complete as of September 16, 1999

"Hiei," Yusuke nibbled upon an earlobe as he whispered, "are you sure about this?"

Hiei twisted his head to look over his shoulder at Yusuke, his red eyes half-lidded yet still scornful, "Yusuke…"

Stroking the powerful back muscles, Yusuke gulped, "Kurama’s nectar…"

"I can deal with a little pain – just do it!"

Yusuke kissed Hiei’s shoulder and bit lightly down as he prepared to do something he’d done only once before, and not to Hiei. That Hiei would allow him to… Hiei was not a submissive personality normally and Yusuke trembled in the thought of what he was doing…

The demon vanished from underneath him, sending Yusuke into a nose-dive on the bed.

"What the hell is that!" Hiei snarled, his voice hard and prepared for fight.

Yusuke raised his head and saw the demon standing in the middle of the room, naked sword in his hands, his gaze searching for… "What was what?" Yusuke moaned as he sat up, rubbing his nose, searching for whatever it was that had alarmed the demon.

"That noise…" Hiei paced carefully around the room. Suddenly, there was a shrill electronic whine that buzzed for two seconds and then there was silence again. Hiei jumped and finally located the speaker on the ceiling. "It’s coming from there…"

Yusuke glanced over at the display next to the door. It was blinking ‘0:00’ indicating their time was done. With a groan, Yusuke fell back against the bed, "Damn it… I put in enough money for…" He turned his wrist to look at his watch, "We’ve already been here for two hours??? But…" But they hadn’t even… ! It wasn’t fair! Too much talking. Start, stop, talk, dither… and then work up to it again. Two hours? "How can it have taken two hours?"

Hiei coughed. He’d forgotten about the time limit. After the emotional trauma Yusuke had been through, he’d wanted to make sure that Yusuke had a good experience. Instead… "Uh, sorry – Kurama calls it a slow dance… but this probably wasn’t the best time for that." The talking had probably taken up one hour; the rest…

"Time…" Yusuke sighed and winced as another buzz sounded. "Hiei, go put more money in the slot. There’s one on the inside of the door."

After another few moments of silence broken by another buzz, Yusuke sat up and looked at Hiei. Hiei shifted weight between his feet uncomfortably, "I didn’t bring any," he muttered.

"What?" Yusuke winced as the electronic shrill came again.

"I didn’t bring any money with me."

"Oh for…" Yusuke stared at his friend, "I put all of mine in."

Hiei reached up to put his hands over his ears at the next whine. His sword was gone again. "Is it going to keep doing that?"

"Until we put more money in or leave. In another five minutes, the attendant will be here in a minute to pound on the door and tell us the same thing." Yusuke sighed, "Can’t you just summon up some yen?"

"Summon?" Hiei blinked.

"Well, where the hell did you get human clothes?"

Hiei shrugged, "I keep an assortment at home. Or I send my imps to get them." He paused, "I do have a bank account, several of them, but I’d have to go withdraw the money."

Yusuke stared and then rolled over. A high keening sound accompanied the next buzz and Yusuke got off the bed and snapped at Hiei, "Stop that!"

Hiei glared at him, his hands over his ears still, his keening stopped. But at the next alert, Hiei flitted and vanished, his clothes with him.

"Oh geez…" Yusuke moaned and then reached for his own pants. Hiei was waiting for him outside the building and the two of them just looked at each other for several long moments.

"There’s an alley over there," Hiei finally said.

Yusuke glared.

…

* * *

"So now what do we do?"

The two men walked down the noisy streets of Tokyo. In a city whose nightlife was legendary, it was just starting to come alive at midnight.

Hiei shrugged, "Want to get something to eat?"

"With what money?"

"Pawn shop?"

"If we find one, we’re going back to the hotel. And I’m not trading in the gems!"

Hiei rummaged through his clothes.

Yusuke watched in amusement, "Hiei, you’re not wearing enough for you to be searching that hard for something."

Red eyes laughed at him, "You know, you’re rather sexy-looking wearing your jacket without your shirt… Makes me want to run my hands inside…"

"Stop it, Hiei…" Yusuke groaned. Walking was already painful with the pressure on his jeans, and Hiei wasn’t making it any easier.

Finally the demon pulled out an assortment of coins from his pocket and started sorting through them. Yusuke looked over and pulled out some hexagonal shaped ones and looked at them curiously. "West Indies," Hiei said briefly. Yusuke picked up one that was almost black. "Got that one off a ship that sank… back in 1560, I think."

"What were you doing in a sunken ship?" For that matter, when were you there?

"I was looking for something…" Hiei shrugged. Then he brightened, "Ah," and pulled out a couple of 100 yen pieces.

Yusuke looked at the dates and then looked at Hiei. The demon shrugged again, "You know how sometimes loose change gets into cracks and corners in your backpack? Well, I was just shaking out the edges. Stuff accumulates after awhile."

"I don’t even want to know what else came out," Yusuke muttered. Do I really want to learn that personal space crap? He tossed the coins back to Hiei, "Well, that’s enough for a cup of coffee if not for five minutes at the hotel."

"Tea," Hiei said firmly. "And miso soup." At the look Yusuke gave him, the demon shrugged again, "I’m hungry." He gave Yusuke a look back that conveyed another meaning in his words as he added, "I’ll take what I can get at this point, but nothing artificial."

Yusuke glared at him, his body aching with unsatisfied need, before he laughed at his friend and the situation. Then he led the way to an all-night coffee shop.

* * *

"Has this ever happened to you before, Hiei?" Yusuke couldn’t help asking as he stirred his miso and watched the kelp and tofu swirl in the thin soup.

Hiei raised an eyebrow that disappeared under his navy bandanna. His hair was up in the mohawk again and Yusuke privately thought that Hiei looked adorably cute.

Yusuke glared at the eyebrow, "I meant the situation!"

With a chuckle, Hiei relented, "Getting interrupted? More times than I care to remember," he spoke with heartfelt annoyance. "Not being able to find a place?" the demon grinned, "Not often." He picked up his bowl of soup and drank.

"And?"

"Well, the interruptions usually either take care of themselves, or have to be dealt with. As for the place," Hiei shrugged, "In the human world, a forest is usually secluded enough. In the Makai, I can just go to one of my fortresses." Done with the soup, he sipped his tea.

"One of…?" Yusuke blinked and then leaned forward, "Take me there!" He suddenly wanted to see one of the places that Hiei would call ‘home’.

Hiei put down his cup with enough violence that the tea sloshed over, "No!" His growl was low and deep, reverberating with menace and darkness and peril.

Yusuke frowned, "Why not?"

Red eyes flared and Hiei’s hair fluttered into two points as his skin started to change color. Then he regained control of himself and faded back to as normal an appearance as he could manage. He pinned Yusuke with a glance and didn’t answer.

Hiei’s threats couldn’t work on Yusuke. Yusuke was secure with his own power and his confidence. He’d beaten Hiei once before, and Hiei followed him as much as he followed anyone. Yusuke narrowed his own gaze, and pushed out with his rei to block the waves that were coming off Hiei, "What aren’t you telling me?"

Abruptly backing down, Hiei picked up his cup again and sipped calmly, before answering, "I can’t take you into the Makai."

Yusuke blinked, absorbing that; and then he questioned it, "Can’t, or won’t?"

Hiei shrugged, "Won’t."

Drumming his fingers on the table between them, Yusuke waited.

"Let it go, Yusuke."

"Not a chance."

Hiei sighed, "I don’t dare bring you to the attention of my enemies yet. If I brought you into the Makai, with me, to one of my homes… It will be noted. Nothing happens in the Makai that is not public knowledge."

Damn… Yusuke had heard that reasoning before and had been forced to agree with it then too. That didn’t mean he liked it. He changed topics, "You said earlier that you could get your imps to fetch stuff for you. Why don’t you have them bring you some yen?"

Hiei shrugged, "I don’t want them to know what’s happening."

?? Yusuke blinked in puzzlement, "I’ve met your imps before, so how is this any different? And if you don’t want them to see me, I could wait around the corner…"

"That… won’t work with my youki in its current state," Hiei flushed minimally, "Even as discreet as my imps are, they’ll recognize the situation. And… your scent is fairly heavy on me right now."

Yusuke glared, "Are you ashamed of me?"

Hiei rolled his eyes, "Of course not!"

The human didn’t let up on his powerful glare.

Hiei bit his lip, resisting.

Yusuke relented enough to ask another question, "Do they know about Kurama?"

"Yes…"

"So?"

Hiei sighed, giving in again, "Same problem as before. Everybody in the Makai knows by now that I fight in your team. But… if it’s seen that I’m… in a relationship with you, they’ll try and use that. My fighting with you could be for numerous reasons and not something for them to interfere with. A relationship… is for exploitation."

Yusuke winced, remembering how the demons that attacked him kept using Keiko as bait, over and over again. Another reason he didn’t want to be that close to her yet… he was afraid of what they would do if she was his lover rather than just his friend. "I’m not Keiko," Yusuke said softly, "I can take care of myself."

There was no answer from the demon across from him and Yusuke’s anger started to flare as hot as his passion earlier, "I said I can take care of myself!"

Hiei leaned back in the booth and stared at his friend impassively, "I heard you."

"And?"

"And I’m not going to call my imps."

Yusuke growled, his fists clenching tightly, "But you’ll call them around Kurama…"

"Oh for…" Hiei reached a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, "Yusuke, do you have the faintest idea what being a kitsune means?"

"He’s less powerful then I am!"

"That’s not what I was talking about." Hiei sighed, "How to we keep coming back to Kurama anyhow?"

"Maybe because you’ve actually come with him!"

One step too far. Hiei’s eyes widened briefly, then narrowed in a matching anger and he blurred and disappeared.

Yusuke blinked and stared at the empty seat across from him. "Hiei?" he said uncertainly, looking around. "I was just letting off steam… Hiei?" There was no answer. Yusuke stood up and headed for the door, he’s waiting for me outside... His heart clenched, wanting to believe the thought.

"Pardon me, but it is customary to pay for food you’ve eaten."

Yusuke looked at the shopkeeper in confusion for a moment before reaching into his pocket… and remembering that Hiei had the money. "Hiei…!"

He was led to the back room where the dirty dishes were. As Yusuke stared at them, he felt like just walking away and leaving. Two cups of tea and bowls of miso soup weren’t worth it. There was nothing the shopkeeper could do to him... Yusuke turned and started to walk out, but in his mind, a pair of green eyes and a pair of brown ones looked at him in reproach. With a sigh and a muttered curse at Kurama and Keiko, Yusuke grabbed the dishcloth.

* * *

Yusuke bit his lip as he stared at the house. Do I really want to do this? But he kept seeing the look of anger in Hiei’s eyes as he disappeared. I can’t leave it like that. He knocked on the door. After a few minutes he knocked again.

As the door opened, a soft gentle voice accompanied it, "How may I help you?"

"Uh," Yusuke shifted uneasily, "Is Kurama… I mean Shuiichi… here?"

An equally soft, just a touch deeper, voice replied from somewhere behind the door, "Yes, I’m here. Did you need something, Yusuke?" The voice, while polite, still managed to sound annoyed. Kurama moved up to stand beside his mom.

"Is Hiei here?" Yusuke blurted out, too worried to really think about anything else.

Kurama’s face flushed solid red as he glanced down at his mother.

"Kurama, please! I’ve got to find Hiei!" Then Yusuke realized what was happening, "Uhh… sorry, Shuiichi… I forgot what time it is…" His shoulders drooping, Yusuke turned to leave.

"Yusuke, wait!" Kurama shook his head, "Hiei isn’t here – did you two have a fight?"

His redness almost matched Kurama’s as he looked down at his feet and muttered, "Sortof…"

Kurama sighed and ran a hand over his face, "I’m sorry, Mother – I’ll take care of this."

The delicate woman who had answered the door glanced up at her tall son and smiled at him. Then she bowed to Yusuke and moved away somewhere inside the house.

"I’m sorry, Kurama," Yusuke muttered again, "I wasn’t thinking…"

Kurama smothered a yawn, "Next time, just toss a rock at my window or something..." The taller red-head stared down at Yusuke for a moment before stepping back and waving a hand, "Come on in, Yusuke, and tell me about it."

* * *

Kurama doubled over, laughing.

Yusuke flushed, "Kurama…"

"Oh, Yusuke…" the half-human straightened up, wiping his eyes, "Okay, so you left your mom’s…" he smothered further laughter, "Then what?"

His face couldn’t get much redder, "Then we went to a motel…"

* * *

Kurama’s howls filled the room. He was down on the floor next to his desk chair, his arms around his stomach. When he’d gotten enough breath, he straightened up, "Oh, poor Botan!!!!!"

Yusuke glanced at him sourly, "It wasn’t Botan I was concerned about!"

"No…" Kurama started giggling again, "So what was the next interruption?"

"We ran out of time at the motel," Yusuke muttered.

Kurama raised very high eyebrows, "You ran out of time?"

"Hiei was… it… well, he called it a slow dance and we just…"

Biting his lip firmly, his green eyes dancing merrily, Kurama waved a hand, halting the rest of Yusuke’s fumbling explanation. "That’s okay, I’ve got a pretty good idea. Oh, poor Yusuke!" Kurama’s voice somehow managed to be sympathetic while still laughing.

Yusuke sat silently, reviewing the next part of the night in his mind and wishing it hadn’t happened.

Sensing something different, Kurama straightened up and poured them some more tea before settling down again. In a gentle, encouraging voice, he asked Yusuke to continue.

Yusuke sighed, "I asked him to take me to the Makai and he wouldn’t."

Kurama waited.

"And then I asked him to call his imps… and he wouldn’t. I… got mad."

"Um," Kurama tapped a long finger on the side of his cup. "And Hiei left?"

Yusuke flushed, "Yeah…" There was a long silence before Yusuke looked up to meet the gentle green eyes that were so caring and patient. "Kurama… why can the imps know that you… uh…" Yusuke cleared his throat, face flaming, "but not me?"

A gorgeous red eyebrow raised, "Oh?" He studied Yusuke for a moment, "Yusuke, how did I get into the conversation anyhow?"

Yusuke blushed and studied the carpet between his toes.

"I see." Kurama stood up and moved to a drawer, bringing out a small velvet pouch, "Yusuke – what’s in your pocket?"

"Huh?" Yusuke involuntarily reached to check and his fingers encountered two hard stones… He drew them out, remembering. Looking up, he met Kurama’s green gaze and held the gems out to him.

Kurama shook his head, "They’re yours." He offered instead a tray to put them on. When Yusuke had done so, Kurama studied them carefully. He smiled at the golden one and turned that smile on Yusuke, "Now we have to go pierce your ear."

Wincing, Yusuke raised his hand, "Why my ear?" Kurama’s laughter was rich and vibrant, full of joy and delight, life sparkling within every note. Yusuke’s heart twisted at the sound of it, so different than Hiei’s soft chuckles, yet both made their way into his soul and stayed there.

"I don’t think you’d want to wear a ring or a necklace, the other two traditional settings for a stone from Enma." Kurama’s face was alight with the gentle teasing and open sharing, "Actually, I think you’d look good with an earring." Kurama reached out to touch Yusuke’s left earlobe, "One pierce, a simple setting, and the rich amber tones will highlight your beautiful brown eyes." He grinned and winked, "You don’t have to worry about your masculine pride… I think a single earring will just make you even more ruggedly handsome and desirable – a pirate king."

Staring into Kurama’s green eyes, listening to Kurama’s soft voice, feeling Kurama’s touch on his ear, hearing the words of praise… Yusuke groaned and buried his head in his hands, turning his body to collapse against the side of the bed he was sitting next to. Not again… Oh, Hiei…

A soft touch drifted over the back of his neck and withdrew. "I’m sorry, Yusuke," Kurama’s voice was genuine in his concern, "I didn’t mean to tease." There was a gentle sigh, "Yusuke, do you know what Hiei’s tear gem means?"

Yusuke blinked opened his eyes and turned his head. He met Kurama’s emerald gaze with only slight trembling before turning his attention back to the tray.

Moving Yusuke’s golden and blue stones to one side, Kurama emptied the pouch he’d retrieved. A dozen or so small stones bounced and rolled on the tray, sparkling and gleaming in the bedroom light. Yusuke gasped at the tear gems spread out before him and reached a wondering hand out but didn’t touch them.

Kurama smiled and pushed a few to one side, separating them. Yusuke had never seen black gems before. They were faceted, sparkling gems, but undeniably black, absorbing light and reflecting darkness. "Black is sorrow."

Yusuke looked up to see a pain in Kurama’s eyes that he’d seen only a few times before. A pain that made him want to reach out and comfort, to drive that pain away because nobody should have to feel it.

"Hiei’s tear gems differ in color depending on his emotions. The black ones reflect his pain that he will not show otherwise," Kurama sighed, staring at the five black stones on the tray.

With a gulp, Yusuke turned his attention back to the gems. He reached a hand to hover over the three brightest, most vibrant gems in the lot. He was drawn to the amethyst richness that sparkled and danced, the motes of light pouring out in shades of purples that ranged a small spectrum.

Kurama grinned, "If you two had actually finished your time in the motel, you might have gotten one that looked like that."

Yusuke looked up in absolute surprise, not knowing the meaning behind… His cheeks flared red and he wondered if it could somehow be detrimental to one’s health to spend so much time blushing. "Uhh, blue?" Yusuke nervously returned his gaze to the rest. The six other stones in Kurama’s lot ranged in colors over the rest of the rainbow, mostly in shades of blue and green but tending to deeper hues. Yusuke’s stone was the palest in the lot.

"Yours is the closest I’ve ever seen to Hiei shedding a true Koorime tear, a crystal gem. With him, the clearness is for the truth and purity of the expression." Kurama turned over one of his, a blue-green gem that was the color of the ocean, with waves rippling through the stone as they did the water. "Blue is love." He picked up Yusuke’s stone and held it to the light, studying the clear-blue color.

Yusuke looked up sharply, his mouth hanging open.

Kurama smiled gently, "Yusuke, you really don’t have to be jealous of me, not with a stone like that." Reaching out, Kurama took Yusuke’s hand in his and opened it to the palm before dropping the aqua-gem in and closing Yusuke’s fist around it. "If anything," Kurama laughed, his green eyes still holding Yusuke to him, "I should be jealous of you."

His heart was pounding so loudly, Yusuke was afraid it would wake up Kurama’s mom again. He gulped as he trembled in Kurama’s grasp… "Hiei said he wants to spend his life with you."

"Oh, Yusuke," Kurama’s laughter was music and joy, "I know that." He grinned at his friend, "I was joking, you silly human." Slowly, Kurama raised Yusuke’s clenched fist to his mouth and he softly kissed the tight knuckles, brushing his lips over the skin. When he withdrew, he still didn’t let go of Yusuke’s hand, "Hiei and I both love you, and you should know that."

Yusuke’s body was doing more than just trembling, but he forced himself to hold still. Finally Kurama let go; Yusuke’s hand felt lonely.

Kurama sighed, "Yusuke, Hiei doesn’t hold grudges," he paused for a moment, "Well, rarely. Never against friends. I’m sure he forgot about his anger five minutes after he left you."

"But he didn’t come back," Yusuke’s voice was a tight whisper.

With a shrug, Kurama dismissed that concern, "He wouldn’t think of that." Kurama sighed, "Yusuke, Hiei is most likely up atop a tree right now, curled up sleeping." He looked at the tired, stressed, hungry boy in front of him, "You should do the same."

Yusuke managed a grin, "On a tree branch?"

Kurama laughed, looking fondly at his friend. Carefully, he let his gaze drift to what Yusuke was leaning against, "Actually, I was thinking my bed would do."

Oh geez… The fire was back. Most definitely back, and quite definitely burning. Yusuke couldn’t breathe, his chest was so tight. Kurama… So beautiful; graceful and intense, his body looked like a dancer’s – was a dancer’s. Flexible, yet strong; skin that looked like porcelain yet felt like the sheerest silk. So different than Hiei’s body with his solid power and toughness, skin that felt like the softest fur. Yusuke opened his eyes, "I’ve got to find Hiei, Kurama. I… can’t stand the thought of how I drove him off."

"Umm…" Kurama gathered up the gems and put his pouch back in the drawer. Standing, looking down at Yusuke still sitting on his bedroom floor, Kurama smiled, "Well, let’s go then."

Yusuke blinked and then his eyes lit up and he smiled back at his friend.

* * *

The first place they stopped was in front of a twelve-story office building a few blocks from Kurama’s house. Kurama squinted up, "Can you sense any youki?"

Yusuke looked at Kurama curiously before shaking his head. His perception skills were still way under the rest of the group, even though they’d been working on training him somewhat. For power training, Yusuke could be patient. For perception? He usually was bored out of his mind – it was easier to ask Kuwabara.

Kurama sighed, "He usually sleeps on a window ledge up on the tenth floor… I don’t want to try and go up there to find him. Since he was last with you, his youki will be tuned to yours, so you might sense him easier than I." He shrugged, "But if we both can’t feel him…" He cupped his hands around his mouth and projected his rei into his voice, "Hiei." After waiting a couple of minutes, Kurama shrugged again, "Not here, let’s keep going."

* * *

Four buildings, six parks, and three power grids later, Yusuke glanced at Kurama, "How many more places does he haunt?" Unspoken was the question of exactly how often did Hiei actually sleep in Kurama’s bed.

Kurama blushed, hearing the unspoken. With a sigh, he answered it truthfully, "Hiei rarely spends the whole night. He… hates to cuddle and when we’re done, instead of relaxing he starts looking for enemies again. So he goes where he can be by himself and watch."

Yusuke’s heart went out to both of his friends. He knew how expressive a personality Kurama could be around his friends, and Kurama liked cuddling and touching. To constantly love and need… And Hiei, cautious, skillful, powerful – with the enemies his power had gained. He wouldn’t take Yusuke to his home, and he wouldn’t stay with his love. Yusuke looked up at Kurama, "What does it mean to be a kitsune?"

"Excuse me?" Kurama blinked at the segue.

"Hiei said that it was okay for his enemies to know about you, because you were a kitsune."

"Oh," Kurama glanced at the lightening sky. Dawn was fast approaching and they still hadn’t found Hiei. Well, there was one more place they could try… It would be enough time to talk with Yusuke. "Kitsune are a very clannish group. In the spirit world, animal spirits are about the equivalent of elemental demons. You remember what Hiei told you about the war between the ice and fire demons?"

"Caused when a fire demon was killed by the ice demons." Yusuke nodded. The war had nearly torn both groups of elementals apart and in the thousand years since, neither group had recovered even a tenth of the power they had held before.

"Well, if anybody uses a kitsune for hostage purposes, the entire kitsune clan will attack that person or group."

Yusuke’s mouth dropped open. Eventually he closed it again, "So why does anybody attack you then? Are they all stupid?"

Kurama laughed, "No – a fight is something else. Individual actions are individual responsibilities. I was originally killed while performing a theft – that individual was within his rights and my family took no action. But if someone were to use me simply to get at Hiei… Kitsune treasure their family bonds, and for another to exploit love – well, it makes them mad."

Slowly, Yusuke nodded. He well understood that one. "So you’re about the only person Hiei can love."

"Um…" Taking a minute to think about that one, Kurama tried to figure out not just himself and Hiei, but what Yusuke was really asking. "Not… exactly. Some demons would see kitsune, even all kitsune, as no threat. Hiei will not let the demon world know Yukina is his sister for fear they will use her – and she’s an ice maiden. If Hiei had had any say in the matter, he probably wouldn’t let them know about me either." Kurama flashed a grin at Yusuke, "But, you see, I don’t let him have the last word."

"Oh…" Yusuke breathed, his brown eyes sparkling as he realized what Kurama was saying.

Kurama expounded, "If Hiei had his way, I would be smothered in protective layer of silk and satin – a gilded cage. But he knows that I, like he, would die in a cage and so he lets me be free. But he still tries to protect me when he can. Quite frankly – he is more powerful than I; and if I’m in over my head, I’ll readily call for help. But on the fights that I choose, he must let me be." The idea had been planted, now it was time to restrain it from growing too quickly. "Part of that is because I am six-hundred years old and have my own territory and my own name. I am already a factor in the spirit world. And I have learned caution, and more importantly, restraint in the last seventeen years."

Yusuke blinked, "As a human?"

Kurama grinned, "Living in the human world." He rolled his eyes, "Do you know how much patience I had to learn to not reveal myself as this body was growing up? You try and act like a five-year old when you’re really six-hundred-twenty-five! And when I decided to stay for Mother…" Kurama sighed, the longing in his voice plain, "I want to leave. I want to go out and take on the task of obtaining the Serpent of Nine Coils. I want to find the Jewel of Rastiban’s Court. I want to reclaim Yoko’s old territory. I want to establish mine as Kurama. But I have to hold myself back."

"Because you’re on probation," Yusuke commented with a grin.

The returning laughter was easy and free, acknowledging their past history and moving beyond. Then the fox-human turned it serious again, "Because I will not hurt Mother. I won’t leave her while she cares for Shuiichi, and while she needs her son. And though I now interact with both worlds more readily than five years ago, I still must be careful. Mother cannot protect herself as we can, and she is vulnerable. There is no clan protecting her, and already I have had seven demons try and manipulate me with threats to her." He caught Yusuke’s side-glance and smiled coldly, "They paid for their attempt, and a few are still paying. But you see, Yusuke, if I went with Hiei to his home, as his openly proclaimed mate, then it would be much worse, not just for Mother, but for me as well. Hiei’s enemies are as powerful as he – which is much more powerful than I. I would have to go into that gilded cage of his, just so I could live – and I would die there. Until either I grow enough in power to match them, or until Hiei’s enemies disappear, I will only be his lover here in the human world, and though we do not hide our relationship, neither will we broadcast it."

Yusuke nodded glumly, "And even though I have power, I don’t have the training; and I have Mom, and Keiko, and Masaru, and Takenaka-sensei, and even Kuwabara who would all be targets for demons if I started making enemies."

Kurama nodded, "You’ve got years and years to go, Yusuke. Be patient. You have powerful friends and allies, and when you have your own territory then you can also protect those you love."

Unspoken was the thought between them that Hiei had always been alone, trying on his own to protect those he loved, with no one that he trusted enough to share responsibility. Yusuke vowed to himself that his territory would have all of his family and friends to share both the love and the protection. But… it was hard to think of somebody else protecting Keiko instead of him. Yusuke could imagine how much harder it was for a thousand-year-old demon.

They walked along silently for some time after that, watching as the edges of the sky turned pink and light gold while the deep blue of night started to change to the pale blue of day. Eventually Yusuke asked, "Why are we at Genkai’s?"

With a laugh, Kurama pointed up, "Hiei likes that old pine tree."

Yusuke blinked, then narrowed his eyes. Disbelieving, he said, "He’s there. He’s really there this time." He could feel Hiei’s youki up in the tree, and if he looked carefully, he could see a vague black shape on one of the higher branches. "He’s here," Hiei…

Kurama smiled at the tone of surprise in Yusuke’s voice, "If I’d been thinking, we probably should have checked here first." At Yusuke’s puzzled glance, he turned his fond smile upon the human youth and explained, "Because Hiei associates this place with you."

"Ohhh…" For the hours they’d been walking and looking, Yusuke’s need had been so focused on finding his friend, and worrying about him, that he’d nearly forgotten… He suddenly remembered. And he had to close his eyes for a moment as his body remembered too. How the hell do I go from zero to sixty like that? Damn, I thought I wanted to talk…

"He’s asleep," Kurama grinned and motioned for Yusuke to follow him as they quietly, or as quietly as they could, climbed the tree. Kurama carefully wrapped the area in his youki, masking Yusuke’s ki as well as he could under his own.

Up in the tree, they stood upon branches near to the one Hiei was sleeping on. The demon was curled up in his black cloak with his white scarf around his neck, his spiky hair not affected by gravity as his arm rested over his head, covering his eyes. He was back to his normal utilitarian clothes and looks, no longer masquerading as human in the human world. Though Yusuke had been enchanted by his vest and jeans, and had enjoyed putting Hiei’s hair in the mohawk, this figure laying in front of him was the one he knew best – his fighting partner and friend, the demon who supported him and admired him for his own strange reasons. Yusuke’s heart was beating so loudly that he was sure Hiei could hear it, especially since his breathing was also ragged and noisy as he gazed on the figure that he’d been searching so long for.

Actually, Yusuke was quite surprised that Hiei didn’t wake up and he started to say something, but Kurama waved him quiet with a mischievous grin. Kurama leaned close to Hiei and breathed softly on his cheek, his long red strands of hair falling over Hiei’s face. Yusuke envied him quietly.

Hiei growled and rolled over, putting the other arm over his face. Yusuke watched, completely amazed that he didn’t fall off the slim branch.

Kurama giggled and picked a pine needle, dragging it lightly through Hiei’s hair, "Wake up, Hiei." The fox flashed an amused grin at Yusuke that demanded that he share in the fun. Yusuke was not immune to Kurama’s charm and grinned back, though he himself would never dare tease Hiei in quite that manner. Although… Yusuke blinked, thinking of it. Slowly, he grinned, watching the fox and the demon with new eyes.

Without moving, Hiei muttered, "Go away, Kurama."

"Come on, Hiei, the unicorns are dancing…"

"Shut up, fox. I had a long night and I want to sleep." Hiei curled up in a tighter ball, refusing to look over.

A long night… Yusuke almost cried for the pain he’d given his friend.

Kurama smiled gently down at his partner and stroked his hand through his hair, "I brought you a present, Hiei."

"THAT’S ENOUGH, Kurama!" Hiei sat up, glaring at the fox… and saw Yusuke beyond him. His eyes went wide and nearly round as he scrambled up to stand on the branch, his attention focused entirely on Yusuke and ignoring the red-haired fox next to him. "Yusuke…" Hiei breathed, wonder and disbelief and guilt mixed in his voice.

"Hiei," Yusuke cleared his throat. "I’m sorry I snipped at you earlier," he said as he reached out to Hiei… and then had to windmill his arms and grab for the trunk of the tree as he nearly stepped off the branch he was on. Both ghosts instantly held him tight until he regained his balance. "Damnit, Hiei! Why are we on top of a tree?"

Hiei’s half-smile was back on his face and he flitted to the ground. Kurama leaned over and looked down… and sighed, "You know, that’s one thing I’ve never quite gotten used to either."

Yusuke glanced sourly at him, then looked down to where Hiei was. It might have been the mischievous fox’s influence, but… "Hiei," Yusuke called softly and waited until the demon looked up – and then he stepped off the branch.

Falling through space, air whistling by his ears, a feeling of sensations aborted as his equilibrium tried to catch up with him but was left far behind. Yusuke smiled as he fell.

"Oooffff!!!!"

Strong arms caught him, and red eyes glared.

"What the hell do you think you were doing, you stupid human!! Are you crazy?? You weren’t even paying attention to how you were landing! Baka!"

Yusuke grinned up at Hiei, "I wanted to see if you’d catch me."

Hiei’s eyes widened and then he opened his arms and turned around, pacing a few steps away before stopping to glower at a nearby tree.

"Ouch!" Yusuke sat up, rubbing his backside. But he was still grinning.

Kurama jumped down, landing next to them and he traded that special grin with Yusuke that shared their love of the short demon and the ways in which his heart was revealed. Then Kurama lifted a hand in farewell and started to leave.

"Kurama, wait!" Yusuke looked over to Hiei, his eyes pleading.

Hiei met his gaze questioningly, and then he seemed to remember what he’d said earlier in the evening. He smiled, "Kurama has brought you to me. I think that deserves a reward…" He walked back to Yusuke and stood on his tiptoes to lightly place a kiss on his cheek. "Yusuke, I didn’t know you’d react that badly to my leaving. It wasn’t against you, truly. Things happen, they’re done, one goes on."

"You didn’t come back," Yusuke whispered, "I thought I hurt you. I didn’t mean to."

"If you were that upset, why didn’t you follow me?" Hiei questioned, genuinely curious and it showed in his voice – which also showed how little he’d thought of the incident.

Yusuke flushed, "I was washing dishes."

Both ghosts looked at him in total surprise.

"Hiei," Yusuke sighed, "You had the money."

Instantly understanding, Kurama laughed, leaning against a tree for support, "You stiffed him with the bill!!!!! Hiei! I don’t believe you stiffed Yusuke with the bill! Oh, that’s good!"

"’Cha…" Hiei glared at his partner and the air between them grew warm. Then he looked with evident embarrassment to Yusuke. Digging into his pockets, he pulled out a couple of 100 yen pieces and held them out.

Yusuke took them with a grin and they stood, staring into each others’ eyes for a long moment.

Finally, Hiei made a negligent gesture, ‘that’s over’, and looked to Kurama, "So, is your place available?"

Green eyes dancing, Kurama waved a hand to the temple behind them, "Why not stay here?"

Hiei and Yusuke traded startled glances and then started laughing. "Why didn’t we think of that earlier?" "We weren’t thinking…"

"If you stay here, the dojo needs waxing," a dry voice commented as they all jumped and turned to look. Genkai stood with her hands on her hips, regarding them with silent amusement. "Your usual rooms are clean, and I expect them to be that way after you leave too. Yukina and Kazuma will be getting up for breakfast shortly… You’re welcome to join us for dinner, later."

"Um, um, um…" Yusuke stuttered as he tried to figure out how much Genkai had overheard, overseen, and just plain knew…

Hiei winked at Genkai, "Thank you."

Genkai shrugged, "It’s nice to be young." She glanced significantly at Yusuke and then turned to leave.

"Sensei!"

Everybody turned to look at Yusuke at his unusual use of the respectful title. He managed to ignore their looks as he defensively and curiously asked his teacher, "Aren’t you going to ask about Keiko?"

Genkai blinked and glanced at Hiei, who shrugged while rolling his eyes. Genkai shook her head, "That’s not my concern, and I don’t really see what it has to do with anything. I heard about your incident yesterday." She paused and her face took on the expression that said she was remembering her youth, "A battle can generate some intense emotions." She turned to leave again.

Suddenly struck by a thought, Hiei raised a hand to stop her, "Did you say something about Kazuma and Yukina?"

"Separate rooms, Hiei. Separate rooms. That boy is way too naïve sometimes…" Genkai muttered as she walked away.

Kurama raised an eyebrow at Hiei and the shorter demon glared at him, "I gave him permission to court Yukina, nothing more!"

"Uh huh…" Kurama nodded wisely.

"Knock it off, fox…"

Smothering a yawn, Yusuke headed for the guest rooms. With a shared grin, Kurama and Hiei followed, trading remarks about how nice it would be to get some sleep and how early the morning was, and debating points about human endurance. Somehow, Yusuke managed to ignore them.

* * *

"Hey, Urameshi!!! You here? We can really get some training done, now." Kuwabara looked at him suspiciously, "Unless you’re here for a mission…? No? Great, then!" He closed the door to his room, effectively blocking the hallway while he talked to Yusuke.

"You seem to have recovered well from yesterday," Yusuke remarked, remembering guiltily the burns that had covered most of Kuwabara’s body at the end of the fight.

Kuwabara thumped his chest and puffed up, "Yukina-san is the greatest healer! There is nothing that Yukina-san can’t do!!"

Hiei snorted and pushed by them, jostling Kuwabara and giving a significant look to Yusuke as he passed.

"Hey!" Kuwabara growled, "Come back here and face me like a man!" The door sliding shut behind Hiei was his only answer. Kuwabara glanced over at Kurama, "You here too?" Suspiciously, he returned his gaze to Yusuke, "Are you sure this isn’t a mission???"

Kurama raised his hand to his mouth, his green eyes dancing, "We could invite him also…"

"KURAMA!" Yusuke yelled, exasperated, "Will you just get out of here?!"

With a wink covering one brilliant emerald eye, Kurama grinned at the baffled Kuwabara and went down the hall to the room Hiei had gone in.

Yusuke shook his head and then sighed. Apologetically, he looked up at Kuwabara, "We were up most of the night… talking about the fight. We’re just here to snag some sleep."

"Oh…" Kuwabara gave Yusuke a narrow-eyed look and then decided he really didn’t want to know. "Well, I’m off to breakfast – see you when you get up!" Cheerfully, he headed off down the hall.

Yusuke walked to the room that was normally his and went in. After a minute, he poked his nose out and made sure that Kuwabara was really gone. Then he went down the hall to Hiei and Kurama’s room.

"Well, that interruption didn’t take too long," Kurama remarked cheerfully, teasing Yusuke and Hiei.

The fox’s good humor was contagious, but Yusuke still managed to summon up a frown for the reminder, sourly answering, "When Kuwabara’s hungry, nothing stands in his way."

"That sounds familiar," Hiei said, his voice deep in tone and meaning. He had tossed off his cloak and scarf, but still wore his pants. He looked ready for a battle… or action. With quick strides, Hiei walked up to Yusuke and backed him against the wall, slipping his hands inside Yusuke’s jacket and running them over his chest and sides as he pressed his lower body against Yusuke’s.

Blue sparks flew from Yusuke’s skin, demon fire starting to run through his veins. "Ahhh…" Yusuke moaned as he dropped his hands down to Hiei’s bare shoulders and then ran them down his back, pulling the demon into him and feeling the fire concentrate below his waist as he arched his hips. He dipped his head over Hiei’s and breathed in the scent of the demon – scorched earth and velvet, pine and amber – as the soft black fur tickled his nose and eyes. Yusuke closed his eyes and ran his cheek over that softness, hearing the growls and feeling the rumbling through the demon’s body. Hiei tilted his head up until their lips met and hungrily fastened onto each other, seeking, tasting, needing…

And then Hiei broke away and looked over his shoulder.

Yusuke looked up too, "Kurama?"

The fox grinned at them, "You know, I think I’m going to collect my reward later – breakfast sounds good to me right now." He slipped out the door and shut it behind him.

Hiei and Yusuke traded glances and then shrugged as one – they were rather absorbed in each other at the moment. Yusuke ran his hands through Hiei’s hair, fluffing the spikes, "Hiei – no slow dance this time, okay?" The soft chuckle that he loved was Yusuke’s answer.

They moved over to the mats and knelt down, facing each other. Yusuke couldn’t get enough of just watching Hiei, seeing the soft red eyes watching him, the anticipation almost as much as the feelings themselves. He pulled off his jacket and tossed it to one side, next to Hiei’s cloak. Hiei chuckled again and drew a hand down Yusuke’s abdomen to the waist of his jeans, "Shall I burn them this time?"

Yusuke gasped, feeling the hot warmth spreading… "I think you already are!"

"YUSUUUKKEEE!!!!!"

They looked up, murder in both brown and red eyes. Simultaneously, they yelled, "BOTAN! GO AWAY!"

The blue-haired deity floated impatiently on her oar, "It’s an emergency, Yusuke! We need the whole Team! A major class Tengu escaped from the prison and is crossing through to the human world to make mischief. He’s broken the Armory and it’s big trouble! You’ve got to come now!"

Hiei sighed, "That would be Dianoa. He never was happy about being in prison…" He met Yusuke’s gaze and shrugged, "Some interruptions have to be dealt with."

Yusuke stood up, shaking his head, "Botan – Kuwabara and Kurama are in with Genkai. We’ll join you there in a minute."

"Right," Botan turned to leave and then looked back over her shoulder, "I’m really sorry about this…"

Yusuke waved his hand at her and she left. He looked down at Hiei, who also stood up.

Hiei looked up, "Well, the timing was a bit better. At least I hadn’t burned your pants yet…"

With a laugh, Yusuke gathered Hiei in his arms and kissed him one last time before letting him go.

Hiei tilted his head and studied the youth thoughtfully, "Yusuke…" He bit his lip and cut off what he was going to say.

But Yusuke had a pretty good idea of what it was, "I promise, Hiei – no heroics this time. We’ll work as a team." And I’ll try not to cause any more pain in that secret heart of yours.

Hiei quirked his mouth in his trademark grin, acknowledging the promise and the thoughts, showing his care in the way he could.

They gazed at each other for one more long moment, then collected jacket and cloak and left to meet the team.

* * *