Standard disclaimers apply. Yoshihiro Togashi created these cute characters. I was just having fun twisting them around. I really hope he doesn’t mind me doing this. So does Jump comics n Shueisha. Yaoi? Wakaranai yo… ^_^; A fanfic by ~> Bulma Briefs *********** I Don’t Like You, I Hate You Kurama looked up from the ground. Camping in the middle of Makai with Kuwabara, Yuusuke and Hiei was quite tiring. Then he saw Hiei eyed him. "Nani?" he asked irritatingly. The fire demon was watching him like he was some kind of a juicy morsel. He had come to a decision where he’ll ignore the fire demon until the odd feelings inside him go away. That’ll be for the best though. The fire demon just snorted. Yuusuke sighed. Kurama and Hiei had been pulling at each other’s neck since the beginning of the trip. "Oi, you two have some kind of a fight we don’t know about?" asked Kuwabara, handing Hiei some cooked meat. "No." Kuwabara shrugged as both gave the same answer simultaneously. Definitely something wrong. But none would tell. Yuusuke got on his back and closed his eyes. Tomorrow’s another day and they’ll get over it. ************ Hiei was walking right at the back of them instead of flitting in the trees. Kurama stopped and crouched to examine a plant. Hiei's eyes were on the top of the trees when he suddenly stepped on something soft. "Oi, what you’re you doing?" snapped an angry redhead, straightening up. At least he tried to sound angry enough. Kurama was frantically rubbing his sore fingers which Hiei had stepped on. Now, Yuusuke and Kuwabara had stopped and retraced their steps back to see what was going on. "I wasn’t looking, thought it was rubbish lying around," Hiei replied sarcastically. Kurama bit his lips. How could he? How could he condemn him like that! "Omae!" Kurama gritted his teeth and sighed. "No reason to fight a stupid kid like you," he said coolly and walked ahead. It hurts a lot to make him say that. But it was for the best. Soon they’ll get over with the fight and Kurama will get over the crush he had on Hiei. "Why is he angry at you?" asked Yuusuke when Kurama was safely out of range. Hiei shrugged. "You asking me?" he gritted angrily and flew up the trees, thinking that he’ll be better off up there. When they reached Reikai, Botan greeted them. "Okaeri, minna!" she happily opened her arms. Kurama nodded and smiled warmly. "The youkai was hard, but with us… he’s been taken care of," Kurama told her. Botan cheered happily as she closed the door after Hiei. "Sugoi! Let’s tell Koenma-sama," she smiled. *********** After Koenma gave them a brief congratulations and thanks, they were to be dismissed. Kurama went home early as he had tons of homework to keep up with. The others were treated to a short tea party. Yuusuke had found Kurama’s wallet lying around in Koenma’s office and decided to take it back to him. But then he remembered that Keiko was to have him at her house for tuition. Or he’ll be hearing her rap song later. "I’ll just give it to Kuwabara," said Yuusuke and walked over to Kuwabara who was telling Hiei a new technique he found using reiki. An odd occasion where Hiei would actually sit and listen to the stuff that Kuwabara was saying. "Kurama left his wallet," Yuusuke told them when he was close enough. "So?" asked Hiei. "Can you take it back to him, Kuwabara?" Yuusuke asked, ignoring Hiei. Kuwabara nodded, but then stopped. "Erghh… can’t. Shizuru wants me home early. Or I’ll be sleeping outside in the cold," said Kuwabara, then both looked at Hiei. "Me?" Hiei echoed their mind out. "Not me. You saw it with your own eyes how he treated me. He won’t even let me in I assume," said Hiei, gulping down the warm tea. "Oh come on, Hiei. Just go to his room, tell him whatever you did was wrong and you’re sorry about it and we all know Kurama would forgive you," said Kuwabara. Hiei snorted. "I didn’t do nothing to him and I don’t want to apologise," he told them dryly. "Okay, well just go to him and just talk to him. Or wait until he talks to you. Then you can give him the wallet," suggested Yuusuke. Hiei took the wallet and eyed them. They gave him nods and he sighed. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" *********** Hiei perched up the tree next to Kurama’s window. It was opened to let the cool spring air in. He climbed in the window and saw Kurama just about to close his books. Kurama knew Hiei came. But didn’t knew why. He would just keep himself quiet. If the fire demon won’t talk, why would he? Although his heart was aching to have small talks with the cold fire demon. Hiei sat on the sill for a while, watching Kurama. The fox packed his school bag and walked into the bathroom, changing into a pair of pyjamas. He ignored Hiei as he sat on the dressing table, brushing his hair for a while. Totally ignoring the being next to the window sill, he closed the window and let down the curtain. He walked his way back to the door and reached for the light switch next to it and turned off the light. Now the room was pitch black except for the soft rays of the moon coming from outside, yet the fire demon was still silent. And Kurama too, didn’t acknowledge his present by saying nor doing anything. Kurama laid on his futon in the dark, but his eyes were still eyeing the fire demon who was still sitting perfectly still on his sill. Ever so quiet. Why was he here? And why was he silent? "Okay, I have enough," Kurama surrendered. If he don’t get this over quickly, he would be having baggy eyes tomorrow. He pushed the futon away and walked towards the still fire demon. He stood in front of him and crossed his arms, pretending to be angry at the fire demon. Ready for Hiei in case he decided to speak. He just wanted to tell him to go away so that he could sleep. And before he decided to do stupid things that will undo his efforts. But then, something stopped him from doing anything. Hiei's lips were pursed tight. His eyes watery and his face was tear stained. Kurama instantly felt something. Not pity. Concerned. ************* Why was Kurama treating him this way? A few days before, they were still friends and they could talk. Kurama would at least say hi even if he dropped by for a brief moment. But not today. He was snappy at him since the day before and now, not even acknowledging his present. Treating him like thin air. He had grew dependent on Kurama but what had he done to deserve such a response from him? He knew he shouldn’t be feeling these things but as cold as his heart could be, he still has a heart. He tried to recall the things he did to annoy the fox, but failed. Where had the Kurama he knew went? The feeling of being hated by a friend was never known to Hiei as something so painful as this. Or was Kurama just his friend? Unconsciously, his eyes had produced pearls of tears that slid down his eyes. ************ As much as Kurama wanted to shoo him out and let him take a day’s rest, he eyed the koorime. Then, those crimson ruby eyes turned to him. Kurama’s green ones turned into stone and bore right into those watery ruby ones. "You were crying? For what?" asked Kurama, still trying to sound harsh. But his heart was shattering inside scolding him, angry at him for being so harsh to his best friend. Kurama had started to talk to Hiei, so the fire demon handed out a small thing. The youko’s wallet. Kurama took it and nodded thank you at Hiei. "You treating me like this forever?" Hiei asked a question to the youko. Kurama sighed. Not that he didn’t want to treat Hiei nice. He wanted to treat Hiei so very nice and protect him like a china doll. But it’s just that, the more he treated the fire demon nicely, the more his heart draw to him. So, afraid of being rejected Kurama might as well back off. Hoping that treating Hiei this way would eventually make the passing crush disappear. But would it work? Was it mere crush or was it something else? Looking into the soft tear stained face, Kurama found the answer. It was love. :… Rejecting me or not, Hiei. I love you …: With that, Kurama lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Hiei. "I’m sorry Hiei," uttered Kurama, his fingers brushing the soft spiky hair of Hiei's. Hiei was perturbed. One minute he was this angry fox, the next thing he was the Kurama he knew. The concern and caring Kurama. "Why do you hate me?" Hiei closed his eyes, fresh tears poured out. "No, I don’t hate you. And I don’t like you either," was Kurama’s answer. Obviously Hiei didn’t understand. "I don’t understand," said Hiei, but at the say of ‘I don’t like you’ Hiei decided that he should go. He parted their close contact and wanted to turn away. But Kurama held on tighter to him. "I don’t like you, Hiei… I… I love you, I… I just can’t except it if you rejected me if I told you. So I thought I might as well treat you the other way so that I can heave away the feeling from within me. But I failed. I love you too much to do so, I’m so sorry," Kurama looked at Hiei. "Why would I reject you?" he asked. Kurama sighed and parted himself away. Silent was hanging in the air. "I too have a heart do you know that?" continued the fire demon. "Even though it’s not as soft as yours, it’s still a heart. And it could make you feel, do you understand that?" Hiei started to raise his voice, but careful not to wake the whole household. Kurama looked away, feeling guilty. "Do you know how painful it was when you snap and scold me like you hated me?" Hiei told the fox his innermost feelings. First love, then trust was now given to him by the fire demon unconsciously. "I know. It hurts me too!" Kurama exclaimed. "But then… why? Why did you do it?" demanded the fire demon, his tone uncharacteristically gentle. "Because I was afraid to risk our friendship if you decided to reject me," stifled Kurama. "Since when I made a decision? You sometimes act so stupid that I hate you," Hiei told Kurama, but his actions told the kitsune otherwise, he took Kurama’s hand and rub his cheek gently on it. Hiei sighed. "Can I ask a favour from you?" he opened his mouth. Kurama nodded once. "Can you stop acting this way to me?" asked Hiei. Kurama nodded and bit his lips. Hiei wished he wouldn’t do that, it’s so tempting to just go up and kiss the fox’s mouth. "And if that’s done, I have decided not to be your friend anymore," Hiei said casually, putting Kurama’s hand down. Kurama narrowed his eyes slightly and a sad expression was on his face. "I’m sorry I had to blow off a nice friendship," Kurama tried to force a smile. Hiei was a determined person. Nothing in the world could make him change his mind. Hiei nodded. "I don’t want to suffer anymore," he told the fox. Kurama nodded. "I guess you’d be going back to Makai then?" Kurama asked the koorime, as he stood up. Kurama opened the window for Hiei and a gust of breeze raced in. "Nope," said Hiei and shut back the window. "You’re letting the warm air out," he told the kitsune. Kurama was getting more confused now. Then he widened his eyes, he finally knew what was on Hiei's brain up there. Though he dare not to tell him and make a fool out of himself if his assumptions were wrong. "I’ll be staying here," Hiei finally said, his arms wrapped around Kurama’s middle. Kurama turned around and carried the fire demon. He kissed the koorime on the cheek and carried him to bed. "Good," said Kurama as he laid Hiei down on his side of the futon and got under it himself. "Warm enough?" asked a silky alto voice in the dark. It was then followed by a small ‘hn’ sound and pleasant dreams. Owari… ^_^ At first, it was supposed to be a non-yaoi fic where Kurama acted like Kuwabara and gets on Hiei's nerves. But then, after it was done halfway, I went to sleep and there was this odd dream about a crying Kurama and all. So the next morning, I decided to edit the story back into a yaoi version. I still can’t make myself make a non-yaoi story. *sigh* C&C $_$ Bulma Briefs UIN#13254597 bulma_v_briefs@hotmail.com https://members.tripod.com/~Bulma_Briefs/manga_mansion.html