Significant Others

Yusuke is loyalty.

In his century-old life, Hiei has never met anyone quite like the Spirit Detective; nor has he met anyone since who is such a complete antithesis of his own character but who accepts him. Why this boy, who works on the 'good' side, should so easily accept Hiei – criminal, murderer – as one of his own, and fight for him, puzzles Hiei. Hiei has always fought for himself; every scrap of food and every night's sleep the result of ceaseless struggle. To meet someone who fights for others is rare enough; it is almost dizzying, like breathing thin air, to meet someone who fights for him. Why would anyone want anything to do with the Forbidden Child? But Yusuke doesn't even seem to notice what he is; who he is seems to be enough. Loyalty, friendship, given without the slightest expectation of recompense; what a gift for one who was never given anything without strings attached, without harsh prices, not even life. And it is amazing, what he does to Hiei; until he met Yusuke, he never knew what it was to give loyalty, to stand beside another and fight; to seek vengeance even when his death was certain. It is hardly surprising that he is the one Hiei thinks of as loyalty; that he is, ultimately, the one he will fight beside. He owes him that much, for teaching him that in everyone there is something of worth, for teaching him the meaning of fidelity.