirked, stroking his hair. He scowled at me and muttered "Well maybe, but you explain yourself all the time."

Me? I never talk, and yet I explain myself? I mean, maybe some people are stupid, but… I was just doing it, wasn't I?

Kurama had turned his head into my chest, and I stared down at him, amazed. He'd really noticed something like that so easily. I felt safe with Kurama, and yet strangely exposed. It was a good feeling.

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I think I'm going to start writing a little side story, which I'll try to finish fast. It'll be about Kuronue.