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ok so the other day  i was brosweing google for some fun yaoi and i found this fan-fic :but be careful....

In Too Deep
 
 
 

The fact that Yusuke had gotten himself into trouble was no surprise at all.

The fact that Yusuke apparently couldn't get himself out of it, was.

How many times now had the leader of the group risked life and limb to save the lives of his teammates and friends? Those stunts were commonplace with him before he even knew them as friends. So of course, when Koenma fretted and fussed over the trouble that damn fool boy was causing, it seemed only fair and natural that Kurama volunteer his and Hiei's services to bring him back in one piece.

Hiei, of course, was absent at the time.

Koenma balked for a moment, thinking it over- wondering whether Yusuke was worth risking two other detectives- before deciding the idea was so great, it must have been one of his own. Haughtily, he granted Kurama and Hiei permission to find Yusuke, take care of whatever mess he had undoubtedly left behind, and to bring him back so he could ream his ass.

Yusuke certainly never lacked in bravery and fighting skill- Kurama had heard on occasion the opinion that Yusuke was all mouth and balls- but tact was something he was severely lacking, and this wouldn't have been the first time he had likely pissed someone off to the point of being imprisoned, or poisoned, or jumped or any number of other things that might have happened  to keep Yusuke from reporting back. That idea alone had Kurama worried, just a bit- that he hadn't gotten himself out of it. In a number of circumstances, Yusuke had faced odds and opponents that would have sent the greatest of demons 'crying for their mommies,' and come waltzing through the doorway looking like refried Hell, with the biggest smirk and a great story to tell. He simply had fun getting into trouble.

But the important thing was, he could hold his own once he got into that trouble.

Kurama pondered the possibilities of this case as he left Koenma's palace. Back on earth, he let his feet lead him, not really paying attention to where he was going, but getting there nonetheless. Finding himself at his front door in no time at all, he unlocked it and entered, leaving his shoes at the door as he headed to his room. He pushed open the door, a greeting on his lips.

"I'm back, Hie-"

"Idiot."

Kurama looked down at his friend, who narrowly avoided getting nailed by the door, the sweet smile on his face quickly fading. Kurama briefly wondered how he knew just the right distance away to stand. "... So you heard." He shut the door behind him, even though no one else was home.

"Botan called on the communicator. Said something about 'how great it is that you and Kurama are taking this case. Be sure to be careful and bring Yusuke back.'" Hiei pitched his voice in mockery of the ferry girl, and Kurama to fight off a giggle at how well he imitated her. "Case, Kurama? We're supposed to be on vacation." Hiei never skipped a beat, just crossed his arms and glared up at his redheaded companion, stilling any and all thoughts of interruption. "And for Urameshi? Like that fool can't take care of himself? Really now, we can't always be cleaning up after him." Some 'great leader' went unspoken.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just... felt we owe it to him." Kurama took off his jacket and threw it on the bed, heading to the bathroom. In all honesty, despite his doubts on what could have happened to his friend, like Hiei, he couldn't make himself take it too seriously. He cared for the boy dearly, but sometimes...

And besides, there was really nothing he couldn't handle. Maybe he was just out having fun? The 'oh, dear, this is serious' line worked well with Koenma, but it didn't really fit into the real workings of the world. Ever since he was reborn as a human, he was a worrier by nature, when it came to his friends- but Yusuke being helpless, waiting for his friends to rescue him just seemed like a work of pure fiction- it was always the other way around.

"Besides," he threw over his shoulder. "It likely won't take long, once we find him- in and out, and then..." He trailed off suggestively with a little wink and a sway of his hips as he shut the door.

He could hear a 'hmph' through the wood and chuckled to himself.

Deep down, he knew Hiei wasn't really angry- grudgingly and under physical duress, he might even admit he liked the human, respected him even. This was only a minor... detour in their well deserved vacation together.

This was one of only a handful of breaks allowed to them, and the first (they were sure of it) that wouldn't be ruined by unexpected case after case. Kurama smiled to himself as he ran a bath and undressed. This was going to be a great vacation, and powered by his and Hiei's sheer will and determination, nothing would ruin it.

He had already rinsed off by the time Hiei entered the bathroom. Kurama pretended not to notice him, still sulking in the corner, as he stood and shook the cool water off his long hair, slowly walking towards the bathtub, careful to put a little extra curve into his steps. Hiei did not stir. Once at the tub, Kurama slowly sank in, moaning obscenely. In an instant Hiei was there with him, his smaller naked body pressed firmly against his own.

Kurama smiled and ran his hands through the spiky black strands of his lover's hair, angling his face up to capture his soft lips. After a few affectionate pecks, Kurama pulled back and rested his head on the back of the tub, Hiei resting his own head on Kurama's chest.

Hiei closed his eyes as Kurama continued to pet his hair, small sounds trying to break free, but he clamped down on them fiercely. Kurama loved the sounds he made, but thanks to his altruistic spirit earlier, he'd have to earn that pleasure. He wasn't angry, just disappointed that his plans were shifted to the back burner for that human. Even still, he could not contain a sigh at the sensations on his scalp, and the wonderful way he seemed perfectly molded to the crook of Kurama's legs. They were meant to be this way, they two- together.

But damn if they weren't as opposite as day and night sometimes. Call him selfish- until the incident in the warehouse when Urameshi managed to defeat him by sheer luck, he hadn't given a damn about anyone but himself. Then, during his recoup time when he was tried and formally sentenced to work for Koenma as detective along with Kurama, he had managed to learn to give a damn about someone else- Kurama, of course.

Now he was expected to give up his own wants for the same child that had made a fool of him?

Who had trusted him so openly, with complete confidence and forgiveness. Who had put his life and the life of that worthless bag of cells and Kurama in his shady hands. Not that he would have let Kurama die anyway, even though back then he hadn't felt as strongly as he did now. But that trust, and that power, when Hiei realized it wasn't only luck on the spirit detective's side... During the Saint Beasts debacle, Hiei found himself being unerringly drawn into the warmth that Yusuke exuded, quite without his knowing it- it wasn't until later when Kurama teased him about how concerned he had been about him when he was facing Suzaku without any help that he realized how deep under his skin he had allowed him- and how soft he was getting. The same boy who had offered all of himself in the name of friendship, and asked of nothing in return, except that he give him just a little bit of notice before he decided to finally extract his revenge and kill him, had started to grow on him like a quickly spreading fungus.

He wouldn't admit it, but murderous revenge was the farthest from his mind anymore. Now, he would kill anyone who dare even entertain thoughts of hurting Yusuke. The power of friendship.

So, he would do this task that Kurama set them up to, and in return, he would badger and berate the loudmouth brat to no end, never letting him forget what he had sacrificed for him- well, not exactly what he had sacrificed... The kid was a pervert, but the closest he had ever come to third base was, undoubtedly, drinking from the same cup as Keiko. The mention of what Hiei and Kurama should be doing would probably cause permanent damage. But it would be good to finally say, 'Look- this is what you could not do, and what I did.' He could be a cruel son of a bitch, too- he didn't use to be a villain for the health plan.

Ah, the power of friendship.

Hiei smiled and felt Kurama's body shift beneath him as his lover chuckled, no doubt at him.

"What?" Hiei sluggishly griped, not opening his eyes.

"Oh, just the picture you make. Such a silly grin. You're so cute." Kurama leaned down and kissed him on the top of the head, earning a growl, though it wasn't really an unhappy sound.

"So when do we leave?" Hiei thought he sounded drugged, even to his own ears, and sat up, opening his eyes and moving his arms about in the water, trying to wake himself up.

"As soon as we get out of the bath, I suppose."

Kurama reached around Hiei's shoulders, leaning on him as he hugged his body close, chin resting on his shoulder. "But I'm glad you're coming along with me on this."

"Hn. Like I have a choice..."

Kurama made an unhappy sound. "Of course you do. I could always go alone-"

"Nonsense. I wouldn't send you out on this case alone."

"Aw!" Kurama squeezed tighter, startling Hiei into flailing in the water a bit, splashing water everywhere.

"What are you doing, have you gone mad??" Hiei squawked as he fought to keep his face above the rolling waves of the bath water.

"Hiei... are you worried about me?" Kurama cooed, easing up his grip a little to grin down at his flustered lover.

"Hn. More likely worried what Urameshi would do with you alone." A smirk. It was a lie, of course- the boy was oblivious to anything without breasts, but it got the desired blush he was hoping for.

"You know that's not true, you have nothing to worry about!"

"Hm, on your part or his?" He smirked wider and Kurama blushed deeper. "Really, Kurama, why are you being so defensive? I was only teasing." Hiei sat up and turned in the loose embrace of Kurama's arms to face him. "Although, I won't say the mental image does nothing for me."

Kurama slammed his head beneath the surface of the water, his arms flailing like mad, sending water everywhere in great floods.

"Oh HO, is that right??" Hiei continued to struggle and after a few more moments Kurama allowed him up, though he kept his hand on his limp spikes. Hiei sputtered for air as Kurama angled his head down, and glared at him. "What, aren't I enough for you?" He asked darkly.

Hiei finally got his breath back to reply, "Too much, actually."

SPLASH!
 

**********
 

Damn. Damn damn damn.

This... was humiliating.

This case was a damn cakewalk for crying out loud! Just a stupid little errand to get him out of Koenma's hair, and look where his fat mouth had gotten him.

Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid.

'Just haaad to open your mouth... couldn't just let it be, couldn't just walk away. Be the better man... had to start another fight.'

In all fairness, he hadn't really started the fight- he just didn't help matters any. Koenma sent him out to the middle of nowhere, in some stinking, hot jungle in the middle of a stinking, hot day, to figure out where the hell this missing ogre was. Turns out, he wasn't missing at all- it was a mix-up of paperwork back at the palace, though as time went on Yusuke began to doubt if it was entirely accidental. This seemed like just the sort of thing Koenma would pull- claiming 'it builds character, now get over it or die mad.' He hated that excuse- builds character... He had character, which was what got him into this mess.

Turns out those demons he was wandering amongst didn't take kindly to humans. At. All. -and when they found out he worked for Koenma, no less... well, the hisses and jibes and profanities flew left and right, and then some dumbfuck had the nerve to throw something at his retreating back. He had walked among their smelly numbers all day, taking their crap and gritting his teeth, keeping his pride in check before he broke a few bulbous noses or blackened a couple of yellow slitted eyes, all so they could pull a dirty stunt like that just as he was leaving.

'You want a piece of me, come and get it!'

He didn't start the fight- by god, he finished it.

Well, he would have if another blow from left field hadn't caught him completely off guard. He had no one to blame but himself, really. He was so cocky- those creeps were pushovers. He never once thought there might be something else around that could pack a punch like that- that is, one with spirit energy behind it. A lot of spirit energy.

And so, when he woke up with a splitting headache in a damp, dark place with his arms bound behind his back and completely devoid of any energy whatsoever, he had nothing to do but berate himself.

Stupid stupid stupid.

... and wait.

How humiliating.

He always had everything under control.

'Bullshit.'

He almost always had everything under control.

No matter what, things always turned out for the best. Was Lady Luck finally turning her back on him? Was he losing his touch? Was he giving himself too much credit all along?

No. It was like a singularity- a single point where the entire universe collapses in on itself, turning up down and down up. Wouldn't Keiko soil her panties if she found out he actually had an intelligent thought? But this, this did. not. happen. to Yusuke Urameshi, Spirit Detective, Number One Punk of Sarayashiki Junior High, Badass Motherfucker.

A door squealed in protest on it's hinges and the pounding in Yusuke's skull increased. It didn't help that blinding light leaked into the room, the first light he had seen in hours. He clamped his eyes shut as tight as he could and gritted his teeth, somehow sure that any remark he could make would only make matters worse. Damn Keiko for rubbing good sense off on him- he had a hell of a lot of things he wanted to say...

"This him?"

"Oh, yes..."

"Hmm."

"Yes, yes."

"It's a deal then?"

"Absolutely." A snap of fingers. "See that this man is properly taken care of."

"Yes sir."

"Good eye, you got there..."

"Pleasure doing business with you."

Retreating footsteps.

Approaching footsteps.

"Shall we?"

Yusuke opened his eyes and everything went black.
 

**********
 

Hiei growled, bobbing his head every now and then, trying to get the water out of his ears. Kurama looked over his shoulder at him and tsked, shaking his head.

"It's your own faul-"

"Shut up." Shake, shake. "Are we there yet? Just how far did that idiot get?"

Kurama pushed another tree branch out his his path, holding it out of the way as he allowed Hiei past, trying not to chuckle when he passed well beneath it's reach, before releasing it. "We must be close, so stop complaining." His silver eyes danced mischievously down at him. "We'll be home in no time."

A high pitched beeping from the folds of Kurama's robe brought both demons' attentions to the compact. Kurama brought it out and opened it, and after a moment of white noise and static Botan's face appeared.

"Hello, boys! Having any luck yet?"

"No, we haven't found anything yet. There was a small settlement a few miles back. Some demons there spoke about a human they had encountered earlier."

"Do you think it could have been Yusuke?" Botan looked hopeful for a moment.

One of Kurama's white  eyebrow's took a leap toward his hairline. "They were boasting about beating him to a pulp and devouring his screaming, tortured soul."

"Guess it's not the most reliable source..." Botan sweatdropped. "But, it's a good place to start, I suppose."

"Indeed." Hiei grumbled from ahead of Kurama, sounding entirely imposed upon. He scanned the lush plant life, ignoring any looks from Kurama.

"Well, in any case, you boys be careful. If I'm not mistaken, you're in the territory of some very dangerous demons." Botan continued, taking a moment to look down at some papers she held in her hands.

"Now that sounds like a good place to start." Hiei crossed his arms and turned to face Kurama, who nodded.

"What sort of dangerous demons?" Kurama inquired, getting a tingling feeling in his belly that told them they were getting close.

"Drug dealers and the sort."

Hiei and Kurama exchanged identical looks of puzzlement. "Drug dealers?" They asked in unison.

Botan nodded. "Yes, well, it's so popular in the human world, surely you don't think it would have no affect here? Anything that makes humans bad will make demons even worse. It's an easy way to amass great power through money and manipulation of those that are weaker than you."

"Sounds like I was in the wrong business." Hiei murmured, earning a kick to the shin from Kurama.

"Well, it's fairly new. I suppose it's hard to find something that demons could want but not easily obtain. They also have some other dirty business dealings, but the details are shaky- as I said, it's new and these are very dangerous demons. It's not easy to get information about this. But one thing we do know, is that there's a headquarters not far from where you are. It's a big mansion, so it should be easy enough for you to avoid."

"I don't know... I think we should check it out."

Hiei shot Kurama a hot look.

"No, this is the sort of thing for detectives with... well, more... backup?" Botan squeaked, obviously uncomfortable with telling them they didn't have enough experience. "It's the only reason they're here at all- too small for Emperor Yama to trouble with himself, but a bit too much to handle for Lord Koenma, at the moment... But surely Yusuke wouldn't be there!" She laughed nervously. "I mean, that's much too far out of the way from where he was supposed to go!"

Hiei sidled up to look at Botan with that look.

Kurama looked over at Hiei. "I think we have a lead."

After calming Botan down enough to convince her they would be very careful, and only check things out, Kurama put the communicator back in his robes and they continued walking.

"You don't suppose Urameshi got himself in that deep, do you? What dealings could he possibly have with drug dealers? I mean, I can't imagine even him thinking he could accomplish anything by starting a fight like that without any help at all. Then again, maybe I'm giving him too much credit..."

"I hate to say it, but it makes sense. We all know how headstrong Yusuke can be- he doesn't plan ahead very well. I just hope something bad hasn't happened to him. He may have thoroughly pummeled all his opponents in the past, but if these guys are tough enough to make Koenma turn a blind eye..."

Hiei nodded. "He's in serious trouble."

Kurama nodded. "I'm afraid so." They walked on in silence as night went into full bloom, before a grin broke out on Kurama's face, quickly turning to chuckles. Hiei looked up at him as if he were mad. Kurama waved his concern off. "Don't mind me. I was just picturing Yusuke surrounded by drug lords... in a pinstripe suit with a tommy gun, smoking a cigar." He started laughing a little bit louder, completely enjoying the mental image that soon had Hiei silently shaking in mirth as well.

"A little old-fashioned imagery, but very effective nonetheless- he could have easily been a gangster in a previous life."

The chuckles eventually died down, the silence returning.

"So..." Hiei interrupted the sounds of night creatures and insects. "Do you think this is a real concern? Do you think we'll have to do some infiltration?"

Kurama sighed and shook his head. "I certainly hope not. But then the only alternatives are that... we're too late, or that he's not there. In which case, where is he? We might be too late either way." Suddenly, his high hopes for this mission felt a little less realistic, and guilt began to eat at him for not taking this entirely seriously the entire time.

Hiei watched Kurama's somber face from the corner of his eye. "Not a chance."

"Hm?" Kurama looked down at his companion who was, oddly enough, smiling.

"Urameshi's too damn stubborn to die. He's alive and well, causing a lot of trouble for somebody. I just know it."

Kurama returned the smile, feeling his spirits lift. If Hiei was confident in Yusuke's condition, so was he. He was just about to speak again when he was cut off by a grunt, as a large demon fell into step beside him. Hiei swiftly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, but Kurama motioned for him to wait, as the demon made no move to attack. It seemed almost... amiable, the way the three walked together in silence.

"I love dees 'tings."

"Hm? Beg your pardon?" Kurama and Hiei watched the gravel skinned demon closely.

"I sed I love dees 'tings. Dey don't doo 'em ofden 'nuff. Ya know? Id's a nice break." Nodding, as if affirming a question no one had asked, the giant lumbered ahead, pushing a large bush down and out of the way, revealing a large mansion beyond the next tree line.

"Funny, I don't remember seeing that when we were higher up..." Hiei commented as they followed. When they entered the next clearing, they saw a great multitude of demons converging upon the ebony gates of the estate. For the most part, they looked very clean and well groomed, and very excited about something. It did not settle well with Kurama, but with a shared look the two blended into the crowd as the gates were opened and they were admitted.

"What'chu lookin' for?"

"Ah, a young female. I'm pretty open."

"Gotta replace your old one already? That last one didn't last long."

"Never do, but she lasted long enough!"

The two demons behind them burst out into guffaws, and Hiei and Kurama exchanged looks again.

Once the mob got past the gate, it started to spread out along the spacious grounds. More demons in black suits stood at either side of several large doors, ushering the new arrivals in. Kurama and Hiei ducked to the side as soon as they were in, hiding in a dark corner beside a set of enormous purple velvet drapes. Once they were sure they had aroused no suspicion, they began to take in their surroundings.

"How are we ever supposed to find anything in this mess?" Hiei complained, his eyes sweeping from the spiral staircase to the glass chandelier to the Roman-style pillars that lined a hallway leading to some sort of banquet room, where the load roar of more demons issued forth. Whatever business this demon was in, it certainly was more lucrative than any other business Hiei had ever known of.

"Well, I think it's safe to assume the main event is in there." Kurama pointed to the room with his chin. All that could be seen was bright light, red walls and demons pouring into it like a lifeboat on the Titanic. "What do you suppose all this is about?"

A thoughtful frown marred Hiei's face momentarily. "Judging by the conversation behind us earlier, I'd say slave trading."

"Oh wonderful." Kurama muttered. "Do you think Yusuke is here?"

"Sure. But as a buyer or as a slave, I wonder." Hiei pushed himself away from the wall and the two made their way back into the main stream. "Though I don't suppose he'd be quick witted enough to try and 'blend in with the crowd,' do you?"

Kurama made a noncommittal shrug. "Here goes nothing... I'm sure he's-"

They entered the hall and stopped dead.

"- fine?"

The rows and seats and balconies filled to the brim with hooting and hollering demons seemed to fade away as the entire world narrowed down to focus on one small point in the center of the room.

Yusuke.

Naked.

Hard.

Kurama and Hiei could almost hear their jaws hit the floor. They recouped when they were shoved out of the way with a few glares and rude words. They navigated their way to the side, out of the way of traffic, eyes never once leaving the detective in the middle of the room, with his hands tied above his head, forced onto his knees. His dark skin shone with sweat, his hair still stubbornly spiked back, a few strands fallen over a white blindfold. A gag like the blindfold and a black leather strap tied around the base of his shamefully erect penis and around his scrotum was all he was wearing.

A long, thin tongue, dripping saliva, ran from one thigh up to a nipple, and Yusuke shivered, turning his head to the side- the only movement allowed to him. A clawed hand then traced the defined muscles of his belly, down to stroke his penis, another grabbing hold of his chin, so that disgusting tongue could trace along the line of his neck, up to his temple.

"It's funny, isn't it?"

Kurama tore his eyes away from the sight with a guilty blush, his jaw snapping shut.

"Humans, I mean." Beside him stood an apparently very wealthy demon that could easily pass for a human. He sighed and shook his head, looking at Yusuke as he struggled. "Everything about him screams defiance, and yet... yet his body betrays him, begging for more. I just think it's funny how weak human bodies are. I guess it's my cross to bear- that I should be so interested in such disgusting creatures."

Beside him, Kurama heard Hiei growl.

"Although, I must say I have seen worse than this one, though females are generally more acceptable..."

"And where, exactly, did you get him?"

Kurama winced at the harsh, biting tone with which Hiei was dealing with this man- if he was correct, he was the ringmaster of this sick circus.

"Oh, a friend. See, we have trap doors here and there that the higher-ups are completely clueless about. Every now and then, when the little king has his back turned, I send out a few men to Earth, to bring back something good. Humans, despite it all, are worth a great deal in certain circles. But it's difficult. This one just happened to wander here! What luck!" He slapped Kurama on the back and started toward the platform. Thinking again, he turned back and took one long appraising look at Kurama. "Would you care to join me..."

Hiei growled and put his hand on the hilt of his sword again, but stopped when Kurama stepped in front of him.

"Kurama." He answered seductively, shocking the hell out of Hiei. "And yes, I'd love to."

The demon smiled and extended his arm, which Kurama demurely accepted. He looked over his shoulder at Hiei, motioning for his disgruntled partner to follow.

'I know what you're playing at, Kurama, and I don't like it...' Hiei growled to himself and followed at a sedate pace.

By the time Hiei caught up, Kurama and the 'host' were deep in conversation.

"... and that's another thing that's so funny- to me, at least. Like, take for instance, this." With some small amount of disdain, he reached a hand out and wiped sweat off Yusuke's shoulder, lingering on the hot skin for a moment, though it looked as if it pained him to do so. Yusuke, again, struggled to pull away from the embrace, but sagged in his bindings as all others touching him removed themselves completely, offering him a moment of peace. He immediately tensed up, waiting for the next violation.

Bringing the hand to his face, the host snuffled the moisture, closing his eyes as he did so.

It was enough to make Hiei hurl.

"That smell... humans, as a rule, smell awful- they have no real sense of smell, so they have no idea that their idea of 'clean' is so incredibly... ineffectual. But this, the smell of fear, now that's completely different. It ignites something in me..." He trailed off, his eyes burning holes in Yusuke.

He tried not to, but Hiei couldn't help but look at the helpless boy. He wanted nothing more than to cut his friend down, but he knew it would be suicide. He tried to think, but his plans for escape fled his mind entirely, completely lost in shock as Kurama took Yusuke's chin in his hand and turned his head sharply to one side, sniffing along his taught neck. Hiei could see Yusuke trying to swallow, his body quivering, and he felt suddenly furious at everyone in the room- including his lover, his pathetic friend trussed up on display, and himself- for not being able to do a damn thing about it.

"Hm, you're right, Notaru, it's a wonderful smell. Spicy, almost..." Kurama's voice was low and deep, barely recognizable as his own.

"Yes, I suppose you can sense even more than I-" Suddenly cut off by a a servant whispering in his ear, Notaru nodded and brushed the smaller demon away. "You'll have to forgive me, my pet, but I have matters to which I must attend." With a slight bow, he turned and left.

Hiei stared horrible fiery death at his retreating back, before turning to see Kurama still holding Yusuke's face in his hand. His eyes widened in shock when he saw where the other hand was.

Kurama felt his blood singing. His entire body tingled as he ogled the half hanging human. Such a succulent feast of flesh... Normally humans weren't in his taste, opting instead for slightly more feminine, curvy demons- wings were something of a fetish of his. But still, it was soft and tender to the touch, and trembled so deliciously. His ears twitched as he caught a small whimper, and on impulse, he grasped the bobbing cock jutting from between shaking, muscular thighs, squeezing forcefully. His pale eyes were half lidded as he ran the tip of his nose along the soft pad of baby fat along his cheeks. So young- he could smell the ripeness of him, pooling out of every pore and beading on his sunkissed flesh. He squeezed again and heard two cries of distress, one muffled behind white cloth, the other by thinned lips.

A firm hand gripped his wrist in a painful hold, and Kurama finally focused on the owner after his hand was wrenched away from the shaft of flesh. Looking up with angry, predatory eyes, Kurama was about to bare his teeth when he suddenly realized what he was doing.

Blinking several times, he looked at his unrestrained hand and released Yusuke's face as if it had burned him. He flushed with shame and looked down to the floor, breaking out in a cold sweat.

"I... I-I don't know what came over me... I just." He gulped and looked at Hiei, whose gaze softened slightly as he released his arm. "I found myself suddenly... not myself..." He swallowed again and held a hand over his mouth.

Sensing the situation was verging on critical, Hiei pulled Kurama away to another unoccupied corner. "Kurama, listen to me." He shook his lover by the shoulder, snapping him back to reality. "Listen, we have to come up with a plan. We've found Urameshi, now we have to get him out of here in one piece."

'Come on, Kurama, I need you now. We both do.'

Kurama finally nodded, a look of resolve covering his face. "Right-"

He was cut off as Notaru began speaking from dead center of the room, at the top of a balcony. The roar of the room died down, but not before Hiei and Kurama could hear what was said. As soon as it was quiet, the room erupted again in shouts of numbers, leaving the two confused for the barest of moments.

"Uh oh. I think bidding has just begun. What are we going to do?" Kurama leaned down to place his mouth next to Hiei's ear just to make sure he could hear him over the noise.

"I don't know, I was hoping you had an idea."

Both detectives looked in Yusuke's direction. Hiei scowled again and Kurama looked miserable.

"We could just grab him and run."

"Kurama, have you completely lost it? Do you not see what we're up against here? Even if you and I could defeat all these demons, the chances of us doing it without Urameshi getting killed, not to mention us being in any condition to get him out of here, are practically nonexistent!" Hiei whispered heatedly into his ear.

"Well, Hiei, I don't happen to have my wallet with me!!" Kurama hissed back. After looking around in a slight panic for a moment, Kurama froze, then started hopping on the balls of his feet- a little sign that let Hiei knew he had thought of something, before mirroring his thoughts with words. "I've thought of something."

"Let's hear it." Hiei sighed, wishing this night was over and done with.

"Alright, it looks like all the rich guys are up in the balcony with our gracious host. Since he already has something of a rapport with me, I'll go up there, and with any luck, one of them will win the auction." He looked as though the sentence left a bad taste in his mouth- neither ever imagined a scenario where one of their friends would be sold like a piece of meat. Judging by the look of some of the bidders, meat was exactly all he was. Kurama shuddered. "If one does, I'll find a way to... persuade them to let me come along. Then, when we're alone, I'll free him."

"Great plan, but what if no one up there wins?"

"That's where you come in." Kurama was getting excited now. This had to work. His excitement was rubbing off on Hiei, though he tried his best to hide it.

It had been so long since he'd been in a real fight.

"Right. Jump him before he gets to his car." Hiei winked.

"You've been watching too much tv." Kurama smiled and with a nod, he left to find the stairway to the balcony. Hiei watched him go before turning his attention to the auctioneer, the balcony, the bidders- anything but Yusuke.

As the price got higher and higher, there were fewer and fewer bidders, allowing Hiei the opportunity to size each one up, discerning their apparent strengths and weaknesses, should one prove to outbid the men in the balcony.

'Hope you enjoy your little party, Notaru- it's going to be your last.'

Hiei was certain that when they got out of this mess, he and Koenma were going to have a nice little chat about certain dealings being allowed in the Spirit Realm.
 

**********
 

It took a little bit of lip service to make it past the guards at the base of the stairs, but he eventually convinced them he was very close to their boss and was allowed through. Once he made it up the spiral and through the heavy purple curtains, he stepped in between two more wealthy looking demons, less human in appearance than Notaru. Not that it mattered, they were all the scum of existence. Over the edge of the balcony, he could make out the tiny form of Yusuke, stretched before all eyes, and felt a swell of determination- and pride. Despite it all, Yusuke was still struggling.

The sound was less deafening up there, allowing Kurama a little more ease to fully run through the plan- and feel the full impact of what he had done earlier. He must not allow himself to lose control like that again. The youko was a merciless lech, when he wanted to be, but Shuuichi was human- he knew better, had more sensibilities, and what he was feeling earlier was just as bad as what everyone else was feeling. Somehow, he knew he had to make it up to his friend, even if he didn't know it was him violating him. Manners and trust dictated him to tell him, though, at some point.

He could tell the bidding was dying down, both in speed and in volume, it getting a little too rich for many demons' blood. It had all but stopped between a large monster of a demon, who looked as though he'd likely swallow Yusuke whole before he even left the building, and a much smaller, cloaked figure. Kurama, thinking his plan had failed, was silently ushering the little guy on- not that he doubted Hiei's ability to match the other, but more out of a fear of lack of opportunity.

During his little chat with Notaru, Kurama had learned that there were about fifteen humans there that night, up for auction as labor, recreation, exotic pets, or spare parts. Apparently, certain pieces of certain specimens were considered a delicacy to some. Kurama shuddered. The other fourteen humans were also a concern, but their main one was Yusuke. Kurama knew that Hiei would just as soon leave once Yusuke was rescued, but Kurama knew Yusuke would be displeased with that- everyone else before himself, and all- and figured finding a way to end this sick game was a good way to pay him back for his trespass. The later comment by Notaru that these 'meets' were only held once every few months made him furious- Notaru also said this had been the means of his amassed wealth, along with a few drugs from the human world that also had an interesting affect on most demons.

And judging by the scale of this amassed wealth, this had been going on for far too many years.

Koenma was fairly impartial to most humans, but Kurama decided to give him the benefit of the doubt for now, figuring he must merely be completely ignorant. Until they had a talk when he got back and he could find out the answer to that for sure, he wouldn't make any designs on endangering his diminutive employer.

The silence below drew his attention, as the volley of bids halted.

"Ichiiiii!"

...

"Niiiiii!"

...

"S-"

"Thirty million."

Kurama narrowed his eyes. So, his plan would work after all. A large pink blob of demon in an ecru suit to his right lowered his thick, bejeweled finger, all eyes on him as he smirked with thick, lizard-like lips.

The auctioneer, who was standing on a suspended platform overlooking the entire arena blinked, waiting for more, looking at the cloaked figure, who was now losing.

"Ichi!"

...

"Ni!"

...

"San! SOLD!"

The room erupted once more with shouts and groans, but the announcer with the microphone tried to keep a riot from breaking out, informing them all of refreshments in the parlor. Mostly appeased, the crowd decided not to revolt, though many glared angrily at the human, the cloaked demon and the monster who drove the prices so high- but not daring to glare at anybody in the balcony.

Slipping a coy look on his face, Kurama inched forward and ran his long fingers idly over the bald, bumpy head of the evening's winner. The man looked up with a bored expression, before it softened to something more appreciative.

"Yes, may I help you?"

Kurama felt greasy just from the bastard looking at him, but he smiled saccharine sweet anyway, wetting his dry lips in a more seductive manner than necessary. "Oh, not really. Just enjoying the company." Another seductive curve of his lips, and the man was hooked.

A ham hand reached around and grasped Kurama by his tail, and after only a gentle urging Kurama seated himself onto the man's ample, fleshy lap, smiling all the while like it was a great honor.

He could puke.

But that wouldn't be very productive, so he adjusted himself suggestively, turning his attention down below as servants began the unenviable task of removing Yusuke. Really, the boy just never gave up- completely spent, he still fought to the bitter end, resulting in a few bloody noses, several stumbles, and another swell of pride and deviation in Kurama's chest.

This was why Yusuke was the leader. This was why he would follow him to the end of the world and back.

Kurama tried to turn that affection onto his target, passing it off as his own. Apparently it worked, and Kurama cheered himself on.

'We'll be home in no time!'
 

**********
 

Hiei sighed in relief. As much as he was itching for a fight, he much preferred to do this the quiet way. As the minutes during the auction had worn on, his bloodlust ebbed, and an eerie sense of revenge filled him. They would all pay, but not until Yusuke- and his reputation- were safe. If word got out that 'Koenma's boy' was nearly sold to drug lords as some sort of toy, he'd never be feared or respected as a detective, and that would prove to be a great challenge, perhaps more than he could face.

Certainly not something Hiei wanted him to have to face. This was personal, now, and he was going to see his leader through to the very end, no matter what.

He was also very relieved that Kurama's plan had worked. The large beast would have posed a problem, possibly a threat to Yusuke, no matter how quickly he dispatched him. He could tell by the slavering maw what exactly was to be Yusuke's fate- a quick snack. As for the other demon, he was equally grateful he had lost- he could sense the power of the cloaked being and decided he alone was not enough to match him. Perhaps someone of Koenma's caliber could beat him, but in the best of circumstances Hiei could not see himself winning a battle with him.

Hiei looked up toward the balcony, though he couldn't make out his partner. 'Good luck, Kurama.'

Now unsure what to do, Hiei waited as the room thinned out, many demons leaving for refreshments, some staying behind. He hid himself as Yusuke was hauled off, struggling the entire way. Hiei nodded, glad that the detective gave his captors as much trouble as he gave everybody else.

A servant passed by with a thick ring of keys, followed by several more burly demons. Deciding they looked suspicious and really all too easy prey, Hiei discreetly followed. After all, if the main event was auctioned off and everyone was still around, that meant there were more slaves on the docket.

His revenge and bloodlust began to rise again. Time to get a little pay back while Kurama did his thing. Hiei smiled wickedly.
 

**********
 

By the time his new 'friend,' by the name of Toorima, was ready to return to his room, Kurama was more than ready to leave- he was just grateful it was with Toorima. For a moment, when he disentangled his thick, sticky fingers from his hair and stood to leave, Kurama thought his brilliant plans would end there. But, at the doorway, his round head swiveled on his neck, skin pulled like a hot wad of gum, and grinned at him.

How fortunate that he should be as dumb as he was ugly- and, apparently, horny.

Suppressing a shudder, Kurama came up behind him. Taking his arm, the two walked to an elevator. Kurama fought a hard-won battle with his resolve as those meaty paws ran up and down his arms and sides during the agonizingly slow ride to the top. When the doors finally, thankfully, opened, they turned left down a long, luxurious hallway. Kurama had never been in such an extravagant place, and allowed it to show, childlike, on his face.

"Notaru was kind enough to lend me a room for the evening." He winked one large sallow eye and fished a key out of his pocket, unlocking one of a set of double doors. He swung it open and entered first. Kurama followed and wandered slowly and aimlessly about the room, trying to calm himself when he heard the door shut and lock behind him. The fact that there was no bed settled his nerves slightly.

This, afterall, wasn't the first time he had sold himself. It was just the first time it really mattered.

"Wait here," Toorima ordered, moving to another door which lead to an adjacent room- Kurama could see the edge of a large bed. "I'll get us some refreshments."

Kurama smiled again and continued to look at paintings, rich furniture, and various antiquities before a certain familiar scent met his nose, and he felt himself slipping into a very familiar mood that he didn't need to be in. He closed his eyes and slightly shook his head.

"Ah, good, it's already here!" Kurama heard the happy exclamation and a clap of hands from the other room, followed by the sound of a door closing. Kurama took slow, deliberate steps into the other room, all the while trying to keep his disobedient body rooted to the spot.

And froze.

Toorima knelt on one knee, petting a writhing and whimpering Yusuke, who arched his back at the unwanted touch, his arms bound behind his back vainly fighting to free themselves to fight the demon off.

"Ah, you like?" Kurama didn't realize he had been staring, a familiar curl in his belly drawing his eyes to the body on the floor. He nodded absently. "Quite a find. Quite a find..." He ran a finger down Yusuke's cheek, the boy shying away. With a quick flick, the blindfold was removed.

Kurama held his breath as long lashes fluttered, revealing a pair of panicked and severely pissed off brown eyes. They glared at the beast towering over him before lighting on Kurama finally, and the look turned pleading, tears springing to the corners as Yusuke silently begged to be saved, his vocal cries muffled still by the gag.

Kurama blinked hard.

"Do you want to play with him?"

'Yes.'

"No." It was a growl, and Toorima angled his head back, staring up at him more carefully. Kurama played it off with a leer. "I want to play with you."

A smile broke out on Toorima's face as he groaned to his feet, staring at him even more lecherously. With barely a backwards glance at his captive, Toorima reached forward to embrace Kurama, pulling his unresisting body against his thick belly.

"I must say, this is a pleasant surprise. I figured you were trying to get at my latest acquisition. Though, being given the opportunity to 'play' with you, I wouldn't have minded sharing. Are you sure?" He buried his fingers into Kurama's hair when he nodded, leaning his face towards his own, and Kurama prepared himself for the revolting slab of purple meat to be pushed down his throat, but his eyes caught sight of Yusuke, and he found he couldn't really concentrate.

"Not in here..." He grumbled, trying to pull the demon back into the other room with him, grabbing him by the lapels of his suit. He really needed to not be in that room at that time. He needed Hiei.

But Toorima wouldn't budge. He seemed contemplative, and then, following Kurama's steady gaze to the floor, he turned to face the bound and gagged human. "Intoxicating, isn't it?"

The word brought Kurama's mind to the scent he could smell all the way in the other room, so much thicker now. He could smell the fear, the heat, the blood pumping through veins and he was quickly losing himself.

Kuronue quite enjoyed these kinds of moments, but Kurama knew, even as he slipped further, that he could not- would not subject anyone else to that, not even Hiei. He was slowly winning the battle, for a moment.

"I, like my dear host Notaru, am cursed with a fascination with humans. It seems to be coming into style." The man grinned maliciously then reared back a thick leg and kicked the struggling Yusuke square in the stomach. "Though I do get bored very easily..."

The next thing Kurama knew, Toorima was laying unmoving, face down on the floor, a pool of blackish blood surrounding his head. His thoughts were thick and heavy, and his blood sang.

He looked down at the human- relief was written in his beautiful brown eyes, along with uncertainty and more of the fear that he could smell.

'Mine' the smell said.

His amber eyes roved over the tanned body once more, pausing on the limp cock. A feral grin crossed his face and the human- almost as if in slow motion- blinked and turned his head to look at the fallen demon. Kurama's eyes followed.

Not moving.

Dead.

Good.

Mine.

He remembered the kick, the touches, and with a territorial gleam in his eye he reached over and hefted the great load, tossing him effortlessly through the open doorway into the other room. The human's eyes were trained on the object, ridiculous looking in its flight, and then they snapped back to his own in time with the resounding thud of landing.

Kurama smiled as he slowly lowered his body down to his hands and knees, hovering over the boy. He leant down to lick along the edge of the gag, from ear to ear, running his long nails along the length of the flaccid sex. The small body beneath his own shivered and his cock swelled in response to the touch. Such perfect submission.

Too perfect.

He expected this one to struggle, but the deer in the headlights look told him he'd have to snap him out of it to get any response. A cruel smile curved his lips at the prospect. Gripping slim hips in each hand, Kurama roughly flipped his prey over onto his knees and shoulders. He grunted with the suddenness of the impact, and Kurama reached further down, tugging brutally on the beautifully responsive cock, turning that grunt into a strangled moan. Folding over ontop of the shivering body, Kurama licked the back of an ear, ruffled the soft hair with his nose, pinched a nipple with his free hand.

The moans and squeaks issuing forth from his newly acquired toy made his rampant erection almost unbearable and, never being one to wait for what he wanted, he abandoned the heated flesh between the human's legs and stabbed two fingers into his tight hole. The boy lurched forward, but had no more give to move, so Kurama simply withdrew his fingers, slick with the boy's own precum, and jabbed them back in, earning another lurch, another muffled cry, another jump of his erection. Three fingers had the boy writhing and wailing pitifully, trying so hard in vain to twist out of his grip.

Now this was what he was talking about...

He smiled as he scissored his fingers one last time before removing his hand completely, it diving into his robe and britches to free his swollen organ. He licked his lips as he leaned back over the lean back, biting down firmly on a shell-like ear. He rested his cock along the crevice of the human's ass, and as if only just now realizing how real this was, the boy struggled even more, nearly causing Kurama to lose his balance. With a pleasured groan and without further hesitation, Kurama closed his eyes and snapped his hips forward, impaling the boy on his shaft down to the base, and paused, relishing the spasming, hot constriction as the body beneath his protested his presence. A low growl filled the room, a mix of his own pleasured moan and the tortured cry from below. Kurama opened his eyes and focused on the tiny pinpoints of darkness on the fine rug, watching as two more were created as tears slipped down those lovely rounded cheeks, a third dripping from between his lips.

Releasing his hold on the delicate ear, Kurama straightened, savoring all these sensations for only a moment more before he began a slow rhythmic pace, throwing his head back at the beauty of it all. The hot skin, the tightness surrounding him, the pathetic sounds and struggles, the scent of maleness that now permeated the room. His breath quickened and he scowled, it all ending too soon. He looked down at where he joined the human's body, the sight urging him even further to completion, and with a feral snarl he withdrew sharply and flipped the body back over, re-entering with a savage pace.

The boy kept his head to the side, eyes screwed shut and leaking tears as his chest heaved and his body was bruised and torn. The scent of blood hit Kurama's nostrils- blood unencumbered by flesh- and he hefted the slim hips, angling himself as he thrust to make the boy truly weep, his organ pulsing with the pleasure of the violation. He held his tongue, to listen to the heavy breathing and strangled sounds that broke free with every thrust from below him.

He was so close he could feel it building in his chest, his arms, his legs, and he squeezed the boy's ass until it bled, plunged in until he could go no further, rocking so hard only his legs and the human's head were on the floor before orgasm rushed to greet him, coursing through his body like electricity. He shuddered as he rode out wave after wave, his semen splashing hot and wet inside the too tight body, his mouth open and gasping. He finally stopped, feeling as though he was completely drained of life, and fell limp against the human's heaving chest, his still erect cock digging into his belly. With a smile, he eased himself out and laid down along the full length of the body, his hand resting in a loose ring around the shaft.

"Look at me." He whispered into the still bleeding ear. When he got no response, he squeezed his fist. With a startled sound and a shudder, the boy turned his head toward Kurama, eyes stubbornly closed.

Studying the soft features with half-lidded eyes, Kurama licked the salty trails from both eyes, nipped at the lips spread so invitingly by the gag, and repeated himself.

This time, the human obeyed. The big brown eyes met his own, clouded by confusion and pain- and deeper, betrayal. Deeper still, Kurama could see heat.

With three firm strokes those same eyes rolled back, eyelids slamming shut as hot, sticky fluid spread between Kurama's fingers, coating them and the smooth belly. His body rocked, back arching, thighs trembling, and Kurama continued to run his fingers in a tight ring from the spurting tip to the sparse curls at the base, loving this reaction as much as he did the resistance before.

"Look at me." He commanded once again, and the boy did, finally realizing obedience earned him respite from his pleasured torture. Kurama released his penis, growing flaccid against his belly, and nuzzled through his hair again, sticking out the tip of his tongue every now and again to taste salty flesh and wet hair.

Something nagged at him, screamed at him in the back of his mind, but a post-coital bliss overwhelmed him, and he could not make himself care.
 

**********
 

Hiei's guess had proved accurate as he followed the demons to a poorly lit hallway with several scattered doors. The entire entourage stopped at one, and Hiei waited until the bigger demons entered, leaving the one with the keys alone, before his slipped from the shadows and with only the sound of metal slicing through air, dispatched him without a second thought. He caught the keys before they hit the ground and slid them into a pocket, safe. Holding his gleaming, though now slightly soiled blade before him in both hands, Hiei waited for the demons to turn from the whimpering human girl and notice him.

He did not have to wait long.

With a smile born of hatred rather than mirth, Hiei leapt into action, maneuvering his blade from one worthless body to another, cutting off all words or attempts at protest until only he stood standing. The bodies fell over with heavy, wet sounds, and Hiei thought he hadn't heard such a pleasant sound in a very long time.

Replacing his blade, Hiei looked down at the petrified girl. He couldn't seem to find any compassion within him for her, so he did the only thing he could think of. She flinched as he reached back into his pocket and withdrew the keys, tossing them onto the floor between her bare legs.

"Release the others and wait for me down here. I will come back for you." The last sentence was as close to kindness as he could come to at that point, but it seemed to suffice, for the girl nodded and picked up the keys, clutching them to her naked breasts. "I suggest you hurry." Hiei turned and left the room, though he hid in the shadows to be safe.

After some shuffling sounds, Hiei saw the girl exit, wearing the black coat off one of his slain foes and carrying a severe looking curved blade. She ran to the door right across from her and entered. Hiei could hear her speaking comfortingly to the occupant. With a nod, Hiei left the dungeon to see how Kurama was faring.

He encountered no one else on his way back to the main floor, but there was definite chaos once he got there. Without the slaves on the block, the crowd was getting restless. Hiei looked around, finally grabbing a flagpole bearing a coat of arms that he highly doubted originated in the Spirit Realm, and stabbed it into the door jamb. He snapped off the access, effectively locking the door, for a while at least.

'Just to be safe. Now, to find the others.'

He was sure Kurama would have taken care of the winner of the auction by then. From what little he had been able to discern from the great distance between the floor and the balcony, the demon seemed little more than an unsightly jelly roll. The guards that once stood at the base of the stairs had gone, to attend to the increasingly restless crowd, and Hiei made it to the balcony without any trouble. He hid in the shadow of another floor length curtain as Notaru and several other demons left in quite a hurry, obviously trying to get to the bottom of the delay. Hiei would have very little time.

Only a few demons remained in the box, and after stealthily and instantly slaughtering all but one, he cornered the other against the railing, blade to his throat.

"Where is Kurama?"

"Wh-what?" The demon was spooked, but not convinced.

Hiei grabbed his collar and hefted him over the edge of the balcony. After allowing the demon enough time to realize Hiei was more than he appeared, and it was a very long fall, Hiei put forth the question again, rethinking his words. "Where is the man who won the auction?"

"H-He's on the top floor!"

"What room?"

"..." The demon's wide eyes were trained on the floor below. Hiei allowed his grip to slacken marginally, regaining his attention.

"What room!"

"I- I don't know! I don't know!"

Hiei frowned darkly. "Then you are of no use to me."

He allowed the words to sink in before he actually dropped him. He looked over the edge and watched the hapless demon fall on the large monster from earlier. As he turned to leave, he heard the pained screams and distinctive sound of someone being torn limb from limb, the crowd cheering.

We found the elevator quickly, though the ride up was rather slow. Once he reached the right floor, he looked both ways, guessing at about twenty doors.

"Nothing to do but eliminate them all one by one." He mused to himself. He turned right and went to the end of the long hallway, drawing his sword and bracing himself as he kicked open the door. It had not occurred to him to knock, but it amounted to little as it was not occupied. He did find, however, that every two doors led to the same large room, separated by another doorway, but it ultimately made his job easier- only ten rooms, then.

He exited and broke down the door of the room across the hall, finding it, too, empty. So he continued until he was at the last two rooms at the other end of the hallway. He decided on a little more tact this time around, and opened the one on the left, and froze.

"Eeek!!"

"Who the hell are you?"

Hiei blushed to his roots and murmured an apology before rushing back into the hallway and slamming the door behind him, leaning on it. A serpent and an ogre should definitely not be in that position. Hiei shuddered.

Hiei suddenly became aware of a small keening sound, bringing his mind back to the matter at hand and the room across from him. Quietly, he inched open the door and a quick peek inside revealed a large body- the 'winner.' Hiei nodded to himself. Kurama had succeeded, then.

He smiled. His fox always made him proud.

Checking that no one else was in the room, Hiei slipped inside and shut the door quietly behind him. Just because this demon was dead, was not to say there were no others in the suite. He heard the cry again, a sort of wail- he had heard a similar sound from a dying dragon-ling, once. It was the kind of sound that broke your heart. Hiei went cold as he quietly made his way to the open doorway connecting this room to the next.
 

**********
 

The fuzz began to clear his mind, finally, and Kurama felt disoriented. His body was numb, though warm, and he could see nothing but blackness. Something warm and soft shifted beneath him with a strange strangled sound, and the blackness in his vision shifted, burying his nose in soft, inky strands. He soon recognized the lazy feeling of great sex and smiled, closing his eyes as he snuggled Hiei's body closer to himself. But it wasn't quite right...

The body was too long, too lean. There was a strange boiling sensation in his gut, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly why he suddenly felt so cold.

"K... Kurama..."

Kurama opened his eyes and looked down into the eyes of his gagged, brown eyed lover, who was not his lover. Trailing dazed eyes up, Kurama focused on Hiei, standing in the doorway. Hiei looked positively shell-shocked. Yusuke whined- he looked back down, and yes, it was indeed his leader he was straddling. Kurama felt the irrepressible urge to vomit. His muscles wouldn't obey him- all he could do was look back up at Hiei, who now had a completely impassive look on his face. Kurama reached a shaky hand out toward him, calling his name weakly.

His name, from those lips under those eyes, in such a lost tone broke Hiei from the barriers he had instinctively placed up. He rushed to Kurama and, grasping his shoulders, rolled his limp body to the floor. He had never seen his lover so pale, as he lay with his head in his lap, staring at nothing.

Looking over his shoulder at Yusuke, he could not catch the other's eye. A well of emotions built in him, but he knew he had to take command or they would never get out of there alive. This... whatever this was, would have to be dealt with later- first thing was survival.

He looked back down at Kurama, who's lost gaze had not changes and regretted what he had to do next. He brought Kurama's attention back to the moment with a resounding slap which echoed oddly loud in the room. Kurama blinked several times, before finally really looking at Hiei.

"We have to get out of here." He said.

'Everything will be fine.' His eyes said.

Kurama nodded and he swallowed, storing all the suddenly reviving memories as deep down inside himself as he could. "I'll... you get Yusuke." Kurama sat up and arranged his clothes back into their proper places, trying not to look at the others.

Hiei pulled a rose patterned comforter off the bed- noting no small amount of irony- and wrapped it around Yusuke's body. On his part, he struggled for only an instant before he seemed to remember himself, though he still wouldn't meet Hiei's eyes.

In all truthfulness, Hiei had imagined this scenario much differently. He imagined Yusuke, mortified and oh so grateful to see his friends, thanking them until he was blue in the face as they liberated him, allowing each a swell of pride before the humility wore off and Yusuke was fit for having his face rubbed in it.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

Yusuke wasn't supposed to look this ashamed. He wasn't supposed to look defeated. Kurama wasn't supposed to be pulling himself back together from a break that he could only begin to imagine the repercussions of. Were they even still friends anymore? Yusuke didn't seem all that grateful to see either of them, and Hiei couldn't altogether blame him. Dampening his rising emotions once more, Hiei snapped the rope binding his hands and began to pick up Yusuke as carefully as he could, to convey all the trust and security that he was able to, but the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps thwarted that small attempt at mercy, and he flung his body over one shoulder. He made brief eye contact with a self depreciating Kurama. Hiei suddenly felt very angry.

"I said deal with it later, Youko! If you don't stop feeling sorry for yourself, and I mean right now, none of us are going to make it out of here alive. This is no time for self pity- Yusuke is our main concern, he's the one who needs attention, so if you want to make it out of this to atone- if you want Yusuke to thrash your sorry ass later, get with the program now!" His tone was as sharp and biting as he could manage, and it worked.

Kurama's look turned to one of resolve and he nodded, conjuring his rose whip. Sword in one hand, holding a Spirit Detective's ass in place with the other, they both swiftly made their way to the hallway, taking care of the approaching demons with the greatest of ease.

Kurama barely had the thought that it was too easy before he felt an almost blinding pain on the right side of his head. He was on his side on the carpet before he quite knew what had happened. He heard an angry snarl from Hiei and looked up to see Notaru glaring down at him, then at Hiei.

"I knew I'd find you here. And just to make sure you don't underestimate my intelligence, I didn't need all the noise to figure it out."

Hiei silently wished he hadn't been so gung-ho in his search earlier, frowning deeper, though more at his own foolishness.

Notaru smiled congenially and pushed a dark green lock of hair behind his ears as they were all surrounded by a black wall of fog that crackled with red energy. "Toorima was a blind fool, and a disgusting pig besides, so I must thank you for dispatching him. He was the guest that wouldn't leave. However, I am not a fool, Spirit Detectives."

Kurama and Hiei gasped, and Hiei thought he felt Yusuke's body tense. Kurama made it to his feet and backed up to stand beside Hiei. "You knew, then." He gasped as dark blood trickled down his temple, dripping off his chin onto the carpet.

Notaru nodded. "As soon as you arrived, actually." Two more surprised looks. "Well, you don't assume I chase after every pretty tail- no pun intended- that enters my house uninvited, do you?" He snorted at Kurama. "Resources told me that there were two of Koenma's boys stirring up trouble, looking for their lost companion. Ohh, I can't tell you how delighted I was that this little gold mine turned suddenly into the golden goose." He smiled wistfully, shoving his hands into his pockets and rocking on his heels- completely unintimidated by either of his opponents, which severely pissed Hiei off.

"Though, to be honest, I had really hoped Junior would have shown up himself, but, he's a busy little man, and I knew someone would- makes all the trouble worth while."

"How do you figure that, exactly?" Hiei asked coldly, watching closely as Notaru began to pace along the circle the barrier created.

"I'm no fool, as I said- Koenma has three little prodigies- well, four, but the other is a human that rarely travels to this realm. So, let me see if my education has failed me; One... Two... Ah, what do you know- three. That leaves me one very hot hand in this little game, and Lord Koenma shit out of luck. Even with you he didn't have the guts to face me, and now without you- he doesn't stand a chance. Spirit Realm and Earth is mine for the taking, once I get the little prince." He laughed again. "Yama wouldn't dare oppose me with his bouncing baby bitch in my clutches." He stopped moving at his original place, facing the detectives with a very smug expression.

"You won't succeed, you do realize, that, don't you?" Kurama hissed. Notaru raised one elegant eyebrow. "Emperor Yama is not blind- he will see through your plan and defeat you." The conviction in Kurama's voice strengthened Hiei, and he glared at their captor with equal ferocity.

Notaru simply smiled again and waved them off as he turned to leave, fazing through the barrier with no trouble at all. "Perhaps. Unfortunately, you won't be around to see which one of us is correct." With a snap of his fingers, the wall began to close in, and the demon walked away, uninterested, laughing the entire way.

Kurama pressed himself firmly against Hiei's side, and the two gritted their teeth, looking for any breaks or apparent weak spots in the shield. A strand of Kurama's hair struck the wall, and with an angry red explosion of light and sound, the hair was instantly burnt to less than ash. Kurama pressed tighter, and Hiei placed Yusuke at his feet, drawing his sword and striking ineffectually at the closing energy field. Even the rose whip cause no damage, only drawing more sparks of red heat and sounds of high voltage electricity.

"This can't be it!" Hiei swore as he inched back as far as he could, dropping his sword. Behind him, Kurama clasped his hands.

"I'm sorry, Hiei. I'm so sorry, Yusuke." Kurama closed his eyes, and his world was consumed with fire, and he knew no more.
 

**********
 

'I screwed up.'

'No, you tried your best.'

'This isn't the end.'

'I ruined everything.'

'Hang on, we'll get out of here. We just have to hang on.'

'You can't blame yourself.'

'It wasn't enough.'

'It'll all be okay.'

'I'm here. We all are. We're all going to be fine.'

'This wasn't how I wanted it to end. I'm just like them.'

'Don't say  that!'

'I refuse to let it end this way.'

'I'm a monster.'

'I love you.'

'I forgive you.'

'I love you.'

'I love you.'

'I refuse.'
 

**********
 

"I'M NOT GOING TO LET IT END THIS WAY, DAMMIT!!"

Kurama and Hiei's eyes snapped open at the cry, followed by a furious scream. Kurama looked up to see Yusuke's arms outstretched, his entire body burning with a blue light that poured from his very soul, turning white at the edges and bleeding into the blackness that surrounded them all. The light broke up the seamless emptiness, tearing it asunder. The black shrieked and writhed in pain, unable to stop it's destruction at the power of the human spirit. Yusuke's entire body rippled from the strain of releasing so much energy, and both of his friends on the floor marveled at it at the same time they feared the strain on his life. Kurama's eyes widened.

Life energy.

"Don't die for me... please, Yusuke..."

He couldn't hear, but it didn't matter- the blackness was slowly thinned until the walls and shredded doors and the lush carpet of the hallway was visible. In a matter of moments, it began to crack like glass, and it shattered with a final spray of energy and angry sound before disappearing entirely.

The room seemed like a vacuum. No sound, nothing moved. Kurama waited for his friend to drop, lifeless.

Yusuke turned to both Hiei and Kurama and smirked crookedly, the energy surrounding his body fading to a pale blue glow just off the surface of his skin.

"Well? I did the hard part- how about you guys do some work for a change?"

It was such a shock, Hiei didn't even have the faculties to catch Yusuke when he finally did collapse. Kurama and Hiei crawled quickly to his side, faces different shades of concern and fear. Hiei grabbed his neck firmly, waiting, as Kurama's vision blurred with tears.

"... He has a pulse. It's faint- very faint- but it's there." He looked at Kurama, so without any discernible emotion on his face, Kurama figured that he must have looked that way at birth- completely without the knowledge of himself or the world to express what he was feeling. It made him feel the giddy need to laugh, but he fought it.

He realized he must have looked the same way as Hiei lost his battle with the giggles.

"Kurama," He choked out, "You look scared half out of your mind..."

"Hiei," Kurama assured, "I am scared entirely out of my mind..."

The two laughed nearly hysterically for a moment before gathering their wits and standing, Yusuke now more securely cradled in Hiei's arms.

"I think it's a damn good thing he beat me by luck."

"Why's that?" The two walked sedately towards the elevator.

"If he'd have beat me any other way, I'd have been screwed."

The doors opened and the two stepped in, riding silently to the bottom floor.

"I don't hurt anywhere at all."

"Me neither. Your hair isn't burnt, either."

Their feet finally touched the ground as the doors opened, and they took fighting stances, though nothing but eerie silence met them. Kurama stepped cautiously into the hallway, motioning for Hiei to follow. The snuck as quietly and inconspicuously down the stairs as they were able. Kurama made a move toward the exit, but Hiei grabbed his tail with his teeth and pulled, finally leading him down another hallway, stopping before a large, battered door. Shifting the weight so he could have at least one hand free- and ruefully spitting out hairs- Hiei reached down and pulled a small cylindrical length of wood from the jamb, and pushed it open with his foot. A gaggle of pathetic looking humans wearing oversized articles of clothing and bearing knives prepared to launch, but the small woman in front halted them, and the entire lot stood, shivering, and waited.

Kurama looked down at Hiei, whom all the others were similarly staring at in awe and gratitude, and suddenly broke out into a sweet grin. "Aw, Hiei, you already thought of them! That's so sweet!"

Hiei sweatdropped and silently prayed he wouldn't kiss him. Not in front of these humans, anyway.

"See? He can be a decent guy when he wants to be..."

Kurama and Hiei looked down at Yusuke, but he was fast asleep.

"Um..." Hiei mumbled, suddenly feeling elated, though they were not safe yet. "I think we had better leave, now."

Kurama nodded, and though all the humans seemed very unsure, their fear won out and they followed in a tight pack.

"Heaven help them if someone decides to lob a bomb, or something. They'll all go out in one blow." Hiei whispered to Kurama, who nodded, but said nothing. The group all made it outside, still not encountering anyone, and made it past the gates and into the dense woods, where they continued to run until they could no longer see the glow of the mansion. Resting in a clearing of tall grass that easily his them as they sat, Kurama took out his communicator and tried to hail Botan, but after several minutes of waiting no friendly face appeared.

With a sinking feeling in his gut, Kurama put it back in his robe and tried to think. Their first priority, obviously, was getting all these humans safely back home. How to do that, was another thing.

'Their memories might also cause some problems...' He mused.

Deciding there was really nothing they could do at the time, and sensing that none of them were really in the shape to try, Kurama laid back, resting beside Hiei who tucked Yusuke more snugly into the blanket. The humans all huddled together in an attempt to gain warmth as they rested a safe distance away, still too unsure to include the detectives. Kurama draped an arm across Yusuke and grasped Hiei's shoulder, smiling wanly at him.

"I'm sorry, Hiei."

"Don't think about that right now."

"I'll have to eventually."

Hiei nodded. "I now. Let's wait until we're all 'here' before we do."

Kurama nodded slowly and closed his eyes, squeezing his lover's shoulder affectionately as Hiei placed his own hand on his hip.

'Some vacation.' Hiei thought as he drifted into a light sleep, ears keen to pick up any oncoming danger, mind replaying a voiceless conversation he couldn't really remember.
 

**********
 

Something tickled Hiei's nose. Of course, he twitched it, but the warmth pressing against him shuddered, so he stopped, wanting the stillness so he could resume his blissful trek into oblivion. Something tickled his nose. Twitch, shudder, stop. Tickle- really, this was getting ridiculous- he just wanted to sleep, but now a sound was offending his senses, a light and golden tinkling of bells that pissed him off. Finally, grudgingly, Hiei opened his eyes, mostly expecting to see Kurama's laughing green eyes, halfway hoping it would be Yusuke's warm brown eyes, and completely shocked to find Botan's dancing purple eyes staring him in the face.

He jerked back, looking around in a disoriented shock. In the crisp morning light, Hiei could see Kurama hiding his giggles behind his hand, sitting in the grass a yard away; Yusuke beside himself, cackling in that way of his, and Botan hovering over where his head used to lay, dandelion head in hand.

"Really, you're so difficult to wake, Hiei." She tried to keep her tone serious, but her mirth bled through in her voice and her eyes. A grin finally quirked her mouth and she dropped the weed, pulling her oar higher into the air so that Hiei could stand.

"Ignorant girl..." He mumbled as he brushed nonexistent dirt off his shirt.

Yusuke merely rolled over, burying his face in the soft grass, and Hiei grunted in jealousy. He nearly kicked him in the ribs, but at the last minute remembered he really shouldn't.

Which led him to...

"Where are the other humans?"

Botan lazily poked Yusuke's unresponsive back with her foot. "Some of the more delicate office ogres and myself got here shortly after dawn and found them all bundled up in a herd, freezing, the poor things. We patched them up, did a little brain washing- or rather, cleaning, and sent them on their way- in their own world, of course." Botan winked. "All safe and sound, though it really is so sweet of you to be concerned-"

"I am not concerned!" Hiei blushed and turned his head, crossing his arms, to hide that fact.

Botan mm-hmed in an unconvinced manner, still pestering Yusuke enough to keep him conscious, but not enough to entice him to get up. "Yes, I suppose we all must keep up appearances... Well, how are you boys feeling? Up to some paperwork, I hope."

"You have got to be kidding..." Kurama brushed his red locks from his eyes to more clearly see Botan, as if his eye's deception might hinder his hearing.

"No. We need to know exactly what went on in that mansion."

"Oh damn- Notaru got away!" Kurama punched his fist angrily.

"You mean Notaru Nagoya, the drug lord? He's been all taken care of!" Botan happily chimed.

"Really?" Now it was Hiei who was unbelieving.

Botan nodded. "I think it would be best if Koenma told you himself- I wasn't there when it happened."

"When what happened?" Kurama stood and walked to stand beside Hiei.

"All will be answered in due time. But first, we have to get you, sleepyhead, up!"

Yusuke reached up and grabbed Botan's ankle. "Stop. Poking. Me." And pulled her off her oar with a squawk. The plan backfire, minorly, and Botan landed with her rump firmly planting Yusuke's face into the dirt, but oddly enough, he still didn't stir.

"Oh, poor thing. You must be so exhausted... You'll have to tell me everything that happened- I was so worried about you all!" Botan picked herself up and sat back on her oar, dragging Yusuke along. "My goodness, you've got no clothes on!"

Kurama coughed and blushed, clearing his throat. "Shall we go then?"

"Well, I suppose." Botan agreed, more worried now. "I'll see you boys back at the palace. I'll go ahead and take Sleeping Beauty here and get him cleaned up- he's a mess."

As if on cue, a clump of grass fell off his forehead, causing his pilot to sweatdrop. Wrapping an arm firmly around his waist, Botan and her pet project lifted into the air and took off towards the castle.

As soon as they were gone from sight, Hiei and Kurama began heading in that direction as well. After a while, Hiei began to feel the silence wasn't a healthy one, but already knowing the cause, he was reluctant to breach the subject. He didn't entirely agree with himself, when he'd said earlier they all three needed to talk it out together first. Hiei began to realize Kurama was going through a lot, and getting the brunt of it off his chest without Yusuke around might be good for him. Maybe if he could speak about it to Hiei, he'd have a clearer understanding and be able to handle the later discussion with their friend better.

"Kurama... do you want to talk now?" Hiei waited.

They walked on in more silence, until Kurama sighed.

"Yes. I do."

Hiei slipped his hand into Kurama's and squeezed it comfortingly.

"You're such an old softy." Kurama teased, and Hiei didn't counter him, merely accepting the attempt at levity and waiting. After another sigh, Kurama squeezed back. "I don't... know what happened. You saw me earlier, how I was acting... Oh, I should have known something was wrong, I should have let you handle the whole thing!" Kurama scratched his forehead, thinking.

"Did Yusuke say anything to you, earlier?"

Kurama shook his head absently. "I woke up first. The humans were already gone. I got up and... distanced myself. I didn't want to alarm him when he woke up, being in such an intimate position." Kurama winced at the words, navigating carefully through rocks and dead branches littering their path. "He woke up not long after, looking a little confused and surprised. Then he saw me and... he remembered. I-... I tried to apologize, but he just shook his head and laid back down..."

Hiei squeezed his hand again.

"He didn't say anything else, and I didn't press- I can't blame him for hating me..."

"It was an awfully vague reaction to constitute a sense of 'hate,' don't you think?"

Kurama shook his head again, frustration showing clearly on his face. "What else would he feel? I mean, if you were in his shoes, would you have wanted to hear me apologize? It's not enough, Hiei, sorry just... isn't enough."

"If I were in his shoes, I would have turned around and raped you."

"Please, be serious, Hiei."

'For once, I try to tell a joke...'

"Well?... What else happened?"

"Nothing. Botan appeared and started pestering you." Kurama cracked a tiny smile at this, but it quickly faded. "... I just lost a friend."

"You don't know that."

"He's more than a friend. He's... my hero."

"I know." Hiei nodded, not daring to reveal his shared sentiment. "But I find it hard to believe Yusuke would settle this matter with a mere shake of his head. Unless he fires at your head, don't so readily assume he hates you."

Hiei dropped his hand and walked ahead, Kurama stalling behind.

Kurama wanted to be optimistic like Hiei- their roles so reversed seemed like another dream- but he had a hard time being so hopeful. He wondered what had made his friend so sure. Perhaps he knew something he didn't? Perhaps Kurama had misunderstood his perception of his leader- it made sense, what Hiei said. If Yusuke was upset, you- not to mention the entire city block- would know about it. He had heard him yell at his mother enough times to know that for sure, but was this the same kind of situation? This had never happened before... that he could have allowed himself-

"Will you stop beating yourself up and come on??" Kurama's eyes snapped up to meet Hiei, who stood ahead with his hands on his hips, waiting impatiently. "Like you said, you weren't yourself. You couldn't control yourself." Hiei stepped down off the large rock he was on and walked to Kurama, taking his hand again in an effort to soften his words.

"How can you be so hopeful?... I'm a monster..."

Hiei shook his head, before pulling Kurama down to plant a chaste kiss on his cheek. "I'm sorry that I can't change your mind about that."

'I only hope someone can.'
 

**********
 

'How the hell did I wind up being the problem solver?' Hiei groused to himself, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he roamed the hallways of the palace. He knew where his damned sensibilities- courtesy of his time spent with Kurama- were telling him to go, but peacemaker was not a title he was all-too willing to add to his epithet. But then, he was never one to run from a challenge, either, so of course, in due time, he found himself before a door and entered, without bothering to knock.

From the looks of the occupants of the room, no one even noticed to give a damn. Yusuke lay bandaged and coddled on a big, soft bed by a bunch of ogres that were trying too hard. So hard, in fact, Yusuke looked fairly pissed off.

"I said... I'm FINE!" He barked between gritted teeth, shooting lasers from his eyes at the poor peons only following orders. Yusuke, as usual, was not one to give a rat's ass. "GET OUT AND LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!!"

In a jumble of screeches and protests and stumbling pastel-colored bodies, the room cleared out, allowing Yusuke to slump back into the pillows and heave a sigh of relief, and Hiei to slip further into the room.

Hiei seated himself on the edge of a table right next to the bed, pushing his tattered green jacket out of the way and obstructing Yusuke's view of a softly flickering television set, though his leader seemed not to be watching it anyway. They sat in silence for a while, either looking at each other or not, depending on the luck of the moment.

Finally, Yusuke sighed. "Look, I know what you're here for, so why don't you just spit it out."

"To hell with pleasantries, then? Fine. Kurama is beating himself up right now, and I can't talk any sense into him. He needs to speak to you, but he's afraid of what you think of him now- he's afraid of losing you."

Yusuke didn't seem surprised in the least, so Hiei continued, more quietly now as he reached the heart of the matter.

"... Do you forgive him, Yusuke?"

"No." Yusuke answered without hesitation, huffing and trying to get more comfortable on the overstuffed pillows.

Hiei's head rocked back as if struck, disbelief written on his face. Despite all of Kurama's voiced concerns, for some reason it had never occurred to him that Yusuke would not be all forgiving. It seemed to go against his entire nature, and Hiei sat there in silence for some minutes, trying to reassess his perception his friend.

Yusuke's eyebrows shot up and he shifted his head, looking at Hiei as if he were the biggest idiot in the world. "'Cause there's nothing to forgive. Che'." Shaking his head at Hiei's ignorance, Yusuke resettled himself more comfortably on the bed with his hands behind his head. "Now do you mind? You make a better door than a window."

Hiei's brows furrowed so much they hurt, and he shifted to the side, allowing Yusuke a view of the news.

"Nothing to forgive?"

"Yeah." Yusuke absently replied, reaching for the remote and channel surfing at lightning speed. "We already talked about this."

Hiei narrowed his eyes. Perhaps the boy had hit his head?

"Not very much..."

"Not just now, artard... back at the mansion." At Hiei's continued blank look, Yusuke elaborated. "You know, when we were all about to die and stuff? Ring any bells?"

Vaguely, Hiei did remember some sort of conversation, though he didn't remember actually speaking or hearing anything. He nodded anyway.

"Cool. Now shut up." Yusuke cranked up the volume on a soccer game, Ogres verses Water Demons. The Ogres were getting pulverized. "Man those guys suck... can't even do decent paperwork- which reminds me! When you go see Koenma, kick his ass once for me, alright? This mess never would have happened if it weren't for his stupid idea of a joke. I'd do it myself, but he apparently thinks he has me pegged- I can't leave and he's sure as hell not venturing down here... Probably wouldn't anyway. Think he was lookin' to replace me?"

Hiei waited a heartbeat before sighing. Really, why did he even bother? This kid just could not take life seriously.

"Listen to me, Ura-... Yusuke. This magnanimous attitude isn't going to work well with Kurama. You're going to need a better explanation-"

"Well, then, I'll explain to him when he decides to visit. Why should I explain myself to you? I don't feel like saying it twice and I highly doubt you care."

Hiei had the sense to look slightly offended. "That's not true. I wasted my time to rescue you, didn't I?" And as soon as he said it, he realized how bad it really sounded, though it really didn't bother him too much.

"Sorry to waste your time." Yusuke rolled over, presenting the landslide game and Hiei with his back.

"Yusuke..." Hiei reached out a hand, never really resting it on his shoulder. "I... do care."

Yusuke sat up quickly, startling Hiei. "Some way to show it! You didn't even ask how I was!!" Yusuke screamed at him.

Hiei blinked a few times, a scowl slowly covering his face. "How do you feel?"

Yusuke stared him down for a moment. Then smiled bright enough to illuminate all the nothingness of space. "Great, pal, thanks for askin'!" He cackled, slapping Hiei on the shoulder amiably.

Hiei was, frankly, stunned. This made no sense. Yusuke had gone completely batshit insane. His head hurt.

'I'm getting the hell out of here...'

"See ya later!" Yusuke waved exuberantly. Hiei waved back dumbly, most of his facilities leaving him for a martini break.

Once the door was shut, safely securing the madness inside the room, Hiei began assimilating information.

Yusuke, most importantly, was not mad. For whatever reason, he seemed to hold no grudge against Kurama. This was good- this was very good. But Yusuke also seemed to have some issues regarding his standing with himself. While he would admit he had never been a very open individual, except in Kurama's case, he reasoned he had not been too terribly cold to their leader. And he did care, a fact that continually reminded and irritated him, even moreso lately. Perhaps he should try to be nicer- he shuddered at the word and damned Kurama to hell and back for rubbing off on him. This put serious kinks in his plans for utter humiliation he had planned for the loudmouth.

And that brought to mind his next order of business- Koenma. Yes, now this was something he knew perfectly well how to handle, and he was more than glad to.

With a smirk, Hiei pushed himself away, only barely noting to himself that Yusuke had not thanked him for the daring rescue, and that warranted at least one peg to knock him down.
 

**********
 

Kurama paced and paced. Once that particular area of floor became monotonous, he moved on to another identical patch of marble and paced some more. He was getting good at this. Over his shoulder he could hear the rustling of papers. Every now and then they'd stop, then start up again. Then they stopped again and he heard a sigh.

"Oh, for crying out loud, sir, why don't you just go and talk to him? I heard that he was in a fairly good humor... well, sort of, anyway." The blue ogre scratched his head, sweating a bit. In all honestly, he had never seen Yusuke in a 'good mood.' Koenma had that effect on some people. Kurama was having that effect on him now. He'd been down in his office for over two hours, just walking back and forth, back and forth. He was getting dizzy just watching him! Not to mention he got off work in only an hour, with only two stacks of paperwork left, and Kurama was distracting him.

Kurama had at least stopped moving, finally, but he didn't seem to be ready to take George's advice.

Kurama knew he had to face Yusuke eventually, but he couldn't even face himself. What if Yusuke refused to ever speak to him again? The idea of those warm brown eyes turning icy and shutting him out forever hurt his heart. He loved that boy. He loved him every bit as much as he loved Hiei. The love was different, settling in a different part of his chest, but it was just as strong, and the thought of living without either of them nearly killed him in itself. He knew Hiei had forgiven him, but his refusal to accept it so easily, without earning it, was stretching his lover's patience with him. Though in all fairness, it wasn't really Hiei's forgiveness at the front of his mind. He knew, though, that once he came to terms with all of this, Hiei's support would finally mean everything to him that Hiei had meant it to- Hiei still loved him, despite it all.

Would Yusuke?

"Time to find out!" Kurama asserted, clapping his hands in an attempt to bolster himself with a strength he did not possess.

"That's the spirit, Kurama! No time like the present!" George cheered. "Do you know... where... the room, uh, what are you doing!?"

Kurama had begun pacing again.

"I don't know what to say."

George stepped out from behind his desk to Kurama, pushing none too gently on his shoulders, propelling him toward his goal and away from his office. "I find that the words that need to be said can't be forced and practiced. The right words come only at the right time."

"... That's very deep, George."

"And it's true! Besides, the longer you wait the worse it gets! You'll see!" With one final urge, Kurama was moving of his own accord and George could release a long pent up sigh of release. "Now, to finish up and OH NO!!!!"

George pulled at his hair as he vainly searched for his desk under a mountain of paperwork.

"Gee, you've been slacking!" An orange ogre commented before George had no alternative but to give him a black eye.
 

**********
 

"Oh dear."

Hiei stormed in and stood fearlessly before Koenma's desk, arms crossed over his chest as he scowled down at the tiny ruler.

"May I help you, Hiei?" Koenma seemed thoroughly nonplused.

"Leave, woman."

Botan, looking slightly worried and more than slightly offended, walked toward the door, mumbling to herself about 'not very friendly' and shutting the doors behind her.

"Well, now that you've ordered my assistant away- someone higher than you on the corporate ladder, I might add- I put forth the question again. May I help you?"

"I have a few questions that you are going to answer."

Koenma nodded, setting aside his stamp and clasping his tiny hands together in front of him. "Ah yes, I knew you would. I expected you a lot sooner, I must say. You're getting rusty."

Hiei growled and narrowed his eyes. Koenma hid a cough.

"In any case, I know what you're here to ask."

"Then why did you ask if-" Oh, to hell with it. The deity was confounding and trying to understand him would only worsen his headache.

'It must be a prerequisite for all Gods to be completely deranged... and it's rubbing off on us all!'

Which really explained Botan.

As if reading his thoughts, Koenma's look darkened before he shrugged it off. "The truth is, Hiei, I could not have foreseen these events, and I am truly sorry they took place."

Hiei snorted.

"It's true!" Koenma defended himself- without success. "I had merely meant to get the brat out of my hair for a while, not chained up in some slave factory! As much little faith and great aggravation I have invested in him, he is my Spirit Detective and my responsibility- I would not knowingly send him into such a situation!"

"You mean like sending him to fight Rando with no experience? Or facing Kurama, that big oaf and myself? Or perhaps the Toguro Brothers?"

Koenma sweatdropped. "... eh, those times were different..."

"HOW!?" Hiei boomed, slamming his fists on the desk with a loud thunder of sound.

"Because Yusuke was never raped!" Koenma met the gesture and the two stared long and hard at each other, before Hiei finally heard the words and blinked.

"You... y-you..."

"Yes, I know about that... And... I'm sorry for using such a strong term. What I mean to say, is, those were battles I was more than fifty percent sure Yusuke could walk away from. This situation was entirely unexpected."

"But... but how? Yusuke said you hadn't spoken to him."

"I didn't need to. Once Botan informed me of where you and Kurama were headed, I decided to watch- that was foolish and risky, going in there without any backup! Good job, by the way." Koenma smiled for a moment before he turned serious again.

"..." Hiei sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Thank you. So, you're saying you saw everything? Why didn't you help? You said yourself, Yusuke is your responsibility."

"I did? Oh, fishsticks. Well, he's really Botan's-"

"KOENMA!!"

"Alright, alright!" Koenma leapt back into his chair, seeking safety. "The truth is, I did try! I hauled ass down there, as a matter of fact, to try and help you!" Koenma suddenly shifted his attention to his fingers, index fingers meeting in an arch and poking each other. "... But I'm afraid thirty million was a little more than I could sneak by my father unnoticed..."

Hiei stared for a minute, piecing it together through his roaring migraine. "That was you? You were the cloaked demon?"

"Well of course I was, who else do you know in the Spirit Realm with that much energy!?"

Hiei threw up his arms. "I give up. I give. Up. This has all gone on way too long, gotten way too complicated, and I still haven't gotten a break! This is insane-" Hiei snapped his jaw shut with one final glare. "I'm leaving."

He spun on his heel and wrenched the door open, spilling Botan at his feet. She giggled nervously. Hiei's eye twitched.

"Damn straight you are, all three of you!"

"Sir??"

"Oh, not you, Botan. Ahem. You all have caused far too much trouble! You're team-man... ship... is that a word?... Your relationship together has been compromised! You are all officially off-duty until you can reconcile these differences and come back with all facilities in tact, to face up to the consequences of all your actions. Is that understood?"

"... Hell no."

"Good, then get out of my office. Botan- go find out what's keeping George. That paperwork should have been on my desk an hour ago!"

"Yes sir!" Botan left in a huff as Hiei sedately walked away to find a sane corner of existence.

"Damn ogre! Never does any work around here..."
 

**********
 

After waiting outside the door for a good long while and deciding it wasn't much more interesting than the floor in George's office, Kurama finally worked up enough energy to knock. Very, very, quietly.

"What!?"

Yusuke certainly didn't sound like he was in a good mood... had good hearing, though. Taking a deep breath, Kurama resolutely walked in, shutting the door quietly behind him, and slowly lost his bravery as he neared the bandaged human on the bed. He looked drained from the energy burst, and a little scraped up- Hiei and himself were unharmed, and he only then realized that Yusuke had somehow absorbed all the damage of that attack. But altogether he looked well.

In fact, he looked happy.

"I thought you'd never show up. It's not like I got the plague, or nothin'." Yusuke sat up in bed, patting an empty spot next to him. "We need to talk, don't we?"

Kurama numbly walked to the bad and slowly sat down. Reality hit him and he nearly sobbed from the relief- Yusuke wanted to talk, Yusuke was happy to see him- Yusuke didn't hate him. Despite himself, Kurama did start to cry, his body shaking from the deep emotional impact. He was so happy, he could lay down and die, right in this man's arms. He'd never thought of Yusuke as a man, until now, in the face of all that he really was, that he had just never taken the time to see.

Yusuke wrapped his arms around his shoulders, holding his body close to his own warmth. He drew up his knees and Kurama rested his head on them, Yusuke resting his head on Kurama's murmuring nothings and planting soft kisses to his wild red hair.

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry..." It was an endless litany, and Yusuke accepted it all without interruption, merely holding and kissing him as he said the words his heart so desperately needed him to say.

After a long time, the tears turned to dry sobs and the words turned to cracked whispers, and Yusuke held him still. When Kurama ceased all movement, completely devoid of any energy, Yusuke urged him to stretch out along side him, sharing the expanse of the bed.

"Kurama... I know that it wasn't... you." Yusuke finally spoke, an arm under Kurama's neck, the hand running idly through his hair. Kurama felt the dire need to sleep, but fought it off. Yusuke had not interrupted him, and he would return the favor, though he felt the need to protest bubble up inside of himself. "I know you think what you did was terrible, and... I guess it was, but I know you. You're here now, this is you, not that person back there at that hellhole." Yusuke was feeling his horrible relationship with words coming back to haunt him, and he searched for what he was really trying to say. "When I saw you, in the room... I knew there was something wrong with you. You just looked... different. And then you were so sad..."

"But I hurt you, Yusuke. I wanted to hurt you, I didn't care what you felt- you were just a, a, a thing to me."

"It didn't hurt as much as you think it did..." Yusuke said more to himself than to his friend, though he heard it. "And I know you didn't mean it, so I don't hate you, or look down on you. You're like, my hero, you know?"

Yusuke didn't know why, but Kurama began to cry again. He rolled them both onto their sides, facing each other and buried his face in Kurama's hair, if only to hide the tears stinging his own eyes. He hated to cry- it made him feel weak. But Kurama clutched at him, burying his own face in his neck, and they stayed that way until they fell asleep.

Hiei found them that way and couldn't suppress a smile.

'Looks like you've finally been convinced...'

Deciding he could be up and gone before anyone noticed, Hiei carefully lowered himself onto the bed, spooning Kurama. He breathed deeply of the rose scented hair and felt himself drifting to sleep.

If only the rest of the world could be so calm...
 

**********
 

Yusuke started from the violent force of an unpleasant memory, rousing himself from a shallow, restless sleep, slowly becoming aware of his surroundings. He groggily opened his eyes, blinking away sleep to focus on red hair and a pale neck.  He smiled to himself, snuggling deeper into the warmth and adjusting his arms.

'Interesting...'

His hands encountered another lean chest, pressed closely against Kurama, and it only took one guess to figure out who it was, though he was honestly surprised the other demon had let his guard down enough to lay with them.

'Maybe he's jealous?'

'Funny, I thought you were the jealous one.'

'Shut your hole, I don't need this right now.'

'Aw, c'mon, you know you were lovin' it, havin' Kurama laying next to you, looking to you for comfort.'

'I was just being a good friend. He'd do the same for me.'

'Uh huh. And your thoughts were entirely innocent the entire time... Even when he laid down on you-'

'Shutupshutupshutup'

'You'd go through it all again, just to have Kurama in your arms.'

'So what! So... maybe I enjoyed that that, that thing that happened back there a little too much. I hate myself for it, y'know! And like Hiei couldn't tell, when he saw me? I'm lucky I'm still alive!'

'Unless Hiei doesn't care as much about Kurama as you think.'

'Of course he does. They mean the world to each other.'

'Case and point- you're jealous.'

'... damn my conscience for sounding like Keiko- makes you all the more infuriating...'

'And besides, if they meant so much to each other, why did Kurama only seek comfort in you?'

'Huh-duh. Where have you been?'

'You saw the way Hiei reacted to you. He felt threatened.'

'No, he felt pissed because now he knows how I feel about Kurama. And you have no way of knowing he didn't talk to Hiei- no, in fact, I know Kurama talked to Hiei first. He said so.'

'And you say you're not jealous.'

'Shut up. I'm... happy for them.'

'Please, we're in the same body. Not only can I feel the hope that Kurama likes you, but I also feel that little vomitty sensation when you think that they're happy together- without you.'

'You think you're so damn smart! 'Vomitty' isn't even a real word!'

'You're avoiding the subject!'

'You're pissing me off!'

'You're also rocking the bed.'

'Huh?'

"Yusuke."

'Shit.'

'Just pretend you're asleep... Like you pretend they actually need you.'

'Dammit, I said shut up. You're supposed to be the one to make me feel better about myself!'

"Yusuke, are you awake?"

'You're the one in control, here.'

'Finally- we agree on something. See ya!'

'... oh hell.'

"Yusuke?"

Yusuke sighed, opening his eyes as Kurama pulled his warmth away, also just noticing Hiei's presence. He smiled. "I guess we were all a lot more tired than we had thought." He scratched at his unruly mop and turned his gaze back to Yusuke, who smiled, and from the look on Kurama's face, he realized it must not have been very convincing. "Yusuke, are you sure you're alright?"

Yusuke just kept the ineffectual grin on his face and nodded.

Kurama, unsure, nodded in return as he began the delicate task of extricating himself from Hiei's grasp. "Well, I'll be right back. We can talk when I return, if you like..." Kurama searched his eyes, but Yusuke revealed nothing, only nodding again, hiding it all behind a big yawn.

Kurama left and Yusuke shivered, wrapping his arms around himself, since Hiei had hogged most of the blanket. Hiei himself seemed to notice the lack of a certain redhead and began to stir, opening his eyes to meet Yusuke's unwavering gaze.

Yusuke loved to fight, but he hated battles with himself- he could never seem to win. And now, he felt emotionally drained and off course, ideas and emotions running rampant through him that he couldn't understand, let alone justify.

"... Why did you come for me?"

Hiei cocked an eyebrow. An alarm went off in his head. Yusuke was, again, not acting like his normal, obnoxious, teen aged self. "Because Kurama asked me to." That wasn't entirely true, he thought, but he didn't want to counter himself, even with the haze of sleep to explain away his indecision. He just really couldn't tell this human how much he had cared.

"And Kurama? Why did he come?"

"Because Koenma asked him to." Again, not true, but the answer was mildly amusing.

Yusuke was not amused.

"Well, Kurama felt that, after all you had done for him... for us, that we... owed it to you."

Yusuke nodded, closing his eyes and smiling an odd smile. It was all falling into place now. All the worrying and hoping was finally over. They 'owed him.' Because as their leader, he had earned it.

Not because as a friend, he deserved it.

Not because he was maybe a little bit more.

The niggling little demons sounding off in his head, mocking him for months reared their ugly heads and laughed at him. He wasn't sick, of course, the voices were merely that of all his fears, insecurities, and loneliness- the shadows he hid from even himself with a sharp tongue and eager fists.

Kurama loved Hiei. Hiei loved Kurama. Yusuke was alone.

End of story.

Inexplicably, Yusuke began to laugh.

'Really, you are pathetic. It took you this long to realize what was in front of your face all along... Like they'd ever love you? You're just a human! They were ready to destroy the entire world- like you mattered at all? Hiei still wants to take you down! And Kurama's just like Keiko- too damn sensible to care too much about you. You're doomed to failure, you know? An early death- a permanent one. You don't give a damn, so why should anyone else care.'

His dark thoughts were spiraling way out of control and any sense whatsoever, but Yusuke could do nothing but crush the heels of his hands into his eyes and laugh.

'For God's sake, you liked it when Kurama fucked you. You liked the fact that you were with him- anyone!- even just once, even if it meant nothing at all but a shameful memory to be locked away forever and ignored. You felt needed. You felt lusted after. You felt worthy. You felt loved.'

He couldn't cope.

It was a universal joke.

Funny, funny, funny.

The next thing Yusuke knew, his arms were wrenched away from his face and Kurama and Hiei peered wide-eyed and worried down at him.

"Yusuke! Yusuke, snap out of it!" Kurama cried.

Yusuke blinked several times, dark blotches of color obscuring his view, continuing to chuckle. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"With us?" Hiei snorted, still gaping. "We're not the ones going crazy!"

"I have never been so sane." Yusuke grinned, tears streaming heedlessly down his temples, feeling deliriously liberated. It was over- it was all over. He was free to stop dreaming. "I'm free." He broke out into a spontaneous song of 'Free Bird' before he broke down again into giggles.

Kurama slapped both hands down on his cheeks, forcing Yusuke to sober up and look him in the eyes. "Yusuke, you're scaring me. What's wrong." He wasn't asking this time.

Yusuke couldn't cope.

It was really too much, as if his current mental state in front of two of the most dangerous demons in existence wasn't enough.

He frowned, forcing himself out of Kurama's grip, rolling onto his side to face the wall.

"... wish you'd just left me..."

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY!?" Hiei reared back a fist, but before he could finally let loose his anger, Yusuke shook once, twice, sobbing, arms wrapping around himself.

Hiei dropped his hand and stared.

"At least they wanted me..." Yusuke sobbed, rolling into a ball and completely forgetting his company.

"Yu... Yusuk-" Kurama choked, covering his mouth with his hand.

Hiei began to feel like the world's official mascot for asshole. Well, of course Yusuke was still vulnerable. Kurama was a strong person as well, and he was still affected by it all- and he hadn't had it nearly as bad as Yusuke. He never even stopped to think what might have happened to him before they had arrived, what thoughts had run through his head. Perhaps he thought that there would be no rescue at all? And when he finally asked, he had gone and coldly thrown his possible fears in his face.

Cursing himself, Hiei threw himself against Yusuke, wrapping muscular arms around his shaking body and holding him as close as he could. Yusuke struggled weakly, but Hiei just turned his head, whispering apologies and pressing soft, meaningful kisses to his temple, cheek, ear and jaw, his pride and uncertainties cast to the wind.

'You're loved.' He wanted to say. 'You're needed.'

But these were words he found hard to say to his lover, so he tried to convey as much as he could through his body. With a quiet rustle of the sheets, Kurama was in his line of sight, burying his own tears into Yusuke's chest, arms wrapping around both his and Hiei's bodies.

They had given Yusuke too much credit and in a bad way. They had assumed he would be unaffected, that all would be just as it was. But he was human, and humans were weak. Humans needed to be protected, wanted, cared for. Yusuke, Spirit Detective and leader of Team Urameshi though he may be, was  no exception.

And this was the price to pay for their oversight.

And it was too much.

Their brave leader was broken- not by solid fists raining blows upon his body, not energy coursing and singing through every cell, but by the ignorance of those he had thought were his friends. They had turned willful blind eyes to him. He could be the leader and still be invisible.

The stress of the last one day crashed over him and crushed him, and as he finally became aware of himself, he felt more mortified than he ever had in his entire life.

He had never intended either of his friends to know his feelings- what he felt and wanted would only get in the way of their relationship and their job. Now he had told them both, in the most humiliating means possible. He felt nauseous and too hot, too confined, but his struggling only made his friends clamp down on him tighter.

"... Guys, I'm okay. I'm just... a little stressed. I guess it all just waited to hit me until now. I'm fine, really." He thought he sounded convincing, since he more than half believed it, but neither Hiei nor Kurama budged an inch. Yusuke sighed.

'I'm such an ass. Now they're all worried... And I don't even remember what all I was rambling on about.'

'Try telling them that.'

'I'm never listening to you again! You're no help, you only get me into trouble!!'

'Naturally. If you had a real conscience, would you be as bad as you are? Idiot.'

"Look... I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I'm really glad you came for me." No movement. "Well, more than glad, really, more like piss-my-pants-and-crawl-up-your-ass ecstatic. And I know you're my friends... It's just... stress. Sorry for worrying you." Yusuke waited, wishing with all his heart they'd believe him- he meant every word, this time.

"Now I really am worried about you." Kurama mumbled, sniffling. "You just apologized twice and thanked us." Hiei chuckled, albeit a bit nervously, and eased off of Yusuke, sitting closer to the edge of the bed, looking over at them. "Though," Kurama added as he sat up and looked down, even with Yusuke too embarrassed to meet his eyes. "I don't think it's as simple as that. Perhaps we need to talk?"

Yusuke sighed and tiredly scrubbed his face. "Yeah..."

"Hn." Hiei snorted. "Don't get too excited, now."

"Very funny."

"You should be glad you're corrupting me. I've been cracking jokes all the while you've been gone."

"..." Kurama glared at Hiei. "Open mouth, insert foot, Hiei?"

Yusuke waved it off.

Kurama reached over, brushing loose strands of inky black hair out of Yusuke's eyes, startling the younger boy. "You can tell us anything, Yusuke. We'll listen and try our hardest to help you. You know that, right?"

Yusuke nodded and swallowed hard, keeping his eyes locked on Kurama's. Many quiet minutes went by that way.

'Mush mush mush.' Hiei complained to himself as he closely watched the tender touches and the ensuing blush, impatiently waiting out the bloated silence. 'It's obvious what the kid's problem is- just bed him and get it over with.' Though, not really the best course. Yusuke didn't need a one night stand, and Hiei would be damned and double-dipped if he'd allow Kurama to do that anyway.

Kurama was his.

Of course, that was not to say Yusuke couldn't be too.

His villainous ways were slowly returning to him, and he smiled darkly with glee, remembering his earlier teasing in the bathtub and trying it out again with a little more serious intentions. 'I takes what I likes and I likes what I takes.'

'... damn. Kurama's right- too much tv.'

Hiei played it over in his mind- screwing his boss would have it's advantages... First, a constant opportunity to harass the little shit. Second, he'd have Kurama to dangle over his oversexed little head should he become too unbearable, as he undoubtedly would- on a bi-weekly basis.

'And if he only wants Kurama?'

'Tough shit- we come as a pair, or not at all. Besides, he didn't allude to Kurama specifically.'

'So, you mean to tell me you've been corrupted enough by these humans to just throw yourself at whatever strikes your fancy. Hi, I'm yours, want to sit on my face?'

'Hardly. More like, Bow down, you're mine, I'm going to sit on your face.' Hiei grinned again, but then frowned. 'Why the hell does my conscience sound like Koenma??'

'Not the point. How long would it last, though? You're not exactly an open-arms kinda guy.'

'No, but I'm open minded. We'll just have to see... this is something that perhaps we all need.'

Kurama continued to smile down at Yusuke warmly, slowly losing himself to mirth as it became increasingly apparent Yusuke had no clue what to say next. There was a lot to say, surely, but it was difficult, as was dealing with his emotions.

He loved Yusuke, he knew he always had. And he loved Hiei so, so much. But now, he was at a loss- his heart told him something he couldn't possibly listen to. No matter how much it pained him, Hiei was his first love and his only lover. He would not betray him.

"I'm sorry." Kurama smiled sadly.

It took only a moment for Yusuke to understand and another moment for Hiei to deflate.

'And here I was just getting warmed up to the idea... Kurama, you fool, you love him, I lllll... lllll... me too, he feels something. Now you're just complicating things again with that damnable human logic of yours.' He shot Kurama a look that promised he wouldn't kill him, though it could hardly be described as friendly. "Don't you try to protect my feelings, idiot, I'm not vulnerable."

Kurama was speechless, with a blush quickly rising as Hiei winked.

'Noooo way he means what I think he means.' Kurama returned his gaze to Yusuke, just in time to see the other sit up and slide away towards the wall, returning their distance to 'we're just friends.'

"Shit!"

Yusuke looked up startled, and Hiei choked on a laugh, sliding closer to his red-headed lover. 'Guess I'll have to start being more specific to distinguish which 'lover' from now on.' He was starting to feel like a cat that just caught two canaries. 'Who knew perversion could be so exciting?'

Kurama sweatdropped, laughing nervously as now it was Yusuke's turn to stare at him oddly.

"You alright, there? Is it catching, or something?" Yusuke chuckled.

With one last glance at Hiei, Kurama leaned forward and brushed his lips experimentally across Yusuke's.

Yusuke drew in a sharp breath, leaning back away from Kurama's advances until his head hit the wall. "G-Guess so." He shifted his gaze nervously to Hiei, waiting for the kill.

Which Hiei supplied with a well placed nibble on his bottom lip.

Yusuke paled for a second before all the blood in his body was divided into two separate body parts, one being his face. "Eh?"

"Is that all you have to say?" Hiei asked huskily, hovering over Yusuke's outstretched legs.

"... eh??" Yusuke sat wide eyed, about to burst a vein or two, looking from one friend to the other, confused beyond all reason.

Hiei cocked an eyebrow and turned to Kurama. "I think I rather like this reaction- no talking!"

"Red light, green light, just what the hell is going on, here!?" Yusuke bellowed, his chest and his pants far too tight to play around anymore.

Hiei turned back to Yusuke, frowning. "Again with the noise. We'll just have to do something about that, won't we Kurama."

Kurama's face was transformed into a seductive yet ultimately frightening grin. Yusuke swallowed.

'... I don't think I'll ever understand what's just happened here... but damned if I'm gonna complain, either!'

With a devious grin of his own, Yusuke barreled forward, colliding with Hiei and sending them both ontop of Kurama. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, just squeezing them both as tight as he could, as if he'd never have the opportunity again. The embraced was returned twice fold, and he felt so overwhelmingly happy, he could have cried.

But enough with the sentimental, teary eyed, wussy crap- where were those kisses??

They were all about to work that particular problem when the door burst open and Botan ran in, out of breath. She rested her hands on her knees and tried to catch her breath, suddenly catching sight of three boys frozen in time, blushing and obviously engaging in something private. Blushing to the roots herself, Botan laughed like a mad rodent, dropped a large file on the table by the bed, and since she had such a hard time controlling her voice when she was embarrassed, she screamed something about Koenma and vacation and ran from the room faster than she could have flown.

The door slammed and something fell off the wall, and all was once again silent.

The boys did not move.

"... I am going to murder her."

"No, don't do that." Kurama patted Hiei on the shoulder. "I called her first."

"Um, guys?" Yusuke winced, leaning on his arms and looking down at the other two.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Hiei asked with a sly grin.

"I am if you're thinking we need to take this 'vacation' someplace more private." Kurama winked and pinched Hiei on the rear.

"And I'm thinking I've got a cramp and really can't move my legs right now..."
 

**********
 

Just as they were about to leave, they ran into George, who looked haggard. Kurama had the mind to ask what exactly had happened to Notaru before the ogre managed to escape for the day.

"You didn't hear?"

"Uh, no, that's why he asked." Yusuke testily replied.

George, used to that sort of treatment, went on unaffected. "Well, after Lord Koenma failed to rescue you, he returned just in time to see Notaru and his men all heading towards the palace!"

"Then he was serious, when he said he was going to take Koenma on." Kurama said, more to himself than to the others.

George nodded. "Unfortunately, Lord Koenma is a quick thinker."

"Admit it." Hiei snapped, growing impatient and wishing he'd just get to the point. "He panicked and cried while someone else came up with an idea."

George sweatdropped, looking around nervously before continuing, ignoring Hiei's statement. "Lord Koenma knew that team Urameshi, combined with his own powers might be enough to fight off such an attack, but he couldn't do it alone. So, he had us rig up another back door leading straight from the front gates."

"Hm, clever." Kurama nodded, already knowing where this was headed, though Yusuke looked completely lost.

"They came barreling through the gates- we had to set up a token resistance, just to make it believable- and they all found themselves facing not Lord Koenma, but Emperor Yama." George smiled proudly before deflating a bit. "Uh, we did suffer a few casualties, but I'm sure those scum will get what they deserve. The Emperor was all ready to leave for his vacation, only to find an army of bloodthirsty usurping demons in his living room." He laughed nervously. "I can't begin to imagine what happened to them- he has an awful temper, you know, and he was stressed enough as it was. That's why he was going on vacation... But it got rid of most of the problem, I should say, though probably not all of it."

"To stop the dog's tail from wagging, you cut off the head." Hiei mentioned over his shoulder, long past bored.

"Er, right. I'm thinking we really just cut off three or four legs- I can hardly see a dog wagging it's tail after that... But it makes the situation much easier to deal with. And I suspect that's going to be the first order of business when you return."

"Gladly!" Yusuke punched his fist. "Thanks for the filler. See ya around." He waved and headed out, limping, though Kurama soon stepped up to help support him.

"It's nice to know it all worked out then." Kurama said. Yusuke just nodded, staring ahead as they walked.

"I'm sure they got just what they deserved- more than even we could do to them." Yusuke looked strangely relieved, as Hiei watched him struggle a little with his walking.

He supposed despite all the hatred and anger and righteous vengeance Yusuke felt, he really didn't want to see Notaru again- to have to think of it all, relive it. Best just to know it would never happen to anyone else and move on. Hiei nodded to himself. Just the kind of thing their leader would think- another reason Yusuke was in charge. He could be quite sensible, when he didn't know it.

"Enjoy your break!" George hollered as he waved at the retreating forms of the three detectives. "Wish I could have a break..." He moaned to himse