So, in lieu of ff.net possibly closing, I saved all my old work and am updating some of the old as balls stories I wrote on there. Here is the first one I’ve done, and this is old. Like over a decade!!
Summary: Trapped underground, Hiei has to use his sense of smell to try and find Kuwabara. Luckily, Kuwabara had a rather intoxicating and distinctive scent. (HieixKuwabara, 5.9 k)
Kuwabara was jostled awake by a large rock crashing close to his head. He blinked rapidly, eyes fluttering open as he rolled onto his back. The sounds of many echoes, all with their own voice and tone swam through his ears, but no real meaning registered in his mind. How had he come to be here? Why had he been unconscious? Painfully, Kuwabara rose, hands over his ears, eyes blinking rapidly, trying to make sense of his surroundings.
He was in a cave, the walls covered in moss, the ground uneven. The whole place was shaking, and trembling, or was that him? Was he shaking?
Either way, he walked in a daze stumbling off deeper and deeper down the dank hell hole, away from violently falling rocks. Away from shouts and animalistic cries. There was something Kuwabara's mind was trying to remind him of something, something important. Someone...
Or at least he thought it might be important. Hands pressed to his ears, and taking in ragged breaths he stumbled on, coughing and choking. He bent over coughing into his hand and leaned against the green mossy cave. After steadying himself, he pushed off the cavern wall, leaving behind something that he did not pay notice to.
A bloody handprint against the green moss.
The cave pathway started sloping downwards, and the more he walked, the less the cave shook. The more stable the ground became. The colder the area got, the quieter. He started to feel safer in the darkness, in the quiet. His head spun less, his body ached less. Yes, he needed quiet.
Kuwabara finally collapsed, after walking about a mile deep into the cave. Probably not the best decision, to go in instead of out. His tired blue eyes scanned where he'd collapsed, and his eyes fell on a thick mossy wall. Crawling over to it, he leaned against it resting his cheek against the cool, fuzzy wall. Kuwabara was aware of his own loud breathing, ringing in his ears, so loud...
Futilely, he touched it, just wishing to quell the pounding headache. When he withdrew his hand, he found fresh and dried blood.
Dragging his eyes around, he saw nothing special about the cave, and it was then he remembered that he didn't know how he got there. How he'd come to be unconscious in a cave, that had been collapsing in the part he had walked away from. Thinking on it again, he found he didn't really care... he just wanted to sleep.
He slid down the mossy wall collapsing on the cave floor, which was covered just as thickly with moss and made for a comfortable resting spot. A good place to lie down and just... just wait until clarity returned. He curled up to the wall and in the moss patch, and with his mind still foggy tried to piece things together. He knew a few things... but they weren't memories of what happened.
His feet were bare and cut up, mostly from the walk down the cave. He had one sock, but that served for poor protection as the foot with a sock seemed just as bloody as his other bare foot. He was in a lot of pain, especially his head, and perhaps due to his head injury, he could not distinguish one injury from the other. His muscles were seizing, flexing, and twitching with pain he had not noticed until this oddly blissful moment of lying on the moss floor.
The pain seemed to start at the top of his head, and travel down along his left cheek, the left side of his throat, and wrap around to his back. He was really scraped up, and too weak to summon his sword. Some of his clothes were missing, well, a lot of his clothes actually. Kuwabara's shirt was gone, to who knows where, and his jeans were now shorts. The back pockets had been ripped off, showing his powder blue boxers.
Thank God just a solid color of blue, and not the ones with the kittens all over them. He had a feeling he was going to be waiting to be rescued, because surely he wasn't in this situation without his friends. Surely, Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei were somewhere around here and looking for him. Kuwabara couldn't imagine he'd be hanging out in a cave, injured as hell, and it not have to somehow have something to do with his demonic friends.
He groaned as his head throbbed, and he pressed his palm into the ache, a little blood trickling over his ear.
He didn't want to think anymore
Something was wrong... something had happened, but he couldn't remember.
Maybe if... maybe if he tried to sleep, he'd feel better.
That's it. Kuwabara would just... close his eyes a minute. Just for a minute.
A nap never killed anyone.
Hiei wiped his blood covered face clean, pulling his blade out of the freshly slain demon.
He spat on him angrily and turned, looking where he'd left Kuwabara.
"Dammit!" He muttered seeing Kuwabara was gone. Vanished.
'I told him to stay there,' Hiei thought mind in a dim panic.
This mission, a simple enough mission, had turned into an underground nightmare.
It was supposed to be a simple clean and sweep of the cave. Clear it out of some low-level demons to make it safe for travel. What no one had expected was to find a whole ass demonic death cult, that had been secretly plotting to invade Yusuke's, Yomi's, and Mukuro's territory. So the small group showing up and getting the accidental drop on their would-be enemies, had caused a series of unexpected problems. Including their group getting split up. Including several underground cave-ins. Including many battles for their lives. Or at least that had been Hiei's experience.
And fighting in an underground cave, was admittedly more difficult than Hiei had imagined.
It had been a relief to sense Kuwabara after a day of separation from their group.
Thank goodness, one of his friends was alive.
And then he'd heard Kuwabara's screams.
Hiei followed the screams, his heart hammering uncomfortably.
He walked into a more open tunnel and found Kuwabara on his back.
Two demons were holding him down while a third was tearing at Kuwabara's clothes, cackling as he made suggestive innuendos. His hand roamed over Kuwabara's chest, and Kuwabara swore at him, futilely kicking the beast. Bodies littered the ground, and in a second Hiei realized Kuwabara must have been ambushed. He'd held his own, undoubtedly for a long time, but now three of the remaining monsters were trying...
The red-eyed man had been so shocked, so angry, so scared, he let loose the dragon wrapped around his arm. Not a fucking smart move in an underground cave. He's set off probably miles of cave-ins, the earth threatening to give way beneath his feet. Granted, it had killed two of the demons, but it knocked the hell out of Kuwabara. A spark touched Kuwabara, just a jolt, and while Hiei tried to turn it, the dragon just lightly touched Kuwabara. The man's body had twitched and seized, and he went slack, passing out, curling up within himself.
Hiei had tried to hold the dragon back at the moment of contact, but he couldn't be sure if he was successful.
The cave and tunnels in the area began to crumble all around, and Hiei had to act just to save Kuwabara from the crumbling rock.
Hiei dashed for Kuwabara, scooping him up protectively amongst the carnage he caused, while still fending him off from the third surviving demon. Struggling against the unexpectedly strong enemy, Hiei had propped Kuwabara against the side of the closest wall. Kuwabara's eyes had opened, blinking as he looked around in dazed confusion.
"Don't move Kuwabara! Just wait here, wait here!" Hiei cautioned, his eyes already focusing on the enemy who was not cackling for Hiei.
"Rip you, rip you! I'll have you both!" It shrieked.
Kuwabara had nodded at Hiei, but hadn't looked Hiei in the eye, his eyes closed tight against some pain. Hiei didn't have time to worry about it, so he spun, sword drawn, and slashed at his enemy.
Hiei had fought with the demon for several long minutes, unstable ground and collapsing areas of the cave making the battle difficult.
But at last, the demon was dead, and Kuwabara... Kuwabara was gone! No longer where Hiei had left him.
Hiei sighed rubbing his eyes, and sheathed his sword taking in the smell of the cave. He searched for the scent of the human, which all demons could follow. Hell, it was probably why Kuwabara had so many demons after him. He offered a free meal, or worse, free "entertainment." Hiei had long remembered Kuwabara's scent, and with relief, he caught on to it quick.
'There it is, rain and ginger,' Hiei thought, a little relieved that it didn't seem like Kuwabara had gotten too far.
Rain and ginger. Kuwabara's unexpectedly good-smelling scent. Something Hiei could track if he couldn't sense Kuwabara's aura. Hiei had complained to Kurama that the strange distinctive scents of humans were overpowering. Like when a woman doused herself in too much perfume. But from day one, Kuwabara's scent had been...
Hiei set that thought aside.
He didn't want to think about Kuwabara's scent in the manner he usually thought of it. He just needed to find him. Make sure he was safe.
He turned for the first tunnel, the rain and ginger scent lingering against the cavern's left side wall. Hiei despised the smell of most humans, it made him sick, but Kuwabara... it was pleasant. Soothing. At first, it was maddening. An annoying human who smelt so pleasant. But over the years, as Hiei and Kuwabara's relationship turned into a true friendship, Kuwabara's scent began to become even more pleasing.
'Stop thinking. Find Kuwabara!' Hiei thought trying to stopper his thoughts from continuing down their current train.
Why did it have to be so damn intoxicating?
Hiei wasn't sure why Kuwabara had to smell like those two specific things, but he did. In an odd way, over time, Hiei wasn't startled by the rain smell. Many humans seemed to have a tendency to be drawn to the rain, and Kuwabara was one of them. Hiei had seen Kuwabara in it enough time to assume Kuwabara had become permeated by the natural fresh scent. He used to think Kuwabara was stupid, standing on the streets of the human world, face turned upward towards the rain. Sometimes Kuwabara would even open his mouth to catch the drops that fell. He looked delighted over such a simple thing.
It was stupid and irresponsible.
"You'll catch a cold. Then what will we do when we need you for a mission!" Hiei had snorted once, revealing himself from the shadows.
Kuwabara had turned to him, his hair in sloppy wet curls, all the gel washed out. The mass of hair curled on one side of his face, and he smiled unexpectedly brightly at Hiei, as if not bothered at all by his presence. The human smiled idiotically, as usual, and laughed, "Why do you care? Besides... I'm not worried... if I get sick I get sick! Just let me be," Kuwabara turned upwards, and sighed contently, "Leave me here, and let me enjoy this moment with the rain."
Hiei had stood several minutes staring at Kuwabara, those words he had said struck a chord with Hiei. He couldn't explain it. It was a simple desire, a simple pleasure, and it did something to Hiei. Awoke, something. The words had reached Hiei's very core, stunning him for a short while. Was that the moment Hiei's feelings had started to shift towards the human? Recovering, Hiei snorted again and left, but he never again questioned why Kuwabara smelled of rain.
The ginger smell, was still a mystery.
******
Kuwabara slept on and off, and each time he woke, he'd remember a little something about what they had been doing. He remembered Yusuke telling them to split up, panic in his wide brown eyes. Kurama racing down one tunnel, and shouting out instructions. And... Hiei... holding him. Why Kuwabara was in Hiei's arms, he couldn't remember. Kuwabara even questioned if that was real.
Hiei wouldn't... well Hiei didn't...
He closed his eyes tight when he heard phantom laughter in his ear, and felt hands that weren't there on his arms. He felt claws tear at his clothes, and heard a wicked laugh, "Let's have some fun with him!"
Kuwabara sat up with a scream of pain, waking up from a nightmare of a memory. Someone, a demon, no several... they were trying... they had tried to do something awful to him, and Kuwabara... somehow had gotten away.
Moaning, and curling up, he clawed at the surroundings around him, as flashes of memory filled his senses, drowning out what was reality. Something wet in his mouth. Hot, smelly breath from an unwanted kiss. Breath that smelled like death, and tasted like blood. Hands on his chest, ripping at the clothes that protected his skin. His belt gone, his pants being torn, and then... Hiei... darkness roaring and killing two of the demons. Something touched him, sharp and cold... then the pain... pain.
Shaking his head, Kuwabara opened his eyes, and saw Hiei running for him, slipping on the moss as he charged for him.
It was so... un-Hiei of him. Slipping, and stumbling forward as he rushed for him.
Kuwabara realized he was crying, but he was too weak to turn away and hide his face. He didn't want Hiei to see, but Kuwabara also didn't want to be alone anymore. He wanted to be consoled. He let Hiei collapse next to him, and Kuwabara reached out for Hiei, who let Kuwabara wrap his arms around him. They held each other in a tight hug, something the pair of them rarely ever did.
The two embraced in unexpected relief, and Kuwabara sagged into Hiei's arms, the small demon holding Kuwabara's weight with ease.
"I'm hurt..." Kuwabara whispered, still crying but trying to get it together, "I hurt all over..." Kuwabara let himself sink into Hiei, the shorter demon lowering Kuwabara into his lap. Kuwabara turned his face towards Hiei's waist, and pressed it there, his arms coming to wrap around the short demon and hold Hiei over him almost like a shield. Hiei let him, and rubbed an arm down Kuwabara's spine, soothing the human as he checked him for his injuries.
"Kuwabara..." Hiei didn't know just what to say to the human, he had no practice in comforting anyone. "You did... You did good, Kuwabara. You held your own, and I took care of the rest. They're dead, and I'm going to get you out of here!"
Kuwabara pressed his face harder to Hiei's stomach, and Hiei gripped Kuwabara to him. His nose was overwhelmed by Kuwabara's scent, but he didn't hate it. "I'm sorry Kuwabara... I clipped you with my Dragon of the Darkness flame."
Kuwabara nodded, whimpering, "I hurt so much Hiei..."
Hiei sighed bitterly, "You're like a conductor. I think you absorbed my attack and didn't let it go. You probably have a bit of yoki energy trapped in you... I'll remove it..." Hiei paused, squeezing Kuwabara's shoulders, "You'll have to lay flat, and I'll help you guide it out."
Kuwabara looked wearily up at Hiei, tears still smeared all over his face. They weren't themselves anymore, they had in a way, become two different people, and for the time being, that didn't bother either of them. They weren't Hiei and Kuwabara, the pair that bickered, they were Hiei and Kuwabara, two comrades trying to survive. Trying to comfort each others hurts.
Kuwabara nodded, and whispered, "Help me, please."
Hiei nodded, and with surprisingly gentle hands, guided Kuwabara to lay on his stomach, shushing and making non-sensical soothing sounds at Kuwabara until his panicked breathing evened out. Kuwabara looked up at Hiei, who could not meet his eyes. He was so scared, Hiei could see it in those pale blue orbs, and he couldn't bare to look at it for long. Hiei was racked with guilt. If only he'd found Kuwabara sooner. Kuwabara was so terrified, and there was nothing Hiei could do to make this any easier. He could only hope that helping remove the Yoki energy trapped in Kuwabara's body, could relieve some pain.
"Kuwabara, you have to trust me," Hiei whispered placing a hand on Kuwabara's scraped up back. He could feel the tensed up muscles, and how little spiritual energy Kuwabara had left. He must have been fighting for a long time before Hiei had gotten to him. With Kuwabara being so drained, and his psychic powers being so strong, it made sense that his body absorbed the dangerous demonic power and kept it trapped inside him. Hiei let out an exhale, and forced his energy to his hands, trying to draw out the stray surges of Yoki that tainted Kuwabara's body.
Slowly something began to pull out of Kuwabara's body, and the human groaned and murmured from the pain. There was a brief moment when Hiei feared he was killing Kuwabara, and then it dawned on him that if the energy hurt touching him, of course, it would hurt coming out.
"Just hold on Kuwabara, the pain won't be much longer," Hiei promised.
Kuwabara did not answer, just clawed at the ground painfully, one hand digging into Hiei's thigh as he moaned loudly.
Hiei sighed, placing Kuwabara's head more securely in his lap, and stroked the pale damp face. There was an injury near his scalp that needed treatment, and he probably had a concussion. Dammit!
"Hold on Kuwabara... hold on you idiot! It's almost over!"
Finally, after a long five minutes, Hiei was done, a burst of Yoki power pulling out of Kuwabara like a charged electric shock.
Kuwabara let out a gasping sigh as the pain in Kuwabara's body was replaced by a dull tingling and weariness.
Kuwabara sighed and looked at Hiei wearily, who stared back down at him, uncertain what else he could do for the ailing man. The tears in Kuwabara's eyes that had filled his eyes once more through the whole painful process, ran out the corners of his eyes, and fell to Hiei's lap.
Hiei swallowed guiltily, looking at this miserable being in his arms, and asked, "Is there any more pain you feel? Where is it the worst?"
"My feet, and fingers..." Kuwabara whispered, taking in long shaky breaths.
Hiei nodded, and ripped up some of his cloak, "Well, let me see your head first, and then I'll handle those."
With a patience and kindness he didn't normally have, Hiei wrapped Kuwabara's head up, Kuwabara wincing as the bandage was tightened.
With that done, Hiei nodded and marked that off his mental checklist, and then glanced over at Kuwabara's feet. The bare feet were bloody with some rocks stuck in the bloody wounds. Hiei as gently as possible removed the troublesome stones, and after ripping off a strip from more of his cloak, used it to fix Kuwabara's feet. Hiei then took Kuwabara's hands looking at the injuries that Kuwabara had probably gotten when he stumbled around in the cave, or even from clawing at the ground.
"You're going to be okay. You'll be okay," Hiei whispered, trying to be comforting.
"T-The others?" Kuwabara wheezed.
"Don't worry about them. Let's look after you now," Hiei answered, voice full of authority. He wouldn't let Kuwabara worry himself any further. Kurama would definitely be okay, and Yusuke too. That fool was strong enough to get himself out of anything. Hiei's jaw clenched. He should have found a way to not get separated from Kuwabara at all costs. He shouldn't have let him out of his sight.
Hiei bandaged the torn fingertips, and pulled back to finally look at Kuwabara's face. The human was exhausted and in need of a good rest, his eyes bloodshot and face damp with tears and grime. Hell, Hiei needed a rest too. They needed out of this cave. Kuwabara, his eyes slipping closed, quietly wept, his breath evening out as he tried to force himself to calm down. Hiei felt his throat tighten.
He'd seen Kuwabara cry like this before, and that was when Yusuke almost died, or something on that level happened to the others. Kuwabara was an emotional person, but he had never cried when something painful, or terrible happened to him, no, it was always someone else's pain that caused him to weep. Now watching this man, whom Hiei said he hated day in and day out, weep from something that hurt him, was almost too painful to bear.
Like this, Hiei couldn't pretend to harbor any ill will towards Kuwabara.
"Please stop Kuwabara."
It was the please that made Kuwabara open his eyes and look at Hiei.
Hiei's face was twisted with deep regret and internal pain. When he saw Kuwabara's eyes, his expressions seemed to get worse, and his mouth curled into a snarl as he cupped Kuwabara's cheeks, firm and warm. He dragged his thumbs over Kuwabara's cheeks, and whispered, "You're alright. You'll be alright. Please don't cry anymore... just stop!"
Hiei's words shook, and it was apparent he wasn't angry at all with Kuwabara. He was... maybe he was frightened too.
Kuwabara touched one of Hie's hands, holding it against his cheek. The pair stared at each other, calming each other down through their contact, and just looking. It was weird and intimate for the both of them, but after everything, this intimacy was sorely needed. Kuwabara motioned for Hiei to help him sit, which Hiei carefully did, leaning him against the mossy cave wall.
Before Hiei could move away, Kuwabara had placed his heavy weak arms around him, and pulled Hiei to him tenderly.
Hiei froze awkwardly, nervous in the sudden loose grip.
But Kuwabara's hands were shaking, so he didn't pull free. Instead, he settled into Kuwabara's arms, letting himself be pulled into Kuwabara's lap, and pressed against the large man's chest. If Kuwabara needed this right now, Hiei wasn't going to be the one to pull away. For a long time, Kuwabara clung to Hiei, and Hiei stayed still, cheek on Kuwabara's chest, his hands on Kuwabara's thighs.
Rain and Ginger flooded his nose.
"Thank you Hiei," Kuwabara said after a long time, "If they had finished what they started, I... well... You probably saved my life."
The gravity of this conversation struck Hiei cold, and his hands flinched against Kuwabara's legs. He slid them up, and cautiously put them around Kuwabara's waist, daring to hug Kuwabara back.
"Thank you," Kuwabara whispered again, and then he whispered it again.
Hiei listened as Kuwabara thanked him, and praised him, hating himself more and more as he listened to Kuwabara speak.
Finally, he pulled away, and rose to his knees, getting dangerously close to Kuwabara's face. "Why the hell are you thanking me? I almost killed you! I was almost too late! I fucking hesitated for God's sake! If I hesitated any longer th-"
Hiei was silenced, by cool lips brushing his forehead, Kuwabara silently shushing him. It was only a second, but Kuwabara's lips had brushed Hiei's brow, and then he pressed his nose into Hiei's hair. Kuwabara breathed in, and Hiei was shocked to realize Kuwabara was using Hiei's scent to calm himself down.
Hiei sat frozen within Kuwabara's embrace for a long moment.
Kuwabara had indulged in Hiei's scent. Like Hiei liked to secretly do with Kuwabara.
Hiei's heart picked up, and rearranging the both of them, Hiei pressed his face against Kuwabara's throat. He took in a breath, rain and ginger flooding his senses, and then finally asked, "Why did you do that?"
Kuwabara trembled a little, "Do what?"
"You kissed me Kuwabara."
Kuwabara squeezed Hiei tight and timidly whispered, "Sorry."
Hiei would have laughed bitterly at this moment, but they had been through enough. "Kuwabara... for a while now..." And Hiei broke off. There was a lot to be said. About them growing together over the years, about Kuwabara becoming someone important in Hiei's life, one of the few. About Hiei's growing admiration and attention towards Kuwabara. About Kuwabara's scent, the rain and ginger, and what it did to him. But Hiei was not a man of words.
Giving up on a verbal explanation, Hiei took hold of Kuwabara's chin, and guided the nervous human's face towards his own. Hiei locked eyes with Kuwabara, not sure when Kuwabara's feelings had shifted for him, but Hiei had been trying to ignore his own feelings long enough. Had tried not to let his mind wander there. But enough of that. With the smell of rain and ginger flooding their shared space, Hiei brought Kuwabara towards him and pressed a firm kiss against Kuwabara's mouth.
The pair looked at each other, stiff and uncertain in the moment, but when neither saw the other flinch away, the pair surged together. Eyes closed, and hands tangled against waists, and in hair. Their bodies pressed close together, Hiei keeping Kuwabara firmly pinned against the wall. Hiei found it easy to slip his tongue in Kuwabara's mouth, and claim it. A primal growl inside him of, 'Finally, finally, fucking finally,' raced through his veins.
Kuwabara opened his mouth to Hiei, sighing and relaxing against Hiei's onslaught, his mouth eagerly seeking Hiei's as Hiei ravaged him. They broke apart, and Kuwabara gasped, and a feral growl slipped past Hiei's lips, before he collided forward again, sucking on Kuwabara's lower lip. Kuwabara's hands slid down Hiei's sides, tracing the firm muscles beneath his cloak, curious and seeking. Hiei's aura flared, and he shared his warmth with Kuwabara, seeking to ease the slight tremble Kuwabara still seemed to be suffering from.
When Kuwabara gasped for breath again, Hiei found Kuwabara's pale throat and nipped and sucked the flesh, intentionally marring the skin there as he had been fantasizing about since seeing Kuwabara stand in the rain with his face tilted towards the sky, his mouth open. Kuwabara whined, and shuddered, Hiei's name passing his lips in a breathy rasp, and Hiei grabbed Kuwabara by the jaw again, jerking the human's mouth to him so he could suck on his tongue once more. Kuwabara moaned, hands sliding eagerly to Hiei's throat, but still... still Kuwabara trembled.
"That's enough now..." Hiei said to himself, forcing himself to break the kiss.
Kuwabara had been through an ordeal, and even Hiei was still rattled by the day's events. Kuwabara didn't deserve to be ravaged while he was in some cave, shaking with leftover fear from his near assault, and possible death. Hiei took Kuwabara's hands, and kissed the fingers and knuckles, looking into Kuwabara's confused eyes.
"I want you. I have for a long time. I want you. I want you. But not like this. Not while you're scared and in pain. We'll get out of here, and then when you're safe, and wearing that stupid grin..." Hiei kissed Kuwabara's wrist on the pulse, eyes still burning into Kuwabara's, "Then I'll have you."
Kuwabara's face flushed, and he whispered, "I... I've liked you for a long time. You can... you can have me. I don't care if it's here. Please..."
And oh, wasn't that a nice thing to hear. Wasn't that a treat that sent a jolt of excitement to Hiei's groin, but he shook his head, "Not like this Kuwabara... not when you're still shaken. I'll have you at your best, and you'll have me at mine. We're going to get out of here, we're going to find Kurama and Yusuke, and then... then I'm going to know you in all the ways I've thought of knowing you."
Kuwabara flushed, wide eyes still fixed on Hiei, disbelief and awe mingling in his eyes.
He looked so surprised that Hiei wanted him. It made Hiei want to smile, or even laugh. Because he was the one that was shocked. He had not expected Kuwabara to make a move, or even be interested in the way Hiei was interested.
Hiei kissed Kuwabara's neck, "I'm going to get you through this, I'll protect you Kuwabara. We're going to get out of here," Hiei whispered.
Kuwabara nodded, and wrapped his arms around Hiei, shuddering into the warmth Hiei provided. It was a testament to how worn down Kuwabara was that he didn't start immediately proclaiming that he would be the one to protect Hiei. Hiei heard a yawn, and he soothed a hand down Kuwabara's bare back.
"Rest... rest now. You're exhausted. We'll try to find out way out of here when you wake up," Hiei whispered, clinging to Kuwabara who settled his face in the crook of Hiei's neck. Kuwabara took in a long breath, and Hiei was curious for a moment about what he smelled like. What did the human smell, that he liked about Hiei? He almost asked. Instead, he tilted his nose against Kuwabara's hair and took in Kuwabara's scent again.
Hiei trailed a hand from Kuwabara's shoulder to down the length of his arm and whispered, "Rain and Ginger."
Kuwabara grunted, barely audible, a small sound of acknowledgment. But he was falling asleep fast, and couldn't stay awake any longer.
Hiei squeezed Kuwabara, kissing the side of his head again, "It's okay Kuwabara... rest now. Rest."
Kuwabara went slack after a while, and Hiei sat up keeping an eye on Kuwabara for the few hours Kuwabara slept.
The next day would be slow going as the injured and poorly dressed Kuwabara kept up with Hiei. Hiei used his Jagan, and led Kuwabara up. They had to get out of the cave, Hiei had to get Kuwabara out of the cave. Hiei could only hope Yusuke and Kurama could keep themselves safe, but Kuwabara...
He needed out of this place.
It took the full day to find their way out, and once the pair broke out into the sunlight, they were both surprised by two familiar voices calling their names. Hiei stood, protectively in front of Kuwabara as Yusuke and Kurama waved and shouted out at them. Behind them was what looked like a small rescue party, Mukuro, Enki, Jin, Toya, and Chuu. Worried friends who had realized something had gone wrong. Yusuke and Kurama had been hurt too, but they were mortified at Kuwabara's ragged appearance.
From there, the group was taken to Yusuke's home, where they could recover, and while Kuwabara slept and got his wounds better care, Hiei explained in quiet and angry tones what had almost happened to Kuwabara down below. Yusuke had almost exploded with anger, and had to be convinced not to return to the caves to fish out any survivors.
As Kuwabara recovered, Yusuke annoyingly stuck close to Kuwabara's side, and Hiei had to tamper down hot coals of jealousy, Kurama shooting him nosy glances. The fox was always quick to catch on. But Kuwabara would look at Hiei, shooting him glances, and Hiei would feel that jealous feeling fade away. Kuwabara didn't look at anyone else that way, only him. They had been able to have a single private moment, and only looked at each other, a thread of remembered desire in their gazes.
The rest of the time had been busy with recovery, as well as Hiei and Yusuke finishing the job of clearing out the cave. Kuwabara didn't need to return to that place.
Hiei made his move at the end of the month, and snuck into Kuwabara's apartment, climbing in through his window.
Kuwabara stood in his room, dressed for bed, his wounds long healed. A towel was draped around his shoulders, and he stood frozen at the sight of Hiei climbing into his bedroom window.
Hiei had not touched Kuwabara since their return, not wanting anyone to interfere with his newfound desires, and also wanting to give Kuwabara time to collect himself. To be sure, before anything continued.
Clearing his throat, Hiei explained his entrance with a, "I want you. Do you still want me?"
Kuwabara flushed, and nodded his head. He had to clear his throat twice before he could speak, "Yes. Yes, I want you Hiei."
Hiei approached him with sure steps, smirking as the tall human lit up bright red. He smelled of desire, and that intoxicating scent of his, that rain and ginger.
Quirking a brow, Hiei suddenly made a connection, "That scent... the ginger?"
"Oh... my soap?" Kuwabara awkwardly laugh and sniffed his arm, "It... it bother you?"
Hiei grinned slowly, enjoying the full body flush it seemed to cause Kuwabara. Approaching his soon-to-be lover slowly, Hiei shook his head, "No... not at all. I quite enjoy your natural scent, Kuwabara."
"Oh," Kuwabara muttered, voice soft and shy. Enticing in a way Hiei liked.
Now at his quarry, Hiei pressed against Kuwabara, backing the tall muscular man into his bedroom wall, Hiei's hand catching Kuwabara's towel and using it to tug Kuwabara down so that their noses could touch. Sniffing gently against Kuwabara's jaw, Hiei murmured, "It's a very intoxicating smell. Rain... and ginger."
Kuwabara was squirming, his heartbeat loud to Hiei's ears, and the faint heady scent of his arousal starting to drift in the air.
"Say you want me Kuwabara, as I want you," Hiei whispered, tugging Kuwabara down, forcing the giant of a man to his knees.
Kuwabara flushed, his damp copper curls endearingly messy on his head, his eyes wide and staring back up at Hiei.
Flushed red, Kuwabara nodded, and shyly, softly whispered, "You know I do."
Hiei smirked, and grabbed Kuwabara by the jaw, a grin spreading on his face, "I want you to say it to me. Admit it to me."
Kuwabara's eyes grew heavy-lidded, and his hands wrapped about Hiei's waist, and he whispered, "I want you."
Hiei rewarded Kuwabara with a kiss, Kuwabara humming into Hiei's mouth with delight. Kuwabara did not shake in Hiei's embrace this time, and that was exactly what Hiei wanted. The desire without any of the fear. Hands threading into Kuwabara's curls, Hiei greedily explored Kuwabara's mouth, watching Kuwabara's expression shift through barely opened eyes.
He pushed, Kuwabara breaking away from the kiss to gasp as Hiei pushed him down on the carpet, his teeth finding Kuwabara's neck. Kuwabara arched into Hiei's touch, and Hiei slid his hands up, one hand finding Kuwabara's and lacing with the large nervous fingers. Breaking away from Kuwabara's throat, Hiei shifted so he could leer down at Kuwabara, the large man swallowing nervously, but eager. Hiei tilted his head and inhaled the human's scent slowly.
He squeezed Kuwabara's hand, thinking of that terrible emission in the cave, that had almost been too much. Gently, Hiei found Kuwabara's mouth and kissed him, kissing his human as softly as the human would like. This sweetness would only be for Kuwabara. Kuwabara slipped an arm around Hiei's waist, and nervously he suggested, "Shall we take this... to bed?"
Hiei smirked at Kuwabara's shyness, planning to delight himself in embarrassing Kuwabara as many times as he could, and nodded, "Lead the way."
Hiei was delighted to drown in rain and ginger the rest of the night.
