Feedback is craved like a man lost in the desert craves water. <//_^)>

 His eyes burned like the fire he controled as Hiei swung the ghostslayer with deadly preciscion. Moving so fast that human eyes would think he was flitting in and out of existence. The dark glee on his face reflecting in his eyes and tone.

 Finally through testing his new toy Hiei landed on the ground firmly and roared up into the ningenkai,

"I feel Great!" His fangs glinted as he caressed the blade eagerly then turned to his partners. "I have
an idea - let's use this sword to make the humans our slaves, and take over the Ningenkai! We'll use
them to conquer their own world!"

 Gouki gave a shrill giggle and nodded displaying the Ruffian sphere proudly, "That's a great idea,
Hiei," he giggled again and Hiei grinned wider despite the annoying sound. "And we can provide
food for them with this beauty!"

 "Good! The full moon is coming so now all we need is Kurama's Mirror of UtterDark," Hiei stood proud and looked passed the sword to the boy standing in the shadow of the forest. "Once we utilize the powers of all three Artifacts, the Ningenkai is ours!"

 Kurama stepped forward then, the shadows slowly caressing him as he left their cover. The Fire demon shivered with delight. The youko was as enticing as the legends all said. Even in the weak body of a ningen the fox shone with unholy light. His next words though, broke the spell his presence wove.  "Despite your expectations, I am not with you," he told us calmly. "I've got what I want."

 "Nani?! What are you talking about, Kurama?" Hiei sheathed the wicked looking blade and stared
at the kitsune in ningen flesh he had just begun to trust. "You can't quit us now!"

 Kurama didn't want to hurt Hiei, he felt strongly for the Fire Demon. A feeling which his ningen half
screamed out to be love. But he had to do this. His kaasan needed him and Hiei would live without
him. The ningen would not.  "I just did"

 Hiei let loose his pain the only way he knew how. He attacked. It might have been only words but
each one cut another piece from Kurama's heart. "You coward! Your problem is that you actually
give a damn. You care too much for this world and the stupid, bumbling, oafish creatures that
populate it!" //And you don't care enough for me!//

 "Forget him, Hiei." Gouki snorted. "We don't need a weakling like him in our gang." He turned
blazing eyes to the red head, "Give me the Mirror of UtterDark!"

 Kurama almost laughed. Did that stupid youkai welp think he could truly best Youko Kurama? "I
can't do that, I'm afraid. I need it."

 "Then I'll TAKE it back, you bastard youko!"

 Kurama's only move was the narrowing of his eyes and Hiei saw Gouki's death in those cool
emerald depths. He couldn't say he would miss the obnoxious creature, in fact he had planned to kill
him from the begining. Then he and Kurama could have ruled Ningenkai together. Now all of his
plans were dust because of the Youko's stupid human sentiment!

 "Wait a minute!"

 Kurama's eyes flickered from Gouki to the stranger ningen who approached them and Hiei too
sought out the baka who had walked into their glade.

 "Okay! You have to give me back all three Artifacts, and then you thieves can do whatever you
want. If you're good, I promise not to come after you and make you stand trial for the theft."
 
 

 All three of them just looked at him comically. Until Gouki spoke, "Who the hell are you?!"

 "I was dying to hear that question! I'm a member of the Reikai-Tantei," He struck a ridiculous pose,
"Urameshi Yusuke-sama! So you'd better just hand those Artifacts over."

 "Reikai-Tantei."

 Hiei shrugged the human off as insignificant. He had other things on his mind at the moment. "I don't
feel any rei-ki from him,"

 "I can kill him with one punch!"

 Hiei rolled his eyes, //please do.//

 "Hey! Where do you think you're going?"

 The fire demon spun to see Kurama walking into the forest. He was leaving them! //Leaving me.//
He felt like screaming. //Why?!//

 "I don't have time to deal with this right now,"

 Hiei blurred into action, leaving Gouki to kill or be killed and not caring which it would be. All he
could think of was the tear he had seen escaping Kurama's ridged control.  "Wait Kurama! You
haven't finished talking to me yet!" Hiei moved so quickly he seemed to vanish, following the ningen
Shuuichi through the forest. "Kurama! Matte!"

He was so surprised when the fox listened that he almost ran into him, ending up nose to chest. He
looked up and was caught in watery green pools. "Hiei. . . gomen nasi."

 "Why?" He felt this betrayal deep even in his stone cold heart. Kurama had been his hero growing
up, he had mimicked the hardened Youko thief's every move until he could be counted up with him,
of all of the demons he had teamed with, Kurama was the only one he placed any trust in. Now it
was broken, and he felt pain for the first time since being thrown from the floating isle of his birth.

 "I have to save my mother Hiei."

 "Hn, a ningen?! You betray me for a ningen!"

 A tear trailed over his porcelain cheek. "I owe her more than I can repay."

 "The great Youko Kurama is brought down through sentiment?!"

 "Not brought down Hiei. I am raised to a new level. I understand now what friendship and love is."

 "And you will die with that knowledge." He growled, "You know the price of a wish through the
mirror."

 "I do."

 Hiei searched his partner's eyes for any way of talking him away from this path.

 "I am glad to meet my end in such a way." Kurama assured him with a smile.

 "How can you say that."

 "I learned to feel love, and I met you. Hiei, I am content to die knowing I have loved so well. And
that my kaasan will live to feel how I feel now."

 "And how is that." Anger laced his words.

 The green eyes sparkled with emotion and Kurama touched Hiei's face gently, "Complete."

 The fire demon was speechless! He had not allowed another to touch him in years but it felt so
warm! So right now. He clenched his teeth against the feeling. The weakness. "I will not forgive you
for this."

 Gentle lips met his swiftly and then Kurama was gone.
 
 

    Hiei felt Kurama's loss keenly but went through with his plans all the same. When Yuusuke came
to fetch his beloved friend from the demon's control though, Hiei would not fight up to his full
potential. He couldn't gather the glee killing usually held for him, all he felt was numb. It showed in his fighting.

    //What am I doing?! I will not let that kitsune wreck my plans for this world!// He resumed
fighting, renued by his vow.

    Hiei let loose his power, chuckling as the purple eyes opened all over hi body, giving him sight
beyond sight, a feeling that was intoxicating to his as any drug. "You are tremble ningen, do you feel
my power."

    "Wha. . ." Yuusuke gasped at the sight of Hiei's true form. Wickedly beautiful and deadly as the
sword he held. //Oh shit.//

    "It won't be long now before your friend becomes evil's host. But don't worry, you wont be long in this world either."

    "M. . . My body!" Yuusuke choked on his own blood as Hiei's fist slammed into his jaw. //You
ningen are the reason he left me! I will take my every tinge of pain out of your hide!//

    "W. . . what the Hell is this! I can't move! It's like he tied me up!" Yuusuke struggled to no avail.
Hiei's energy flowed around him, binding him fast.

    "Even a slippry asshole like you can't get out of this!"

    Yuusuke felt as if his bones were being ground into powder, the force around him was killing him!
He fought it but it only grew tighter. //What is he thinking? He isn't really consentrating on me or
Keiko! How could he have such power when his mind is wandering?!// He screamed as he was
slammed into the cold concrete of the warehouse floor.

"Now do you understand who is the most powerfull?" Hieicalled the Ghostslayer to him and turned
the captive detective to face his doom head on. "I respect your honor ningen. So I'll just kill you
quickly." He grinned, a demonic expression and charged, "DIE!!!"

    He held the sword forward and ready, to deliver the final blow, but the penetration came to soon.
Hiei's heart froze in his chest, his breathing stoped and his eyes widened at the site of blood red hair
and emerald eyes. //No.//

"Kurama."

"Why the Hell are you doing this!?"

 The redhead touched Hiei's mind with his, //You know the price as well as I.//

 //My soul is of no use to me.//

 A smile touched the full, sweet lips and Kurama ran his hand along the blade, //but I treasure it Hiei.
And no one takes my treasure.//

//I will hate you for this!//

 Kurama's eyes turned sad and he whispered, "I know." Then flung his blood into the glowing Jagan
on Hiei's forehead.

 "ARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 //I am sorry Hiei. You may never understand, but what I have done was done in caring.//

"Shit! My Eyes! I can't see!"

"I can move!" Yuusuke gasped.

"His evil eye acts as an amplifyer to his powers. That's where they are concentrated." He felt Hiei's
pain as well as his own and kringed slightly, clutching thr wound he had taken for his friend's soul.

 "Kurama!" Yusuke was frantic.

 "I'm all right. I'm doing this to repay you." //If I didn't owe you my Kaasan's happyness I would
never have hurt Hiei so much. A thousand of you aren't worth even half of him.//

   "Idiot! Don't move!"

    Kurama smiled wickedly, "I am also a youkai, I won't die so easily." //Unless you can die of a
broken heart.//

    "Kurama!" Hiei screamed and the redhead flinched. "You traitor!! I will never forgive!!!"

    Even as Kurama knelt to help the injurred ningen his eyes welled with tears. //I know. You have
no idea how well I know.//

    "I am still going to win! Even without my Jagan I still have more power than you!" Hiei knocked
Yuusuke around until he could barely move, but the street brat was nothing if not resourceful. He
refected his Rei Gun into Hiei's back.

    //HIEI!!!// Kurama gasped but didn't dare leave the ningen girl. All he could do was watch as
Hiei's demon form melted back into him, giving him the ki it used to allow him to continue breathing.
His eyes as he collapsed turned to his old partner, and Kurama caouldn't stand the betrail and pain
inside them. //Please be ok Hiei, I don't want you to die! Please don't leave me, not now!//

    When Yuusuke turned to him and asked, "Are you ok?" The Youko almost laughed in his
bitterness.

    //If you only realized how unwell I am.// "No problem, I'm ok. He didn't hit anything vital." //Only
my heart.//
 
 

 Kurama followed Botan into Reikai, Hiei lay unconscious in his arms.

 "He will have to stay in the jail until Koenma calls for him." She smiled pleasantly. "Because you help
Yuusuke you can go home now."

 The youko returned her smile but shook his head.

 "What?"

 "He's my freind, and my partner." The Youko smiled so lovingly at his fallen comrade that Botan
blushed, "Whatever he goes through, so will I. Just allow me to keep one healing seed, please."

  She nodded understandingly, "Alright."
 
 

 After wards were placed on them carefully to block high uses of their powers, they were tossed into
a clean cell and left there to wait. Kurama placed Hiei carefully on the only futon in the cell and
covered him with his shirt, "You used a lot fighting Yusuke, you're going to be cold when you wake
up." He reached into his hair and found the seed he wanted then grew it to maturity and placed it's
healing leaves to Hiei's back and watched their majic steal all traces of his wound away. "I wish I
could take your pain for you Hiei."

 "Hn. . . hollow words."

 "Hiei!"

 "Stay back traitor."

 Those three words cut more deeply than Hiei's demon sword ever could. The tiny hold on his
control he had left snapped and the last of Kurama's energy wavered and was spent. He collapsed
onto the hard stone floor the last thing he heard was Hiei's hateful accusation.

 Hiei waited for him to get up and stop being dramatic but he didn't move at all. Finally the smaller
demon stood and walked over to him. "Oi, fox, get up."

 The only motion was Kurama's hair as the wind caught it.

 "Hn." He was about to walk away when the red lochs shifted and he saw the boy's back. The
sword wound was festering and an ugly red and purple bruise had risen around the green puss of the main injury. //Why didn't they treat him?!// He studied the room closely and found the remains of a
plant. //Makai healing herb. . . the leaves are all gone, why didn't he. . .// The implications of what
had occured hit him then and he reach back to feel the wound Urameshi had given him. It was gone.
"You used it all on me."

 No one had ever treated Hiei with kindness. Always it was kill or be killed. //You took my pain.//
He lifted his partner and lay him on the futon but the slight, ningen body was shivering so hard! Hiei
stretched out beside him and covered them both with his cloak, sharing his heat. "Hn, kitsune no
baka."
 

 When Kurama awoke, he felt so safe and warm he never wanted to leave the comforting darkness. It was like being in Shori's womb but with love this time, not just cold calculating. The sweet smell of pine trees and rain touched his nostrils and he breathed it in deep. //Hiei.//

 "Hn, he's asleep. Go away."

 Kurama almost jumped. "Hiei?"

 Hiei growled at someone on the other side of the cell door and walked over to the window. "Oni.
Hn."

 The redhead blinked and looked down at his chest, he was covered by Hiei's cloak. //So that's
where the scent came from.//

 "You missed the meal today fox."

 "It's ok, I'm not hungry anyway." He smiled, "Thank you for keeping me warm."

 "NANI?!"

 Kurama frowned slightly, "The cloak. . ."

 The anger drained quickly and Hiei nodded. "Hn."

 "How do you feel?"

 Almond eyes turned to look at him but nothing was said.

 "I wonder what our punishment will be."

 Hiei shrugged, "They'll kill me."

 The ningen shivered and shook his head, "There has to be another way. . ."

 "Hn."

 Kurama turned his eyes away and curled up in the corner. Much to his chargan his stomach let
loose a loud rumble.

 "Baka." Hiei threw him a chunk of bread and waited as he ate it quietly.

 "You saved me some food."

 "Hn. Yeah. So what."

 "Thank you."

 "Wasn't going to let you die and get off easy."

 The boy nodded but smiled, "Still thank you."

 Hiei just returned to looking out the barred window. Something inside of him had been changing
slowly since he met Kurama. Finding out that the stupid fox had taken care of his wounds and
neglected his own. . . //Stupid fox.//

 Kurama watched the fire demon carefully, he had been acting strange. He could have easily
defeated Yusuke. Kurama knew that. So why didn't he? Why did he put on that huge show of
fighting him and never really try?

 //Did you want him to kill you Hiei? Is your life so worthless in your eyes that you want to
die?//

 The setting Reikai sun brightened Hiei's hair and face, bathing the ivory skin and ebony lochs in rich
golden hues. //Oh Hiei. . .// "so beautiful."

 Hiei turned those blood red eyes toward him and Kurama blushed, he had spoken out loud?! When
no answer was given for him outburst Hiei turned his back, "Hn."

 "It killed me." Kurama began slowly.

 Hiei settled himself faceing the fox but didn't say anything. The fact that he was watching him was
the only indication that he was listening.

 "It killed me to betray you." He continued, "Only my mother's life could have made me do it Hiei,
but I had to save her. She saved me."

 Almond eyes blinked.

 "You saw the scars on her hands and wrists when you were watching me at the hospital. When I
was a child I was climbing on the cupboard, some glasses fell and shattered  and I slipped. I would
have died in that fragile ningen body, but she caught me. She let her own flesh be cut and mangled so badly to leave scars like that to keep me from pain. That is when I learned love. I devoted my life to
making her happy. Then when she got sick, I swore to give my life to heal her. That spirit detective,
Yusuke. He gave half of his life to the mirror so that I could continue living. That is when I learned
friendship. It is so different in Makai. You couldn't trust anyone. Least of all me. But these fragile
ningen were willing to give their lives for me, a Youko spirit they knew nothing about. I could not let
me debts to them go unpaid."

 Hiei looked at him calmly.

 "And I couldn't let your soul be taken." Kurama's eyes filled with tears, "I care for you Hiei. I
couldn't let you do that to yourself."

 "It wasn't your choice fox."

 "But. . . Why are you in such a hurry to die?"

 "Why not?"

 "I don't want to be alone again Hiei. For fifteen years I've been Shuuichi Minamino. The perfect
student and good son. When I met you, you saw through it. You are important to me."

 "I tried to kill you when we met first baka."

 "Yes but you didn't." Kurama smiled, "And you could have. Back then I was still trying to hone my
powers in this body. You could have easily killed me, but you didn't."

 "Not worth my time."

 "Then why did you come back?"

 "I needed a thief."

 "And maybe a friend."

 "Hn." He scoffed, "I need no friends."

 Kurama nodded sadly, "but I do." He offered Hiei's cloak to him and then retreated back into the
corner, His wound angry and red.

 "It's infected." Hiei pointed out.

 Kurama nodded, "But they took all of my seeds except the one I used on you. There's nothing I can
do about it."

 "You used your last medicine on me."

 He shrugged, trying to seem light hearted, "I can take a little pain to spare you yours."

 The fire demon slipped from his perch and dropped to his knees to study the wound, "I can help it."

 "Oh?" Kurama couldn't believe Hiei was showing signs of caring.

 "It will hurt."

 "I don't mind."

 He nodded and slit the wound on the boy's belly with his nail. Kurama bit his lip so hard he drew
blood. Hard, sword roughed fingers pressed the infection from the cut, pulling out white, green and
yellow puss until the blood ran red. Next the demon heated the same nail with his Ki, ignoring the
burning wards, and pressed in to the freshly bled suture. The white hot pain caused the Youko to
feint and saved him the misery of feeling the same done to his back. Hiei rolled him back over and
studied the new wound on his lip. Bending thoughtfully over the other boy he licked the tiny blood
drops there and suckled it until it was dry. "Hn. You're a fool to care about me." He growled.
Knowing the Youko couldn't hear him he leaned close to his ear and whispered, "but thank you."

 In his sleep Kurama smiled.

 Hiei touched the smiling lips slightly and felt another part of his heart melt. //This ningen is getting to
me. How can I trust anyone after living so cold an existence?//

 The redhead made a slight mewing sound and curled up against Hiei's legs.

 //Maybe I can try.//
 
 

 After Kurama was fairly healed, they were taken to eat and exercise with the rest of the prisoners.
Hiei growled as a large demon approached them right off. "What are you looking at?"

 The beast grinned, "Your friend there. He is beautiful for a ningen."

 "Hn."

 "Do you want to share? Or maybe a trade. . ."

 "Hands of."

 The dark face grew angry, "Stingy little runt aren't you?!"

 Kurama sat down beside Hiei with his tray oblivious to the tension until Hiei growled and pressed
closer to his side to press his point.

 "He is mine." Hiei sneered, "Get your own."

 "We'll see about that runt!" The large man lunged at Hiei and he and Kurama both sprang to the
defense.

 Kurama was once again surprised as Hiei put himself between the youko and the hulking beast.
"Hiei?"

"Stay away from my ningen or I'll kill you."

 The Youko in quiestion was in bliss. //He called me his!//

 "Big words, let's see you back ‘em up small stuff!"

 The fight didn't last long but it settled their status in the prison. Kurama was off limits and Hiei was
best left alone. Both were happy with the arrangement. It made living in prison much more simple.

    The next day a smaller demon approached them while they were working out and smiled, "Hi."

    Kurama wiped the sweat from his brow and nodded, "Ohayo."

    Hiei watched the exchange from where he lifted his wieghts but managed to seem disinterested.

    The little one's gaze turned from him back to Kurama and he smiled, "You've gotten famous here."

    "Oh?"

    "Yeah, It isn't often someone stays with his partner to accept punishment even when he was given
a chance to be pardoned.

    "WHAT!!?!"

    Kurama flinched and looked at the little demon helplessly, "He didn't know."

    The little one made a very fast retreat.

    "Was he telling the truth?!" Hiei grabbed the prison uniform and held Kurama up against the wall,
"Did you have a chance to get out?!"

    Kurama shook his head, "Not without you."

    "Has this ningen body dulled your brain!? Why would you do something that stupid?!"

    He smiled softly and touched Hiei's trembling face, "You're my partner, and my best friend. I will
not leave you alone."

    "You should have! You crazy fox! You could have gone free with no questions asked! You could
have kept a clean record and healed your back and stayed in your world and instead you came here
to suffer because of some missplaced sence of friendship?!"

    Tears that had been building in his deep eyes flowed over his cheeks, "I. . . I didn't think it was
misplaced."

    "Well it is! You think I give a damn whether you live or die!?"

    Kurama's breathing was labored and quick. He couldn't take much more. Every word killed him a
little more. "I. . . Hiei. . ."

    The demon threw him across the excersize yard, "Get out of here! Go back to ningenkai!"

    Kurama's wound was bleeding again and his cheeks were stained with tears but he stood his
ground. "I will not leave you Hiei."

    "You're dumber than I thought!"

    "At times I believe you're right, but not this time. I will not leave a friend behind. The only time I
ever left a friend behind he died, I don't have many friends and I won't loose you."

    The little fire demon stared at his bedraggled comrade. "You are the most sentimental Youko I
have ever known." He walked over and placed his hand around Kurama's neck, "Why should you
feel so strongly about this friendship thing?"

    "Because I value my true friends above everything." He smiled, "And I value you even more."

    Hiei stepped back slowly, "I don't understand you Kurama."

    He smiled and nodded, "I know."

    Those large, ember eyes searched his for a moment before he looked away, "I didn't need your
help."

    Kurama smiled, "I knew you didn't."

    "But. . ."

    "Yes?"

    "I. . . Do what you want." He turned and stalked out of the yard.

    "Your welcome Hiei." Kurama called after him.

    "Hn!"

    The little demon walked up the him again and gasped, "He looked so mad! Weren't you scared?!"

    "Hiei would never hurt me." He smiled.

    "Well I'm glad you're so sure, I wasn't!"

    Kurama laughed softly.

  "Are you going to go after him?"

    "Hiei is. . . very proud. I want to give him time to collect his thoughts."

    "Good luck."

    Kurama smiled, "I don't need luck. I have Hiei."

    "With friends like that. . ."

    The youko grinned and walked away. "Ja ne."
 
 
 
 

    When they went before Koenma for judgement the child God was caught off guard, "Kurama? You're still here?"

    "I said I would stay with Hiei, I never go back on an oath."

    "But you. . . I mean. . . and he. . ."

    "I have one request."

    "Well, for your assistance to Yuusuke I guess you deserve a request."

    Hiei growled softly, "Ask to go back."

    The Youko only shook his head, "I request that whatever punishment you give to Hiei you give
also to me."

    "FOX!!" Hiei roared.

    Koenma looked slightly troubled, "Well I was going to sentance him to death in sixth Hell but you
don't deserve that so. . . this is very confusing."

    Botan smiled from her perch on the small God's desk, "Maybe they could be spirit detectives."

    Hiei and Koenma both reacted the same way. "WHAT??!"

    "Well, you sent Yuusuke and Kuwabara to fight the animal Gods, why not send Kurama and Hiei
as backup, I doubt two ningen can handle what they are up against."

    "Excellent idea!"

    "What?!" Hiei cried,"Wait! No! I don't. . ."

    "That or Hell."

    "Hell." Hiei answered without pause.

    Kurama closed his eyes in acceptance, "Then I go too."

    "But. . ."

    Hiei stared at the fox, he hadn't thought he would take this friend thing so far! "Wait."

    Koenma looked at him expectantly and Hiei growled, "Fine. I'll be a. . . detective."

    Kurama smiled and grabbed his hand, "Well, send us down!"

    As they traversed through the universal web Hiei turned to Kurama and grinned, "You're one
stuburn fox."

    "But I'm so good at it."

    "Hn."

    "You won't regret this Hiei, life can be worth living."

    He paused a moment then looked the youko square in the eyes, "You know, I think it can." //As
long as I share it with you.//
 
 
 
 

~Owari~

Well, what do you think? ^_^ Reply! Comment! PLEASE!!!!!
Rai