He wanted to be the one holding the redhead. But why couldn't he just push Yuusuke away, claiming his rightful place to do so? He didn't want to think about this anymore; he needed a bath. The Jaganshi stood up and made his way to the door, thus waking Yuusuke in the process. The boy blinked. "Where to, Hiei?" he asked. Hiei paused. "Away… away from him," he said and disappeared outside. Yuusuke felt his own heart ache considerably. How could Hiei treat Kurama like this? Kurama was their friend! How could Hiei address Kurama as if he was some dirt!?
"How could you, Hiei? How could you…" Yuusuke's own tears roll off his cheek, landing on Kurama's pale cheek. "Oh Kurama… I feel sorry for you my friend," Yuusuke sighed, brushing away his own tears.

  Yuusuke tucked Kurama properly into bed and went out to get some fresh air. The cooling air made him walk his way to the small stream at the other side of the temple. He stripped and dipped himself in the cool liquid, letting all the tangles in his muscles and his worries be washed away by the streams. It didn't do a good job, but at least it helped him to relax.

  The soft splashing of the water made him open his eyes. Not too far away was the Jaganshi, doing the same thing. Made him looked like he was meditating in the water. The fire demon looked as messy and perturbed as Yuusuke himself, a little worse though.

  "Hiei," Yuusuke called softly. Serenity was the answer, nothing changed, nothing moved. Yuusuke sighed softly and made his way towards Hiei. Yuusuke eyed the koorime. He was stark naked sitting on a rock in the stream with the perpetual stream of water hit against his ass steadily.

  The boy studied Hiei's features. The Jaganshi was beautiful, as beautiful as Kurama but with a smaller and more lithe build. Perfectly carved muscles against smooth pale skin, curves as beautiful as a lady, skin as soft as cotton, face as innocent as an angel and eyes as red as blood itself. Yuusuke shook himself awake from his own daze as he realized that the Jaganshi had already opened his eyes and spoke.

  "What?" he demanded.

  Yuusuke took a nice place on a rock nearby and playfully washed his equally robust body. "What do you think?" he asked. "About what?" Hiei had his eyes shut again, carefree. Yuusuke rolled his eyes. "Kurama," he replied. Yuusuke could immediately sense the air tightened around Hiei but when he looked up to the koorime's child-like face, it showed no emotions at all. Blank, unaffected.

  "What about Kurama?" Hiei asked, his voice was soft. Yuusuke scratched his ears. "Well… we all know how his feeling are…" before Yuusuke could resume his words, the Jaganshi interrupted him. "His feelings and I have no connections whatsoever," the tone was stern and steady.

  "Let me finish," Yuusuke warned. "I meant to say, as we all know about Kurama's feelings, we all should try and help him with it," Yuusuke told the koorime. "Not profitable to me. I'll back out," Hiei answered casually. "Hiei! Stop being a selfish bastard for once and try to help Kurama!" Yuusuke snapped. When he found out that Hiei was silent and still up for another round of explanation, he started. "We need you to help him. Maybe you are the only one who can cure his eyes. Do you really want to see those eyes closed forever? Those sweet loving eyes to never see you again!?"

  Hiei opened his eyes. "Don't say it as if I am the cause of his grief and pain, and I am the only one who should be doing the dirty work!" Hiei gritted his teeth.

  Yuusuke frowned. "Dirty work?" he blinked. "DIRTY WORK? You call helping out a friend, DIRTY WORK? Helping Kurama, DIRTY WORK? WHAT KIND OF A FRIEND ARE YOU!? YOU DON'T DESERVE KURAMA'S LOVE, HIEI!!" Yuusuke got fed up and swam back to his place in the river and got up to the banks. He bent down to pick up his clothes. "May all the gods help you rot in hell!" Yuusuke snapped and walked away, getting into his clothes on the way.

  "I am in one Yuusuke… you don't know what I feel… I don't know what I feel…" was Hiei's inaudible answer as he shut back his eyes.

  Kuwabara helped Kirishima and Yukina to have Kurama leaned on his chest. "Open up, Kurama-san… I made some porridge. It has some fish," Yukina still smiled even though she knew Kurama can't see. Kurama smiled. "Thank you, Yukina-san… but I'm not hungry," was the redhead's weak answer. "Kurama, you haven't eaten for 2 days already! You might get more sickness if you keep going on like this!" Kuwabara exclaimed.

  Kurama was silence. "Gomen ne, minna-san…" a drop of tear rolled off his cheeks. "Oh Kurama," Kuwabara ran his fingers through his friend's red tresses. "Come on, Minamino-kun," Kirishima coaxed the redhead. Yukina put the spoonful of porridge right on Kurama's lips and the redhead shakily opened his mouth.

  Yuusuke came in the room with Keiko and saw the redhead eating. "Oh, Kurama! It's good to know that you're eating!" Yuusuke shut the door with a bright smile. "I bought some fruits for you, Kurama-san," Keiko smiled and sat next to Kuwabara. "Okage sama deshita, Keiko-chan," Kurama thanked her.

  Yuusuke frowned. "Where's okufuro?" he turned around. Keiko smiled. "She'll come in later, maybe she's talking to Genkai outside," she suggested. Yuusuke shrugged. "Maybe," he turned to look at Kurama.
"Ne, Kurama… there's some porridge near your mouth," he smiled and reached out to brush away the rice bits.

   Atsuko Urameshi was following the couple closely when her eyes landed on Hiei who was sitting on a branch in the tree nearby. She got curious and went over to it, leaving the duo, which walked up the stairs to go to Kurama's room.

  "Hey there," she greeted the very gloomy fire demon. Hiei looked down and saw the lady waving animatedly at her. "Long time no see," she smiled. Hiei snorted cockily and returned to his slumber. "Why are you not inside with the others?" Atsuko continued annoying the koorime.

  "None of my business," he answered after a long silence. "But are you concerned?" Atsuko asked. Hiei frowned and open his eyes, facing Atsuko. "It's none of my concern and none of my business also none of yours. Now butt off," Hiei shooed her away and went back to his disconcerted slumber.

  "Well, why don't you care? Someone you love is very sick inside. If I were sick, I know Yuusuke would tend to me, because he loves me… even though he doesn't show it," Atsuko smiled.

  Hiei got really disturbed by Atsuko's last remark. His insides were once again on shaken grounds. A battle of emotions was resuming their war and started to destroy his sane self.

  He jumped off the tree, facing Atsuko face-to-chest. Then he looked piercingly into the woman's eyes.

  He planned to spit his words as cruelly as he could to this busybody woman. But now when he's eye to eye with her, he was speechless. A small part of his emotions were considering her words. He shook himself out of the daze and gritted his teeth. "I… I…" he paused, thinking real hard to tell her off.

  Atsuko smiled. "You what… come on," she put her arms around Hiei's shoulder and pushed him gently. "Let's go inside, I know you care. If you don't give a fucking shit for the beautiful angel there, you wouldn't even be here," she smiled, pushing Hiei gently up the stairs.

  The Jaganshi was silent.

  The door was slid opened. "Where didja go, okufuro?" Yuusuke frowned as he turned around. But then he paused, in between the door was the fire demon. Everyone set their eyes on the black clad creature on the door. "Just talking to someone," Atsuko appeared from behind Hiei and pushed the boy in, closing the door behind them.

  "Hello Kurama! How have you been doing?" she asked. Kurama nodded. "Fine, thank you," he smiled.

  Yuusuke blinked. "You were actually talking to this selfish devil?" he snorted sarcastically. "Yuusuke!" Keiko and Atsuko simultaneously snapped. Yuusuke shrugged and resumed on talking to Kurama. "So, what happened? Did he blow off the Bio lab?" he asked the redhead. Kurama smiled. "He almost did, good thing someone was standing next to the fire extinguisher," Kurama resumed his story.

  Everyone laughed. Hiei was silent. He sat somewhere behind Kuwabara and couldn't even see Kurama's face. He tried to crook his neck to get at least a glimpse of the beautiful face but to no avail. Kuwabara was too bulky.

  Atsuko who was sitting just behind the koorime realized what he was trying to do and reached out to carry him under his arms.

  Hiei turned his head around sharply as the lady put him sitting in a place with a full view of the beautiful redhead. She winked at Hiei and the koorime was once again speechless. The lady was destroying his ego!

  Hiei let out a long breath softly. He was right in front of the redhead who was chatting away in a gay. He looked just as beautiful with his eyes shut. Hiei blinked. He had never realized how long and thick Kurama's eyelashes were. :… Beautiful… …: he pondered alone.

  Keiko finished peeling the apple and reached out to take Kurama's hands. Kurama paused in his chat and turned his face to face the direction where his hand was held. "I peeled this apple already," Keiko opened Kurama's hand and put the apple in it. Kurama nodded. "Thank you Keiko-chan," He thanked her.

  Deep inside Kurama was wondering where Hiei was.

  Suddenly the door slid opened again and Genkai appeared, smiling. "How are you today, Kurama?" she asked. "Fine, thank you Genkai-baasan," was the polite answer. Everyone in the room had asked Kurama about his health but one person.

  "Yukina, have you bought ingredients for a big dinner tonight?" Genkai asked. Yukina nodded. "As you told me to," she smiled. "Good, you're all invited for dinner tonight," Genkai smiled. She was slightly happy to know Hiei was at least around.