Archive: Whoever wants it, take it as long as my name and address is on it and you tell me if ya haven't already.......

KEY: ~*~ = flashback
/\/\/\/\ = different point of view
'thoughts' = person's thoughts

Kurama stirred the fire embers with a stick, then looked over at the two on the other side of the fire. He was worried about the braided one..... he was low enough on ki that even a minute loss would kill him at the moment. A moan from the black haired one got his attention and he went to check up on him. When he got close enough to hear what he was muttering, Kurama gave a small laugh. Apparently he didn't feel that well, which wasn't surprising considering the size of the blast he had been hit with.... what was surprising was the fact that he wasn't dead. A blast that big should have killed a human..... if they were normal.

/\/\/\/\

Wufei opened his eyes, but immediately wished he hadn't.... his head felt like a construction crew was jammed in his head and was using jackhammers to break up cement. He was never going to let Duo talk him into going clubbing with him again because he always either felt like shredded shit in the morning, or he ended up in the wrong bed with the wrong person...... like that time with that silver-blonde guy, what was his name again? Millia...... Mirai.... Mirriada..... no, Milliardo, that's what it was. Well, he had been particularly stunning and he hadn't really minded waking up next to him, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he had meet him somewhere before. A slight noise let him know that there was someone next to him. When he cracked his eyes open, he saw that it was a redheaded young..... woman? man? He looked a little harder, but still couldn't tell, so he finally resorted to *tasting* the ki and found out that it was a young man with a very particular feel to him.... not human, but not dragon.... interesting.

"How are you doing?" the redhead asked, looking almost surprised that he was awake.

Wufei shot him a dark look. "How do you think I'm feeling?" He asked sourly. "I just got floored by a ki blast...... that hasn't happened to me in forever...." he muttered to himself. He shook his head to clear his mind, and wished that he hadn't when the jackhammers in his head started up again. He waited while they quieted down and when he was able to think again, he looked at the redhead.

"Who are you?" Wufei asked in an almost curious tone.

The redhead grinned, "My name's Shuuichi Minamino[1]. What's yours?"

"I am known as Chang Wufei." Wufei replied distractedly looking around for Duo, who, he realized, he couldn't find.

"Your friend is right over there." Shuuichi pointed behind him.

"His name is Duo Maxwell," Wufei interrupted absently.

"There is nothing wrong with him physically....." Shuuichi's voice trailed off.

Wufei's eyes narrowed as he attempted to sit up and upon getting there, he glared at Shuuichi, "Then what's wrong with him?"

Shuuichi seemed to flinch, but he answered all the same. "His ki is dangerously low" he said in a voice that betrayed nothing, "and he's in danger of slipping into a coma if he doesn't get it back up."

For a moment Wufei thought the world stopped, but then it started whirling around him so he knew that wasn't true. When it stopped again, he looked back up at Shuuichi again. Ignoring Shuuichi for the moment, Wufei concentrated on standing up and getting over to where Duo was. It wasn't very far distance wise, but when you had legs like rubber, every inch felt like a mile.... and Duo was about a yard away. Seeing his determination, Shuuichi sighed and helped him get to where Duo was.

Wufei looked down at Duo in shock, he looked almost transparent.... like he could, and would, disappear at the slightest touch. For the first time ever, Wufei could *feel* where duo was..... he had never been able to do that before. Duo had to be almost drained to nothing to not be able to support the shield that he *always,* no matter what, had around him. It was part of what made him able to sneak up on him, and to get in to anyplace undetected.

Wufei look internally at his reserves to see if he had enough ki to give to Duo..... it was possible for him to give Duo some because he knew Duo so well with them both living together in the same safe house and being partnered together so often on missions. Deciding that he had enough to do it, he laid down next to Duo, ignoring Shuuichi's inquiring look, and snuggled next to Duo until he was spooned next to him. When he was comfortable, he opened a link between him and Duo and started to give him some of his ki. Eventually he fell asleep, letting Duo take what he needed from him, trusting him to know when to stop.

/\/\/\/\

Kurama, to say the least, was stunned. He had no idea that it was possible for two people to share ki like that...... he watched as the transfer occurred and as Wufei fell asleep, he got the blanket from Wufei's pallet and draped it over them.

When Hiei got back, the two were still asleep and Kurama had beefed up the plants around them for more protection. Hiei looked curiously at the two, but didn't say a word as he went to sit down next to the fire. He took Wufei's katana and started cleaning it, obviously not liking to see any sword being neglected.

"How are we, safety wise?" Kurama asked softly.

Hiei looked up briefly from where he had been cleaning the sword. "We're fine where we are for the moment," he said, looking back down at the sword.

Kurama sighed, Hiei was going to be stubborn...... at least, more so than usual. Looks like his weekend with Hiei wasn't going to happen thanks to the recent events. He put out the fire and settled down for the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~
[1] this is Kurama's human name.... after all, he can't go by his Kitsune name.... everyone in the Makai would be able to track him then.....
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