Hiei's Mistake

They walked deep into the Makai woods. The sounds and smells of the forest filled their noses and echoed into their ears. Hours had passed, but the two men had yet to speak to one another. One was to worried to speak, and the other too unsure about his feelings to. So, alone, in silence, they treaded on.
Kurama told him he knew where it was located. He had heard rumors in the past about it and had once met a man who had used it.
That was the only time Yusuke heard the redhead speak. It seemedt not nothing said, meant peace.
As they reached a clearing four de jum jumped them. Not wasting anytime, Yusuke fired a shot. A whip made of thorns cut threw them. Both men worked as a team. Even without words, they moved almost as one, their actions were awesome to see. They fought their way through, bound and determined to help the small, failing fire demon.
They came to a complete stop when they saw where they were.
They had come close to the fountain of dreams. Yes, soon Hiei will be cured… both men thought. Little did they know that this was only the beginning of an immense trial for the one thing that could save Hiei’s life.
A woman with long rainbow-streaked hair came out from behind the huge fountain. Her gown was a very light shade of violet. Her eyes changed with every heartbeat. She was the guardian.
"Why have you come?" she asked them, her voice a blending of several tones.
"To save a friend of ours," Yusuke answered her, a little put off by her sudden appearance.
Kurama was not quite sure why the woman was looking at both of them so strangely.
"Just a...friend?" she directed back at the raven-haired man, tilting her head to the side.
"He might be a little more," he told her. His tone was of the don’t-mess-with-me kind.
"Ah I can see it now. This ‘friend’ is a lover of you both. Am I correct?" she asked them.
"Yes," Kurama answered in a whisper. It still stung that Hiei had chosen to have sex with Yusuke. But he brushed it aside for his love. Anything for Hiei. Anything at all.
"So then which one out of the two of you loves him the most?" she asked them.
Both answered her, "I do," then glared at the other.
Yusuke wondered why he said that out loud. He had not meant to. He was only thinking it.
Kurama narrowed his green eyes at the other man, growling slightly. Hiei was *his* mate.
"Aaaahhhh…" she said knowingly, nodding slightly." The first test begins…the trail of truth."
After saying that she vanished.
Both of the men were now alone. The other had just disappeared.
~Ningenkai~
Botan chewed her lip. How could she have forgotten? K’so, she hoped they would make it through all right. If not, it all rested on her blue head. Koenma’s gonna kill me!
Yukina had not left the bedside of her brother. She kept talking to him- telling him how loved he was and how he had to hang on. She prattled on about things they would do when he got better. She brushed back his black bangs from his face and frowned at the chill that still rested on his brow. Botan turned away as she started to cry.
Keiko was cleaning up the apartment. She saw that it wasn’t dirty, but a place could never be too clean... Could it?
Apparently, Keiko believed so. This was the seventh time she cleacleaned up the now sterile living room.
Then Kuwabara walked by. He was going from one room to the other. He didn’t linger long in any room though. He wanted to be able to protect the girl and his sick friend.
All of them were worried. About the man in the bedroom barely clinging on to life and the two men in the Makai looking for a cure. Thoughts and prayers were sent their way. With three friend’s lives in the balance, no one was happy.
She checked the watch on her wrist. Two hours and six minutes till Hiei’s time ran out.
Botan started to gnaw on her lip.
~Yusuke's test of truth~
He walked along the forest pathway, calling out to Kurama.
Where is that stupid kitsune? Did he even care about Hiei? Was it just a game to him?
Yusuke walked for what seemed to be five miles. His legs hurt and he was angry at the fox. Then he saw two outlines. One of Hiei and the other was Keiko. He was overjoyed to see his friend alive and unharmed. He ran over and hugged him, too happy for words.
"Yusuke…' Keiko said from behind him.
What he saw when he turned her way hurt him.
She was sad. Hurt showed vividly in her eyes. As much as he cared for the fire demon, the only one he truly loved was Keiko. She was his life. So he went to her.
When he let go of Hiei and ran to her, the fog moved out.
~Kurama's test of truth~
Fog rolled in and the fox could not see anything. Then two people came out of the fog. One was the girl that he had had an affair with for a short while. The other was the other half of his soul. Kurama ran towards Hiei and picked him up. He placed kisses all over his beloved's face, whispering his love with each one.
Then Hiei just- disappeared. In shock, Kurama felt two tears fall down his cheeks as he fell to his knees.
The fog rolled out.
~First tests over
She was seated on a log when they both were released from the spell. She had not told them about the other two tests, yet, but she had to deem them worthy of making their wish come true.
Kurama was mad as a red hen that she was playing tricks on him. It hurt him to have Hiei just disappear on him.
Yusuke was unsure what that test had proved.
"The next test is of endurance. Let me tell you both right now that right after this, is another test. There will be no stopping. The winner gets his wish," she said to them both. “You have 10 minutes to prepare.
Now, both prepprepared themselves for the next set of tests, each praying that their efforts would save their beloved fire demon.