He'd done it again.

Hiei and Kurama traded glances as they watched Yusuke walk away from yet another battle that had nearly been his death. They had been forced to watch, standing at the edges of the fight, not allowed by Yusuke's pride to interfere, as he'd been beaten and blasted and finally drained of all rei and nearly life itself. But when Yusuke opened an eye and saw the burnt body of his best friend standing between him and death, then his power flared and he overcame to save himself, his love, and his friends. As he always did. Yukina had taken Kuwabara off to heal him as Hiei said not a word. They had all watched on the monitor as Keiko had recovered and then gone on to school with only a muttered curse at the interruption. Then Yusuke had given one of his little grins... and walked away.

They had watched as he'd been beaten down. Kurama had watched with his heart in eyes. Hiei had watched impassively. They had watched; and done nothing.

Kurama nodded to Hiei and the demon flitted and was gone. Yusuke paused at the edge of the ruins and waited until Kurama joined him and then they walked back home together.

He waited.

He knew him better than he knew himself. So much a contradiction, that, but still true. Because of this, he knew that after a day like today, that he would come here.

So he waited.

Yusuke walked quietly down the streets, savoring the darkness and the confusion in the streets. In downtown Tokyo, nobody gave him a second glance. There were times that he liked the anonymity, the way the shopkeepers only gave him one glance and no more, the way the ladies would look him over and not run away, the fact that demons rarely attacked him here.

He got to the corner and stood looking at the doorway down the street. It opened and a patron walked out, dim light and faint strains of music following in his wake. Yusuke yearned for it, but even as he stood there, the door closed. He took several hesitant steps towards it, wondering as he did so why he waited.

Before, he'd always gone in unafraid, unhesitating, glad for what the room inside provided. Tonight, for some reason, he wasn't sure if it was really what he wanted. He yearned... for something undefined.

Somebody walked by him, rudely shoving him aside. "Stop blocking the street, kid." Yusuke's fist glowed... and he let it go. With a sigh, he moved to one side, stepping into a recessed doorway and the shadows provided there.

There was a soft curse as he bumped into somebody. "Find your own damn shadow to sulk in!"

That gruff deep tone... Prepared to mumble an apology, Yusuke stopped and stared. Shorter than he... blue eyes, with solid black hair that fell limply down... "I'm sorry," Yusuke muttered, turning around and walking out of the shadows. A contemptuous snort followed him.

Yusuke stood, frozen. Slowly, he turned back, searching the dark shadow. Red eyes glinted at him briefly before shading into blue. Yusuke took the necessary steps back, his heart in his throat preventing speech. He reached out his hand and brushed the fine black hair, turning the strands and finding the white star hidden there. The hair under his hand wavered and rustled, flowing upright into spiky points before falling down again. With a grin, Yusuke stepped back, "Hiei, what are you doing here?"

"Hn..." Again, the red eyes glinted for a moment. Also a quicksilver flash of purest white as he grinned.

"Hiei?"

"I always follow you here." The black hair fluffed out to its normal spike, "I just don't usually get stepped on."

Yusuke smiled, the darkness that had been around him suddenly lifting. "Hiei, your hair..."

The demon scowled, "Damn." In fits and starts, his hair flattened.

"If that's suppose to be a disguise, it's not working," Yusuke laughingly stated.

A low growl was his first answer. Then Hiei spoke a bit more, grudgingly, "I don't normally have to deal with humans for more than a few seconds. It's good enough for them."

Yusuke looked down at his friend, "Blue?"

Hiei shrugged, "Light reflects opposite colors – it’s a simple illusion." His hair started to fluff again.

Yusuke laughed, "I think you’d do better holding a mohawk."

Blue eyes blinked up at him, not catching the reference.

"Put your hair back up," Yusuke ordered Hiei, "Now, the edges need to flatten to the center…" Putting his hands out, Yusuke brushed at Hiei’s hair, "Just move your hair where I do, and leave it there." Soft… Yusuke had forgotten how soft Hiei’s hair was. It looked so spiky and wild, yet the feel of it was the softest fur. Rich, luxurious fur, so thick and soft that he almost couldn’t feel it as he patted it into place on Hiei’s head. He was so intent on getting the mohawk just right that the soft growl took him completely by surprise.

"I’m sorry, did I pull…" Yusuke’s words trailed off as he looked down at Hiei’s face. Normally so serious and grim, so unyielding and hard, the small pointed face that he looked down at was not so grim right now. Hiei’s eyes were closed nearly shut, the lids relaxed and limp. His breaths were coming through a partly open mouth, and Yusuke could see Hiei’s tongue at the edge of his lips. A soft flush, barely discernible in the darkness, covered the demon’s cheeks. As Yusuke stood there, unable to move, Hiei growled again and moved his head, pushing against Yusuke’s hands that were resting on his hair. Not hair, fur… Yusuke suddenly realized what he’d been doing as his hands had been petting the demon’s fur, how he must’ve been affecting the demon… Yusuke remembered Kurama’s laughing voice, ‘Hiei’s fur is very sensitive!’ And Yusuke remembered that night.

A sudden wave of emotion flared through his body, finally defining what it was that he’d been yearning for. Defining and creating a need that throbbed through his being. Slowly, Yusuke slipped his hands down from Hiei’s fur to gently caress the flushed cheeks. And he brought his mouth down to touch the demon’s open lips… Hiei’s lips, already soft and pliant, touched his, responding almost before they met. Hiei’s tongue slipped into his mouth and left little trails of burning spice along Yusuke’s tongue and mouth. Yusuke flicked his tongue gently over Hiei’s sharp little teeth and wanted those teeth to gently bite and nibble his flesh… Yusuke groaned and swept his arms around Hiei’s body, pulling the shorter demon to him and feeling the strong chest muscles even through both sets of their clothes. And he felt Hiei’s response.

They both heard the door behind them open. Yusuke yelped and wrapped his arms even more firmly around his friend, pushing the demon against the wall as they stumbled together, wrapped together in arms and legs.

"Oh for gawd’s sake," came a disgusted voice, "take it somewhere else!!" The man closed his door and locked it before side-stepping around the pair and walking off down the street.

Yusuke’s face was burning. He continued to keep his grip very firmly on Hiei’s hand. "Hiei…" Yusuke said in a strangled voice, "Don’t!"

With a snort, Hiei broke the lock Yusuke had on his wrist and slammed his sword back into its sheath. Red eyes glared after the man walking down the street.

Yusuke breathed a short sigh of relief; it had been close there for a moment. Hiei had been taken by surprise, and finely honed battle reflexes left only one reaction for surprise… Yusuke tentatively reached out to Hiei, but the demon moved the barest inch and avoided the touch. Looking at him, Yusuke thought he could make out a faint trace of shame in the demon’s bearing… He let his hand drop, bowing his head.

"Not you, baka," the same low gruffness that first caught Yusuke’s attention held it again, "Me. For not paying attention."

Looking up, Yusuke met the soft blue eyes that looked at him with shaded concern. Yusuke managed a smile, his heart still thumping from both sets of excitement. Hiei tilted his head to one side, acknowledging the smile. Then he frowned as he looked out across the street, "Why’d you hesitate?"

Yusuke blinked. As far as he knew he hadn’t…

"The club," Hiei explained impatiently. "You usually go straight in."

‘Usually’? Yusuke suddenly remembered what Hiei had first said to him, that "You always follow me here? What do you mean, ‘always’? I’ve only come here a few…" Yusuke’s voice trailed off as he put together his memory of the last visit, this visit, and that look in the demon’s eyes and realized something he had missed, "I’ve gotten rather predictable, haven’t I?"

With a chuckle, Hiei shook his head, "Yusuke? Predictable? Never." Then he propelled Yusuke forward a few steps with a hand in the small of his back, "Come on."

Stumbling slightly, Yusuke recovered and glanced down at his shorter friend. Hiei didn’t look at him as he strode towards the doorway. Yusuke followed with a grin, appreciating the powerful bare arms emerging from a blue vest and watching the dark jeans outlining the equally powerful legs. Yusuke spent a particularly long time studying the area where the vest hung over the jeans, or perhaps just a little lower. "You know, Hiei," Yusuke remarked quietly, catching up with his friend just before they got to the door, "Most people wear a shirt with a vest."

The demon shot a glare at him before opening the door and walking in. Yusuke followed, still admiring. The spiky hair was still up in a tolerable mohawk, and the upsweep exposed a slim soft neck before the vest covered the back. Looking at that neck, Yusuke licked his lips.

"No," Hiei’s word was abrupt, jolting Yusuke out of his fantasy. "One of the back ones."

The lady bowed, acceding to the order and smoothly redirected them away from the tables towards an upper booth along the wall. "Will you have anything to drink?" she asked.

Yusuke grinned as Hiei slid into the booth, settling so that his back was to the wall and he could see everything around him. Absently, he answered as usual, "Coca-cola. Hiei?"

"Fruit punch."

As the lady bowed again and left, Yusuke stared.

Hiei glowered, "I don’t like alcohol or caffeine."

"Ah," Yusuke nodded, finally slipping into the booth beside Hiei. He was very aware of the body next to his as he let his gaze wander out to the stage. The musicians here were good, and the company quiet. Here, in this club, you could hear every nuance of the chords, vocal and instrumental both. Here was somewhere where you could listen. Listen to the harmony and intricacy of expression. Listen to the deepness beyond the music. Yusuke sighed and propped his elbows on the table, leaning his chin on his hands as he closed his eyes and let the peaceful music wash over him.

‘Peace’ was not something he needed often – was, in fact, something he regularly despised. But recently… Yusuke shivered, remembering the pain lacing through his body as the lightning had stuck him over and over again. Remembering the look of fear on Keiko’s face as she’d confronted the demons stalking her. Remembering Kuwabara, jumping in front of him yet again to save his life.

Yusuke poured his memories into the music and let the sound wash them out.

After the lady had put down the drinks and left again, Yusuke opened his eyes and looked beside him. Hiei was watching the musicians. With a grin, Yusuke watched Hiei. He finally understood what it was that had made him hesitate, outside the door. Luck is also a function of rei.

It had been a long time since Yusuke had been here. It had been a long time since he’d nearly gotten himself and his friends killed so thoroughly. And the music wasn’t enough to soothe his soul for his pain. "It was my fault, wasn’t it?"

Eyes blinked briefly to red before covering in blue again. That was the only indication that Yusuke had that Hiei had even heard him. The demon continued to stare only at the stage, intent on the instruments. Yusuke sighed; he hadn’t really needed Hiei to answer that one – he’d gotten overwhelmed by old habits in the middle of the battle and had declared it to be ‘his fight’ alone, a personal vendetta. And his friends had stepped back…. Yusuke could still remember the anguish in Kurama’s eyes. Hiei, as usual, had been impassive. Even after the battle, the demon was not going to admit that he cared that Yusuke had almost gotten himself killed again. Or… Yusuke put his hand up to his lips briefly, remembering the hunger within Hiei’s kiss. Hiei had admitted it in his own unique fashion.

"Hiei…" Yusuke leaned closer to the demon sitting next to him, his hunger deep. He pressed his leg against Hiei’s and he could feel himself tremble.

Hiei finally looked over at him, eyes shuttered and emotions concealed, "Have you thought about it?" His words were near a whisper.

Thought? Yusuke suddenly remembered what Hiei and Kurama had asked of him the last time, the only time. Keiko… Keiko wasn’t here. She wouldn’t be, not yet – not for several more years yet. And though Keiko was his best friend… she wasn’t Hiei.

Yusuke lowered his head, closer to Hiei’s. He moved his hand from off the table to under the table, resting his fingers lightly upon Hiei’s thigh. Hiei tilted his head up as Yusuke lowered his still further…

The room broke into scattered applause as the musicians bowed and left the stage for a brief break. Conversations started filling the air with background noise as chairs scraped and the lights brightened enough for movement.

Hiei sighed and sat back, resting his head against the cushion of the booth. He looked sideways to Yusuke, a faint grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Not taking his gaze off Hiei, Yusuke fumbled in his pockets until he found his wallet. He tossed down enough yen for the drinks and then backed out of the booth, his breath coming rapidly as his wide eyes never left Hiei’s.

With a chuckle, Hiei also slid out. He muttered, "Eyes front."

Gulping, Yusuke yanked his gaze from perfection and then quickly led the way back to his apartment.

Yusuke could barely keep his grasp on the keys as he fiddled with the lock. His attention was one-hundred percent on the demon standing next to him. As they had walked back here, Hiei’s vest swung with his every move, revealing glimpses of the solid hard body underneath. Every now and again, Yusuke could see the darker flesh of one of Hiei’s nipples. He longed to run his hands over the skin and trace the collarbone he could see to the chestbone and then lower down the ribcage… He wanted to follow his hands with his tongue and to hear the demon growl that rough excited sound. He needed…

Finally, he got the door open. Practically pulling Hiei inside, he slammed the door shut with his foot as he tore at Hiei’s clothes with his hands. Hiei’s hands reached up and pushed hard on his chest, forcing Yusuke to take a step backwards. Yusuke’s brown eyes widened as he stared at Hiei in shock…

"Idiot," Hiei hissed, his cheeks red as his gaze focused behind Yusuke.

Yusuke gulped and turned to meet his mother’s astonished and amused look.

"Well, Yusuke-kun…" his mother drawled his name as she took the cigarette out of her mouth and leaned over to tap it on an ashtray. Her mouth twitched as she suppressed laughter, "I guess I should have told you I was coming back early, but then, you weren’t suppose to be back this early."

"Atsuko-chan, where are you?" A high-pitched voice announced the entrance of another person seconds before that person walked in. "I thought you… Oooooooooo…." The last was said in a long gasp of appreciation as the person took in the two men standing by the door. "Oh my…" A head with long flowing hair turned to one side, "Katcha-chan! Takiyo! Come see what Atsuko-chan has brought us!"

Yusuke gulped again, slowly edging back towards the door.

"Oooo!!! How kawaii!!!!!" First one, then another, then there were at least five people surrounding him and Hiei, their gazes running over them closer than hands. "I want the little one!" "Oh, what beautiful brown eyes!" "What an adorable mohawk!" "What large—"

Hiei was starting to growl, a dark threatening sound rather than the one Yusuke had wanted to hear. Yusuke reached out and pulled Hiei behind him, blocking him from attacking any of his mother’s friends.

"Oh, how cute! He’s protecting his friend!" "Doesn’t the dark one want to play?" "But we don’t bite!" "Like hell you don’t!" "Well, only once per…"

Yusuke’s mother finally intervened, taking the cigarette out of her mouth, "Mina, mina… That’s my son, Yusuke. And his… friend." She smiled at Yusuke as she said the last word. The blush already covering Yusuke’s face deepened.

A collective sigh of disappointment went up from the group.

"Atsuko-chan, you never told us how handsome your son has grown up," the first person spoke in breathless heaves.

Atsuko rolled her eyes, "Believe me, Hirako, he hasn’t grown up yet."

Yusuke shot a glare at his mom.

Stepping closer to Yusuke, Hirako licked dark red lips, "If he wants to play with us, I think we can let him…"

Yusuke squeaked and backpedeled.

"Ow!" Hiei shoved Yusuke off his foot.

The shove propelled Yusuke straight into Hirako’s arms. And he suddenly realized… Yusuke looked up with a frown, "Marma? Is that you?"

A deep laugh changed with a cough into a high chuckle, "Can’t fool you, little Yu-chan, can I? But here I’m Hirako." The cross-dresser set Yusuke back on his feet and ruffled his hair, "Don’t worry, we were just having a little fun. Now you take your… friend and run along." Marma tossed back his hair and winked at Yusuke.

Yusuke didn’t need to be told twice. He reached back with his hand to find the doorknob, finally taking a glance over his shoulder to find the door already open and Hiei out in the hall. Yusuke quickly followed, shutting the door behind him with a sigh of relief.

Hiei glared at Yusuke, "Does that happen often?"

"Uhh…" Yusuke glanced at the door to his apartment, "Not so much anymore. Mom calmed down after I came back. She—" Yusuke broke off his words as the door opened and his mom came out.

She looked Yusuke up and down for a moment, "Sorry, Yusuke, I need the apartment tonight. I really didn’t expect you home anytime soon." She glanced over at Hiei before returning her gaze to Yusuke, "I understand perfectly," she smiled, "waiting can be hard. And sometimes it’s too much. But Yusuke, remember that Keiko’s been a good friend to us. Be careful."

Yusuke sighed, "I will, Mom."

Atsuko nodded and then grinned, "If you need a motel – the one over on Ryo street is pretty cheap…" she tossed Yusuke a wallet, which he automatically caught, his face burning red. Atsuko winked at Hiei and then went back in the apartment, leaving them standing there.

My mom is recommending motels to me… It was a mortifying thought. After a few moments, Yusuke raised an eyebrow at Hiei, "So what about your place?"

Hiei blinked, "My place?" There was a brief pause before Hiei sighed, "Yusuke – when I’m in the human world, I normally stay at Kurama’s."

Yusuke’s face had just barely returned to a more normal color when Hiei’s statement turned him red again. Then he thought about it…

"Don’t even think it," Hiei growled, "You’re mine tonight."

The possessive air the demon wore just served to make Yusuke’s heart pound louder. Hiei stepped close to him and reached up to pull Yusuke’s head down to where he could lock their lips together. As their bodies pressed together, Yusuke could feel the need that was within Hiei as well as his own.

When the kiss finally broke off, Yusuke stared at Hiei for a long moment before looking wildly around, "Damn, where’s that motel?"

Hiei laughed.

* * *

Without too much trouble, they found it, one of the "love motels" that Tokyo was famous for – no people to check you in, just rooms with coin slots outside to rent the room by the hour. Convenient for the need, Yusuke thought, studying the rates and times – and the single key left in the rack, indicating only one room was left. "If we wait awhile, we can get it for midnight until morning for the same price as a couple hours right now."

"You want to wait?" Hiei’s voice was disbelieving.

"Uhh," Yusuke looked down at his friend… and then feeding all the money he had into the slot. Even with what his mom had given him, he barely had sufficient money for a two hour slot – but the way he felt now, it would be enough time. There was a click as the panel released the key. "Come on, Hiei…" Yusuke reached for the key, but it was gone… With a grin, Yusuke followed Hiei down the hall to the room. He wasn’t slow, but by the time he got there the demon was already inside, undressed, and waiting for him. Yusuke caught his breath and dashed inside the room, closing the door behind him and locking it.

He started to fumble with his shirt, but a rough voice forestalled him, "Let me." Yusuke stood, trembling, as Hiei walked to him, red eyes shining. "Yusuke…" Hiei murmured, drawing his hand over the outside of Yusuke’s shirt, flattening his palm over Yusuke’s chest.

Yusuke gasped, "Hiei, don’t wait…"

Hiei grinned up at him, "That’s what I always tell the fox. But sometimes…" He pushed Yusuke’s jacket off his shoulders and followed the move with his hands all the way down Yusuke’s arms. Yusuke moaned and bent his head over the demon. As soon as his jacket was off, he reached to stroke the hard lines of Hiei’s chest. As often as he saw Hiei in battle, he would never stop admiring the bare torso… and now he could also… he stroked his hand lower, hearing the demon growl.

There was a flash of fire surrounding Yusuke and suddenly his shirt turned into ashes and fell off. Closing his eyes, Yusuke lost himself in combination of heat and coolness and soft ashes falling over his skin as breezes tickled his chest… And then the strong hands were undoing the button on his jeans. Yusuke opened his eyes, "You burn my shirt but not my pants?" He loved hearing Hiei’s chuckle.

"You need something to wear out of here," Hiei knelt and took the zipper in his mouth, drawing it down.

Yusuke dug his hands into Hiei’s shoulders as he fought not to thrust his hips forward. The relief of pressure of having his jeans off was nothing compared to the pressure of expectation and need he was experiencing now. He thought he was going to die as Hiei licked gently while he brought his burning hands up to cup Yusuke tightly.

"Yusuke! I’ve got great ne—" the perky, happy, excited voice broke off with evident startlement.

Hiei groaned and leaned his head on Yusuke’s hip. Yusuke looked up… "Botan – what are you doing here?"

"Just leaving…" The goddess of the River Death was an ashen white as she tried very very hard to keep her eyes on Yusuke’s head, but they kept wandering down… Her oar trembled as she swung it around and prepared to do a fade out.

Hiei raised his head, "You had news?"

"Uhh…"

It was Yusuke’s turn to groan, "Just let her leave, already!"

Hiei stood up and shrugged, "If she has something she has to tell you, she’ll just be back some other time – who knows if the timing will be any better then!"

That was a definite point. Yusuke motioned for Botan to go ahead.

Botan swallowed, "Uh, well… Are you sure?"

"GET ON WITH IT!!!!!!!!!!"

"Right, well, it’s about that demon you got today. Koenma was sifting through its memories—"

"How?" Yusuke had left the demon not much more than an overdone beef patty.

Botan shrugged, "There are ways."

Thinking about the matter-of-fact way she said that, Yusuke changed his mind, "I don’t want to know."

"Okay," Botan was all business now; except when she happened to let her gaze wander lower than Hiei or Yusuke’s waistlines. "The demon was also the one responsible for the deaths that have been occurring in Florida and Denmark. We can recall our operatives there, and you won’t have to make that overseas trip."

Actually, Yusuke had been looking forward to that but at the moment he could care less. "That’s nice, Botan. Was there anything else?"

"Uh, Koenma says ‘nice job’ and wants you to take some time for yourself," Botan was blushing furiously as she stumbled through the last part.

"Thanks Botan. Thank Koenma for me. Now get out."

"Wait, Yusuke – there’s more," Hiei said, his gaze focused on Botan.

Yusuke blinked and looked down at his shorter friend in surprise at the tone. Hiei was almost quivering, he was so intent.

Botan fumbled in her long sleeves, looking for something, "Well, the case in Denmark was one that Enma Daiou was personally interested in, so he sent this." She held out a tiny stone that glimmered a light of its own.

Hiei gave a triumphant shout, grinning like a madman.

Yusuke glanced down at Hiei in puzzlement before moving to take the gem from Botan’s hand. It was very small, only a couple of millimeters in diameter, a round cabochon, and it glowed a steady yellow-golden glow.

Peering into his hand, Hiei grinned again and looked up to meet Yusuke’s gaze, "Tomorrow we go get your ear pierced."

"Huh?" Yusuke involuntarily lifted his hand to his ears, "Nobody’s touching my ears!"

Botan laughed, "It’s customary for a person so favored with Enma Daiou’s mark to display it." She sobered slightly, "It’s not given out often."

"And you approve?" Yusuke frowned at Hiei – the demon was not normally known for his support of authority.

"It also is a source of rei power and protection," Hiei explained solemnly, though he did give Yusuke a look that said as plain as words that Yusuke was being unnecessarily stubborn and bullheaded.

Yusuke sighed. He didn’t care – he just wanted to be alone with Hiei again, with the feelings they had shared… He clenched his fist around the small stone. "Botan. Go."

Botan bit her lip, "Yusuke… don’t hurt Keiko. Please."

"GET OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Yusuke threw the stone at the wall as Botan disappeared with a squeal. Then he collapsed face-down on the bed, his body trembling as he grabbed the pillow and buried his head into it.

He lay there for a long time before he finally felt a hand resting on his back. Yusuke didn’t move, clenching his eyes tightly shut and holding his breath as he tried hard not to cry.

"Yusuke," Hiei’s soft voice promised safety as his hands gently stroked Yusuke’s back, soothing and healing.

His lungs burning, Yusuke gulped in a mouth of pillow-strained air. It wasn’t quite enough oxygen, but the tightness in his chest receded slightly. His next breath came a bit easier. The bed shifted as Hiei sat down next to Yusuke and continued his quiet ministrations. Yusuke felt the care and concern from his friend but he didn’t yet have the strength to look up and meet those red eyes. He sighed into the pillow and then moved it out of the way as he spoke, "Is it so wrong?"

"Huh?"

"What we’re doing… How can it be wrong?"

Hiei sat back with a snort, "It’s not. Botan was just surprised."

Yusuke rolled over and looked at his friend. Hiei had abandoned all attempts at disguise and his hair was the spiky point Yusuke was used to seeing, the white star above the head, the blue edging the black. Hiei had also taken off the dark bandanna that had been over his jagan and the third eye stared at him along with the other two. Hiei’s two eyes, small red orbs shining in the white. His third, darker and larger, more pupil than iris, the iris filling the slit. When Hiei used his powers, it gleamed purple; now the jagan was merely a shade between brown and red, darker than his other two but still not quite human. Hiei was not human, he was demon. A demon of power and strength. Hiei’s whole body spoke of that power, with his muscular chest and arms and slim abdomen without a trace of fat. Yet Hiei’s power was more than his body, it was also in himself; in his bearing, his eyes, his presence. The opponent who underestimated Hiei was in for a big surprise. Yusuke had not ever underestimated Hiei; he still got surprised.

Yusuke wanted… "It wasn’t just Botan. It was Mom, and you and Kurama too."

With a blink, Hiei waited to see what Yusuke meant.

"You all want to know what I’m going to do about Keiko." Yusuke rolled over again, this time propping himself up on his elbows as he stared at the pillow. "Is it really wrong for me to be here with you?"

Hiei sighed and softly started stroking Yusuke again, fingering the soft hairs at his neck and trying to soothe out the tense muscles in his shoulders. It was a long time before he answered, and in that time Yusuke’s tension got worse, not less. "It would be better if she knew."

Yusuke shut his eyes and clenched his fists, "Like hell!"

Hiei sighed again and didn’t say anything more.

Damnit. A conversation with Hiei is like pulling teeth and I don’t have the patience for this. "So I should call her up and say, ‘hey Keiko – I’m having sex with Hiei tonight!’?"

Hiei snorted, "That’s not what I meant." He was silent for so long that Yusuke thought he was going to have to do some more prodding, but Hiei finally spoke, "She told you she doesn’t want sex until she’s out of High School, right?"

"Yeah." Yusuke still remembered Keiko’s shining brown eyes as she stared at a tree and explained that she didn’t want to drop out to take care of a baby. He still wondered just how Keiko knew that condoms were only eighty percent effective. And his guilt over his mom meant that he was never going to press Keiko on the issue. I won’t leave her alone like Mom; but I’m not going to put her in that position in the first place.

"So you’ve already talked to her about your feelings and needs."

Yusuke wrinkled his nose, "Sortof…" It really wasn’t something one talked about with a girl!!!

Hiei sighed and scratched his nose, "In Yusuke terms, that means no." How come I always end up being the one to talk to Yusuke about these things??? "Kurama and I are committed to each other, yet I’m here with you."

Rolling over, Yusuke stared at Hiei with big wide eyes. Hiei smiled at him.

"It’s alright, because Kurama and I have talked about it."

Yusuke gulped, "You’d planned to have sex with me tonight?"

Hiei chuckled, "Not at all." He ran his fingers over Yusuke’s side, trailing down to rest on his hip, "But I’m certainly not protesting! Ah, Yusuke…" the demon’s voice turned hot and sultry as he named the object of his desire. Yusuke gasped, his breathing ragged as he stared at those red eyes… Hiei turned his head to look at the painting on the wall, a mountain scene, "Kurama knew I was following you tonight, that I would watch you through the night until you got safely home again."

Keeping me safe? Yusuke narrowed his eyes in indignation, but Hiei laid a finger over his lips before he could speak.

"I follow so I can watch you. Nothing more." Hiei closed his eyes and his normally impassive features revealed sorrow.

Yusuke stared, realizing again how deeply his friends cared, "If I died, would you come to my funeral?"

"WHAT?????" Hiei jumped off the bed, his sword in his hand, his red eyes searching out danger.

"Where do you keep your sword? It wasn’t there a moment ago…"

Hiei’s growl was decidedly not erotic.

Yusuke smiled to himself and then asked again, "Not now, but if it ever happened, if I died, would you come to my funeral?"

"That’s called a hypothetical situation." Hiei slammed the sword back in its sheath and the sword disappeared, "No."

Brown eyes widened and Yusuke had to fight a sorrow that rose within him and threatened to overwhelm him. And then he wondered why he fought and he didn’t.

"Ah for…" Strong arms enfolded him once again, "Damnit Yusuke, you know how I hate explaining. Think about it a minute."

"Hiei!"

The demon sighed, "I wouldn’t be at your funeral because I’d be dead too."

Yusuke raised his head and stared at his friend.

Hiei quirked a grin at him, "You don’t think I’d let whatever killed you live, do you? And if it was good enough to kill you, it would certainly kill me too."

Oh… Yusuke suddenly felt much better.

"Kurama would go," Hiei said thoughtfully, "Kurama told me once that if I died, he’d keep living so that he could take care of the kids."

"Kids???"

"That was my reaction too." Hiei grinned, "In this case, it would be everybody else in our lives that we care about. Kurama would live to watch Keiko and your mom and his mom and Yukina…" He sighed, "Yusuke, when I go back and tell Kurama about tonight, he’ll just smile at me with those special green eyes of his and ask me how it was…"

"He’s going to laugh."

Hiei chuckled, "Probably. Ask him sometime about our first attempt." Yusuke started to ask it right then but Hiei forestalled him, "Back on topic. You have this habit of jumping subjects everywhere, and I really don’t want to spend the night talking!"

"Um, no…" Yusuke wrenched his mind back, "So it’s okay for you to have sex with me, but not for me to have sex with you?"

Hiei dropped his head in his hands.

"No?" Yusuke watched the silent demon for a moment, and thought about it. Slowly, he said, "You and Kurama are a couple… and he knows you won’t betray him, so all this is, for you, is sex. But Keiko… will think I’m betraying her if she finds out. That’s why everybody keeps telling me not to hurt her."

"It’s not just sex for me," Hiei said softly, "And it’s less a matter of Keiko finding out, than your lack of trust in not telling her in the first place."

That wrenched Yusuke’s heart, both statements. He knew he loved the demon, and he knew he loved Keiko. He trusted Hiei…

"You trust Keiko, I know you do," Hiei raised his head, "And she trusts you."

Yusuke fidgeted, "I can’t tell her, that’d just be too…" Embarrassing was the word, but Yusuke was also afraid of the pain he’d see in her eyes.

Hiei sighed, "Keiko is stronger than you think. Stronger than any of you think. One day, you will come to know her strength. But Yusuke, whatever comes of this must be given by you freely. If you are ashamed and defensive, then she will only see wrong instead of the love that we share."

The love… Yusuke’s eyes were wide as he stared… "Hiei…" He reached out to touch Hiei’s shoulder gently, carefully, afraid that the demon would vanish under his fingers. He stroked Hiei and stared at his friend.

Hiei smiled a real smile, not one of his little grins, "I love you too, Yusuke."

"But Kurama?"

"Oh, Yusuke," Hiei shook his head, "You are so young… we have room in our hearts for as many people as can make their way truthfully in." He raised Yusuke’s hand to his lips and kissed the fingers softly, "I love Kurama and want to spend my life with him." He tilted his head to regard Yusuke steadily, "Just as you want to spent your life with Keiko, not me."

Yusuke swallowed and reclaimed his hand, "I want you there too." As red eyes blinked at him, Yusuke turned his head to stare at the same picture Hiei had been looking at earlier, yet instead of the picture he saw a vision stretching out before him. "I want you with me through my life, my strong friend, the one I trust with not just my life but my friends’ lives. I want you to be my general, my advisor, my support. I want you to watch over my kids long after I’m gone – if they’re worthy of you. I want Kurama there too. I want his smiles and laughter, his love of life and his cool reason. I want him to help raise my kids and teach them. I want Kuwabara and Yukina to live with us and be with us and to share in the days and nights and summers and winters; to raise our children together and share in the joys." He paused for a moment, "I want Keiko by my side forever. I want her to be the mother of my children and the one I come back to. I want her strength and her love to be mine and I’ll share mine with her." Yusuke sighed, "I want it all."

He’d expected the last statement to draw some sort of sarcastic or amused remark from the demon, but there was only silence. Yusuke turned his gaze off the picture and searched for Hiei. The demon was sitting on the bed, his head bowed into his hands, his body shaking silently. Yusuke’s eyes widened and he scrambled to hold his friend, "Hey, I didn’t mean to upset you… Hiei, I’m sorry…"

"Your hand," the words were rough and deep, muted as Hiei didn’t raise his head.

"Huh?"

"Give me your hand…"

Yusuke put his hand on Hiei’s thigh, stroking the soft skin.

Hiei snorted briefly as he turned Yusuke’s hand over to expose the palm, and then he dropped two glittering stones in and closed Yusuke’s fingers over them. He stood up off the bed and turned his body away from Yusuke.

Opening his hand, Yusuke stared down at the two gems there. One a small golden stone that shone with its own light, Enma’s favor. The other picked up that light and reflected it back. Twice as large, all shimmery facets that made it round, the tear gem was a beautiful pale blue color like aquamarine.

He’d never seen a tear gem from Hiei, much less ever expected to hold one, nor had he ever thought to be the cause for the creation of one. Yusuke swallowed hard.

"Yusuke," Hiei turned around and Yusuke could see the glistening of his eyes where other tears were unshed. Hiei walked to him and knelt on the floor before him, looking up as he reached to hold Yusuke’s hand that held the gems. The red eyes were as large and soft as Yukina’s normally were, and they held the weight of emotions unspoken. "Yusuke," Hiei’s voice was soft, full of truth, "I admire and respect your scope of vision." And he leaned over and kissed the hand he was holding.

The tears that Hiei didn’t shed dripped down Yusuke’s face as he leaned over and wrapped his arms around Hiei, ducking his head into Hiei’s soft fur, his fist clenched tight around the stones. "You’re not alone," he whispered, "You’ll never be alone again if I have anything to say about it. I want you with me, Hiei, forever." Hiei lifted his head to reach Yusuke’s lips with his own. And they met in gentle warmth, so different than the explosive fire of before. Yusuke leaned over Hiei until he was almost sliding off the bed.

Hiei chuckled as he stood up within the circle of Yusuke’s arms, "Let’s use the bed, not the floor." He pressed forward on Yusuke, pushing the taller boy back until he was laying flat, staring with velvety brown eyes up at Hiei. Hiei’s breathing stopped for a moment before he reached with lips and fingers to possess that which looked at him so steadily.

"Ooo…" Yusuke moaned under Hiei’s touch. So like the demon, strong, controlled, oddly gentle. He started to return the touches and strokes, and paused, "Hiei – what do I do with these?"

Hiei glanced at the stones, "Personal space."

Yusuke regarded him in exasperation, "You never finished teaching me that one."

"Oh…"

"Will you hold them?"

Hiei shook his head. The gems were for Yusuke alone. He slipped off the bed and grabbed Yusuke’s pants, "Put them in the pocket, then you won’t forget them when we leave."

Yusuke grinned at the reasoning and did so. Then he reached again for the demon, pulling him back into his arms and plastering kisses everywhere on Hiei’s body he could touch. Hiei wrapped himself around Yusuke and also explored hungrily, eagerly, delight evident in his touch, pleasure revealed in his growls and moans. The earlier frantic need had been replaced with a slower, gentler pace as they both acknowledged the emotions responsible for the act.

"Now, Yusuke," Hiei growled gently as he stared down into the velvet brown eyes, "Let me show you a dance…" He leaned in and lightly kissed Yusuke’s nose.

...

* * *

On to next part
YYH Fanfiction