Author's note: My first R-rated fic! I was blushing so bad I thought I'd die from spontaneous self-combustion while writing it – which is kind of funny since I'm not shy about reading worse things than this....

The song is Heartbeats by The Knife.

Neither of them really meant for it to happen. Not that they weren’t attracted to each other, but it just never seemed like a good idea to act on it. Or even admit that they thought about it. After all, they hadn’t had much luck with such matters in the past.

She had spent years fending off a boy who refused to take a hint while she quietly longed for a hanyou who was in love with her previous incarnation.

He had grown up knowing that the world would offer him nothing he wasn’t strong enough to take, and affection was something that had to be given, not forced.

They were friends, and that made them content. If either found him- or herself wondering what it would be like to be more, they shook the silly thoughts away. It was safer to remain as they were; friendship being a more stable bond than desire.

Maybe habitual denial was why Hiei didn’t realize were he was going until he came to a stop in the branches of the Goshinboku, staring down at the young priestess sweeping the shrine grounds. No matter the reason, once he’d seen her, he couldn’t make himself leave.

“I’m glad you’re back.” Kagome smiled up at him, relieved that he’d come back from his mission unharmed. The smile faded when he didn’t answer, just stared at her. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but he flitted from the tree before she could get a word out.

Suddenly standing toe to toe with her, he pulled her down into a kiss; deep, passionate, possessive. Sensation flooded her and she moaned as her arms went around him in return. Her fingers wound their way into his spiky hair; the strands surprisingly soft.

      One night to be confused
      One night to speed up truth
      We had a promise made
      Four hands and then away

He was the one to pull back, she the one to protest. She looked at him questioningly, surprised by the conflict and desire in his red eyes.

“Please,” Hiei said, his breath a whisper against her skin.

She knew then what it was that plagued him – youkai heat. She didn’t know why he’d come to her, a human, but she wouldn’t turn him away. He was her friend and he needed her. Still held close to him, she could feel the agitated youki straining against his control, raising his already higher than human body temperature further. Sooner or later the fight would start to pain him, and she didn’t want that. And this way she could have the something more without risking his friendship. It would be no different from the need they’d always shared, the need to help and the need to be helped.

With a breathless “Yes,” she caught his lips with hers, clinging to him as her knees went weak.

      Both under influence
      We had a divine scent
      To know what to say
      Mind is a razor blade

Her good sense got them into the house and to her bedroom before abandoning her completely. They stumbled there, urgency and height difference robbing them of their usual grace as they refused to stop kissing, but neither thought to laugh. There wasn’t room for humor.

Kagome fumbled slightly, trying to untie the stubborn knot on his bandana. With a growl that sent Hiei’s pulse racing she gave up and simply yanked the offending fabric off, kissing him fiercely to celebrate her victory.

Freed from the ward, the Jagan acted as a conduit between them. Thoughts swam together, and as they kissed again they knew what the other liked.

      To call for hands of above
      To lean on
      Wouldn’t be good enough
      For me, oh

Even if Hiei had stopped to think about it – which he really wasn’t capable of at the moment – he couldn’t have said why he thought it a good idea to seek out a miko to deal with his ill-timed heat. He knew that Kurama more than likely had one plant or other that could ease the symptoms enough for him to wait it out, but he hadn’t asked. The inevitable ridicule, no matter how subtly voiced, such a weakness would have inspired was too high a price for his pride to pay. It had been natural for him to go to Kagome, the only one who had never demanded anything from him and often anticipated his needs in time to offer before he even had to ask.

She never acted superior to anyone, and that was why her power would never make her unapproachable to others. She genuinely wanted to help, and could be quite snippy when someone refused to let her.

While Hiei wasn’t certain he could respect the trait, he did appreciate it and had come to respect Kagome for not allowing it to be a weakness.

      One night of magic rush
      The start a simple touch
      One night to push and scream
      And then relief

When Hiei slid his hands under her shirt to caress her back, Kagome couldn’t help a startled gasp. The increase of skin on skin sparked his youki and her own power rose in response; not to harm, just as a reminder that she was as strong as he.

A pleased growl rumbled in his chest as Hiei quickly removed both their clothes and lowered her to the bed, holding himself above her on his hands and knees. With her hair fanned out across the pillows, there was nothing to obstruct his view of her, and it was a good view. Years of training, traveling and fighting had left her toned and lithe, and the few scars did not mar her. They were signs of a warrior life, emphasizing that she’d been strong enough to keep going rather than walk away.

His perusal came to an abrupt halt when Kagome, impatient with the lack of action, pulled him down into a hungry kiss. Any hint of shyness was erased by the brush of power against power, skin against skin. She slid one leg up the outside of his in a sensual caress, wrapping it around his hip.

“Think about it tomorrow,” she advised. “Feel now.”

Caught in the darkened blue of her eyes, Hiei saw no reason to argue.

      Ten days of perfect tunes
      The colors red and blue
      We had a promise made
      We were in love

In all honesty, Kagome hadn’t expected Hiei to take the time to explore her body. From what she’d seen of youkai in heat, they were quite insistent on satisfying their own needs, not the needs of their partners. Hiei seemed more than happy to please her first and himself second.

If passion was a song, then Kagome was sure she could feel it singing in her blood. If pleasure was a melody, then Hiei played it upon her body. If love was a tone, then it was the deep, husky sound of Hiei’s voice. If desire had a shape, then it was his body. If madness had a taste, then she found it in his kiss. If perfection was a color, then it was the red of his eyes.

And looking into them, she cried out his name and fell apart.

      To call for hands of above
      To lean on
      Wouldn’t be good enough
      For me, oh

Using hands, lips, teeth, tongue, even the slide of his body against hers, Hiei took fierce joy in Kagome’s response. Hearing, seeing, feeling her loose control beneath him, because of him was suddenly important, vital. In this one thing, it mattered to him if she helped him out of selflessness or because she genuinely wanted to.

He would not allow her to remember him as a duty, or as a weakling. He would not be a chore, or a user.

When he finally sunk into her, she would want it as much as he did.

In this place, this time, this action, they would be equal.

      To call for hands of above
      To lean on
      Wouldn’t be good enough
      For me, oh

If there was one thing Kagome could not abide, it was being controlled.

Her heart beating erratically, her body shuddering in the aftershock of her climax and from the feel or Hiei’s touch on her sensitized skin, she felt very helpless, dominated, and she almost asked him to stop, to leave, but the look in his eyes was not the look of a person trying to rule her. It was the look of someone desperately hoping, someone seeking acceptance, someone desiring her.

His eyes gave her the honesty his words always had, only deep and raw and open as words could never be. He wasn’t manipulating, not expecting anything, just letting her see how he felt. Allowing himself to be vulnerable.

It made Kagome smile.

“I want this, Hiei,” she said, confident again. “I love you.”

The words made him shudder, and he lowered his mouth to hers for a kiss. She clung to him, her body arching as he thrust inside her.

      And you
      You knew the hand of a devil
      And you
      Kept us awake with wolves teeth
      Sharing different heartbeats
      In one night

It wasn’t as tender as it might have been. It was instinct that guided them, primal and undeniable, his heat fanning the flames of long suppressed passion. They knew what they wanted, and neither would settle for less.

When Hiei’s fangs broke her skin, Kagome simply moaned. Not because she liked the pain, but because she liked knowing that he trusted her enough not to hold anything back from her.

When Kagome’s power flared around them, Hiei simply smiled down at her. Not because he got a thrill out of the risk of purification, but because he liked knowing that she trusted him enough to let her control go.

They teased and taunted each other, delighting in the mutual exploration. Dominance shifted from one to the other and back again; like the turn of the tides or the beating of their hearts, it was a rhythm of nature, not forced. The act rather than the result was important, each having too much willful pride to surrender without struggle.

Neither cared to note the passing of time until they lay tangled together, exhausted and finally satisfied. Then they settled in more comfortably to sleep before the duties of the day forced them to rise.

      To call for hands of above
      To lean on
      Wouldn’t be good enough
      For me, oh

Kagome was proud of the fact that she no longer had to rely on others to protect her, that she could wield her power as easily for battle or healing as for purification. She was glad she was no longer a child to be protected, but a woman to be respected. She was pleased that not even taiyoukai called her weak.

But resting half on top of Hiei as dawn slowly colored the sky, her head pillowed on his shoulder, his hand stroking her hair as she drifted off to sleep, she remembered that safety came in many forms and each felt different from the next.

The safety of competence never made her so warm and happy as the safety of being cared for did.

      To call for hands of above
      To lean on
      Wouldn’t be good enough
      For me, oh

Hiei had never thought to take a mate. He was too aware of how easily a bond like that could be exploited by enemies to tie himself to someone who needed to be protected, and far too independent to accept someone protecting him. It was impossible. But maybe…

He ran his fingers through Kagome’s hair, smiling when she made a contented sound and snuggled closer.

Maybe he could allow her to lean on him, just a little. Her arms had always been open to catch him if he faltered.

He eyed the smug expression on her face.

Or maybe just catch me.

He could live with that.