A/N: No this is not a joke! I'm finally posting the sequel fic to Survivor's Guilt! To answer some questions from the ending of SG that I don't think I answered when they were asked: 1) Yes, this will be a full length fic. In fact if this goes according to plan there will actually be a third part as well. 2) I know there were several loose ends at the end of SG but I did that on purpose because I knew I'd be writing this story! Most of those things were intentionally left unresolved because I need them now. 3) I know some of you weren't super satisfied with the ending and I was asked if I was, and honestly, yeah. I was. I know it felt abrupt to some of you but life is full of abrupt tragedy. However, I think with this sequel those of you who weren't super stoked about the ending will probably begin to feel better.

For a while.

I'm immensely excited to post this story, as I've been working on the first several chapters for a few months. I wanted to make sure I had an arsenal of stuff to post that way I don't fall behind again. In that vein this story will be updated the same days as Southern Charm: the 1st and the 15th of each month.

I've missed you all so much, and to any new readers this fic is a sequel to my completed work Survivor's Guilt. I'm excited for all of us to take this journey together. Love you babes. Don't get pranked too much this April Fool's Day!

EDIT 4/30/19: I forgot a whole ass scene my guys! I'm so sorry. It's been added. It's the second to last scene


"I want you both to know that this act is beneath me and that I would greatly prefer if you two would find a different method for communicating with one another." Hayato spoke with heavy annoyance, staring down at Hiei with dark eyes.

"You're the only one Shinpi trusts with the letters Hayato. They contain sensitive materials and they should only be couriered by someone reliable." Hiei didn't bother trying to hide his dark satisfaction, arms crossed over his chest. "You should feel privileged, Hai."

"Just take the damn letters Hiei. I have more important things to attend to." Hayato continued to extend the envelopes to the fire demon, his expression growing dull.

"Why? Do you not enjoy my company?" Hiei asked him, glib.

"Find a new messenger!" Hayato snapped, flicking the letters against Hiei's chest before turning around and allowing his wings to lift him from the ground. He continued to grumble under his breath and Hiei enjoyed knowing he had caused the outburst.

A lot of things had changed in the last two years but his needling Hayato at every turn had not been one of them. It had, however, grown more light hearted as time marched on. Hiei saw Hayato's merit, his loyalty to Shinpi. After some time he'd even come to trust the raven himself. Not that he would ever ever admit to it. Shinpi knew, he was certain of that because she would sometimes give him a look and a little suppressed smile when he verbally trounced Hayato, like she saw a secret and was willing to keep it mostly because it entertained her. He liked to glare at her in moments like that not that it ever made any difference. She was long immune to his glowers.

Thinking of Shinpi reminded him that they had a date approaching and he needed to be there for it. If he wasn't there was every possibility that what waited for him would be a tempest of pain instead of a warm welcome. Shinpi expressed her disappointment with such matters in all manners of ways he disliked. Her annoyance still caused her to shut him out sometimes, something he knew she was attempting to work on, but it was her active frustration that he knew he could count on. If he missed their date she'd make him pay.

The last time he'd failed to make an appointment he'd promised to she'd offered to spar with him immediately and made quick work of pinning him to the ground by his throat, her eyes dark as she made her annoyance clear. "Darling, you forgot me again. How disappointing that you won't keep your word."

He shook off the memory with a shiver. He adored Shinpi's power, her ruthlessness at times but he couldn't deny that her wrath could make even him hesitate. That just meant he needed to be mindful of his time so he could get back to her soon. Soon, but not yet as work was work and it never ended. She understood his busy schedule at least. That's why she wrote to him.

Ever since he'd snarked at her about writing to Mukuro that one time while leaving him in the cold she'd made an effort to send him a letter a week when he was away. The details varied but none of the letters were anything he'd want getting into the hands of anyone other than himself. She'd update him on the team, on her comings and goings. He had made it clear she was to tell him about any and all missions she performed for Spirit World. He wanted a record.

Well, he actually wanted to mount Enma's head on a placard.

He'd settle for a record, it was the compromise they'd made.

Other times the letters were filled with details she'd uncovered from her research. In the nearly two years since Hiro's death they still hadn't come close to pinning down the demon who had orchestrated the murder of her family, nor the one who still organized the encampment's on the borders of the larger territories. That awful youki inhibitor was still out there, being produced, being spread.

A smaller land to the south had fallen completely to rebels who wielded that mist.

Hiei had so far been able to squash the uprisings that had started in Alaric. Shinpi worked between the three worlds trying to keep everyone necessary abreast of the information as she gathered it putting that diplomatic charm of hers to good use. But she always approached Hiei first. She liked to have him help her make sense of her thoughts, she told him. He was cynical, intelligent, his scrutiny helped pinpoint details she'd overlook, or he'd be able to dismiss ideas she'd fixate on for no reason. They made a good team.

Even still, those letters alone weren't what he sought to protect from prying eyes. No. It was the other letters he refused to allow to be transported by anyone but Hayato. Political secrets were all well and good, but Shinpi's personal letters…

Those were only meant for his eyes.

Now he had a month's worth of envelopes in his hands sealed with wax and an artfully designed wolf's head stamp. Hiei opened the first to skim over an update on the mundane details of life back in Human World where she had been thoroughly sequestered. Officially. The second offered ramblings about some journal she'd found she had thought was lost to time. There was a passage she wanted him to read about the creation of Sayol, the birth of Aishling. The third he paused to actually read. This one would live in his cloak for a while.

My smoldering dragon,

You've been gone away for too long. I miss you. I miss the heat of when our bodies join as we-

"Must be riveting material to pull that look from you."

Hiei shoved the letter into his pocket as though he wasn't supposed to have it, shooting a bitter glare toward Mukuro who regarded him with unbridled humor. She glanced at his pocket, and the fist therein, before moving back to his face.

"Distractions will get you killed." She reminded him for the millionth time. "Are you going to ask to go back to her?"

"There's work to be done." Hiei responded coolly. Then with a malicious grin he asked in return, "Don't you have another maintenance appointment for that arm of yours to get to?"

Mukuro raised her eyebrow, scanning him. "Try not to get so engrossed when you're out in the world, Hiei. Here in the castle you may be safe but there are those who would not hesitate to act if you gave them even the slightest of openings."

A moment of silence lapsed between them.

"Has she found what she's looking for?" His commanding officer asked, head tilted to the side. "It's been a few years now, hasn't it? She's normally more efficient."

"Her hands are tied." Hiei groused, thoroughly annoyed. "Shackled by those idiots in Spirit World. But no, she hasn't found the bastard yet."

"What do you imagine she'll do once she does?" Mukuro had never expressed any doubt in Shinpi's ability to uncover the truth. Hiei thought that was both strange and intriguing. The stalwart belief in his woman birthed confusing emotions in him, especially considering that it wasn't that long ago that Mukuro had admitted that there was a decisive rift between herself and the wolf demoness. He often wondered if Mukuro was still trying to goad him into understanding that if Shinpi lost herself like she had so many decades before he'd have to put her down. Yet, unlike when he'd first mentioned Shinpi to her, Mukuro seemed more invested these days. It was almost as though she were rooting for her old, war-torn friend.

He wondered about that too.

"Likely kill them." Hiei allowed, finding the details unimportant. This was just another step toward Shinpi's eventual closure, her recovery from her past. She would always mourn her family, always carry that with her, but he hoped that once they found the culprit behind these schemes she might at least stop blaming herself.

Hiro's dying words had set fire to Shinpi's soul giving her this quest for truth and revenge, but they had also cemented the idea that she was a cursed thing. She assumed these acts were her fault even though it was obvious they had begun before she'd even come to power. He couldn't understand her guilt. He couldn't condone it either.

It was a point of strife between them that each of them tried to avoid pointing out.

Mukuro nodded, a look of contemplation on her face. Hiei frowned.

"What if she can't?" She asked, a glint to her eye.

"There's nothing Shinpi can't do if I'm at her side." Hiei rebuffed the very idea of the woman failing. He was actually offended by it. "She'll find them, she'll kill them, we'll move on with our lives to whatever the next crisis will be."

Mukuro hummed thoughtfully, as though she doubted his assumption but she didn't speak on the matter. More of enigmatic nonsense. Instead she looked around the hall crossing her arms.

"There's word that a camp has started in the east. I need you to handle it." She told him. "See if you can't bring one of them back alive this time. It would be helpful if we actually managed to get some information on the goals of these pests so I'm requesting you take a smaller team. Keep it quiet."

Hiei nodded. He'd only been back for a day and half from his last patrol but he didn't bother arguing for the rest his body craved. If he wanted to make his meeting with Shinpi he needed to earn Mukuro's permission. Hayato had just happened to catch him at the right time between duties. The sound of a crow cawing caught Hiei's attention and he glanced to a window where the blackbird stood. It tipped its head, studying them, then it fluttered its wings.

Ah.

He'd let it slip from his mind that Hayato had a veritable army of spies at his disposal. No wonder he'd known exactly when to arrive.

"The faster you move the sooner you'll return." Mukuro spoke firmly, her demand clear as she turned around and headed back the way she'd come. Hiei glanced toward her before marching toward the barracks so he could choose his companions on this mission. A small team capable of quiet approach and capture?

He knew just the demon.


Runa offered Hiei a shining smile, her cropped blonde hair sunbleached beyond its natural color. Blue eyes took him in on his approach. As an officer of Mukuro, his direct underling and protege, she had her own small dwelling near the barracks. It was a special privilege to mark her position, one she had taken great pride in.

To Hiei's horror and dismay, she'd actually cried when he'd taken her to it for the first time.

Now, there were no tears just a friendly greeting. "To what do I owe the pleasure sir?"

"Sir seems a little formal." Hiei drawled, nodding toward Marcel by way of greeting. He turned back to Runa. "I need you to come with me. I'm only taking two others with us. We're taking on a camp and we need to try to pull a survivor free of the chaos."

"When do we leave?" Runa nodded immediately, rising from her seat.

"As soon as we can. Be ready to go at my call." Hiei glanced toward Marcel who glanced between them, frowning.

Runa had grown some in the last couple of years. She now stood taller than Hiei but shorter than her counterpart. Hiei had assumed, given Runa's near obsessive search for the man, that Marcel had been her lover. Instead it seemed they lived in platonic harmony, family more than anything else. They were extremely close, something he wouldn't try to deny, just not in the way he'd originally thought. Now Marcel looked over to him with concern etched into the furrow of his brow. The man was a strangely emotive demon in Hiei's opinion. He wore his heart on his sleeve and never bothered hiding when he was worried.

Hiei couldn't relate and quite frankly didn't want to bother trying.

"This is the third time in as many months." Marcel vocalized, turning to Hiei. "Is this problem escalating?"

"It's under control." Hiei narrowed his eyes, as he often did when Marcel quietly challenged him this way. "We have patrols in place for this reason. The fact we know where they are means the patrols are working."

Marcel didn't look convinced but he didn't speak out again. He turned to Runa. "I'll help you pack."

Runa flashed a look to Hiei, her own concern shining through but he immediately understood the underlying reason for it was different. There was something more on her mind. He knew she'd bring it up on their trip. She had that damn habit. It was Shinpi's fault. His woman had gotten her claws into his second-in-command and had managed to convince the girl that it was best to be open. That it fostered stronger connections. Reluctantly, Hiei admitted it had worked. He relied heavily on Runa but more than that he'd dare to call her an ally. He actually cared about what happened to her.

That didn't mean he wanted to suffer through her incredibly dull problems.

He turned and left to find the last two members of their party. If he had Runa at his side all he needed now was muscle. Runa had gotten faster and she was an expert with a bow. She could hold her own in close quarters combat but she wasn't actually that great of a fighter. She was better for gathering intel, sneaking around. She still looked soft enough that she could be mistaken for a civilian. Tactically, she was his best call when it came to anything that required infiltration or stealth. He'd still need grunts for when it came to taking their opposition down.

He and Runa would focus on picking out a prisoner to take. The other two would handle the rest of the camp. Destroy the reserves of the inhibitor if they came across it. Mukuro had only requested they bring one back alive.

That meant the rest had forfeited their lives the minute they'd stepped across the Alaric line.


Black hair, complete with thin plaits throughout garnished with silver and bronze braid rings to remind her of home, sat in a messy bun atop Shinpi's head as she bowed over a relic of a book so horribly aged that the spine had gone missing and the cover now stayed in place by the hard work of a few pieces of tape. It had taken several months of effort as a redhead but she had eventually learned how to shift seamlessly between her human and demon forms. It was a feet Kurama had helped her navigate though he couldn't do it himself. Their situations were incredibly similar but still vastly different. The physical body of Iruni Mikamoto, with her small frame and her mostly Japanese features, worked best for days like today when she needed to exist in the world unnoticed. Her demon body came to her when the time for blending in ended. There was no hiding her flaming red hair or her five-foot-eleven frame. The chime of the cafe door lifted her attention just barely. Only enough for her to scan her cobalt eyes over the newcomer. When she saw who it was she went back to reading.

"Cafe au lait please." Koenma ordered casually before swiftly claiming the chair across from her. Today he wore plain jeans and a plainer white tee. His forehead mark hid underneath a white headband tied at the back of his head. It reminded her of her fire demon, a world away. A job of loneliness threated to strike her but she shut herself off to it. Over his clothes Koenma had donned a plum pea-coat, which she thought was very royal of him. For the most part he looked normal, his brown hair styled. He'd have passed the test if it weren't for the bulbous pacifier permanently caught between his teeth.

Shinpi wondered if his jaw ever grew sore from the constant clenching and sucking he had to do to keep the object in place. Surely there were other ways to charge the Mafuuken. She chose not to vocalize her wandering thoughts as her eyes scanned the page she had been reading.

"Nice outfit." She told him, not looking up again. "You almost look like a real boy."

"Is there a particular reason you're being surly today?"

"You called a meeting last minute. You know how I feel about you disregarding the fact I have an actual life to lead."

"You missed your last check-in."

"I sent in a report."

Koenma sighed heavily, accepting the cup extended to him by the waitress. He waited for the woman to leave before speaking again. "You have to make your check-ins. You made a deal, Shinpi, you have to adhere to it."

She closed the book, then her eyes for a moment as she raised her face. When her gaze settled on him with bore a cold weight.

"And when will your father uphold his side of this arrangement? When will he explain to me why I'm alive?" She demanded in calm, cool words. "It has been nearly two years since I got my body back and still I have nothing from him. I have done everything asked of me."

"I know you have." Koenma told her softly. "I'm not the enemy here."

Shinpi inhaled through her nose and released the breath slowly. Finally she too softened, though her frustration remained. "I know. I know."

"It's frustrating. I've been trying to find out what he's planning but whatever it is, he's keeping it to himself." Koenma explained frowning. "I'm on your side in this, Shinpi, believe me, but if you want to win you have to play his game."

She thrummed her fingers over the weathered cover of the book, her lips pursed as she sank into thought. Then she pinched her eyes closed with another headache threatening to bloom from behind her eyes. One a day this week. She rubbed her face.

"You look tired." He commented carefully.

"Don't you know better than to say that to a woman?" She demanded but there was no edge to her voice. "I am tired. I feel like I haven't slept in weeks. I tried to lay down last night and I suddenly remembered something from sixty years ago and I had to see if I had the journal to corroborate it. Then I didn't find the journal so I had to try to sort out if what I was remembering actually happened or if it was something I was making up."

"You need sleep." He pieced together.

"Sleep is elusive this time of year."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"I've accepted your request. Hopefully that will help." He announced and she smiled gently, nodding.

"Thank you." She meant it. "I can make it through the next few weeks a little easier knowing that."

"Have you reached out to the others?" He pried casually. "They could help you."

"I don't want to bother them. Mr. and Mrs. Urameshi are still in their honeymoon phase and I don't want to disturb that. I want them to enjoy it for as long as possible. I remember that feeling of being so in love and just wanting to live in the moment forever. And Kurama has been swamped with work. I called him last week to see if he had time to come over for dinner but he was pulling overtime and has his own life to manage. I don't want to eat up his one day off. Kazuma has been bogged down with his studies and his internship. That's important work and he needs to dedicate himself to it. Hiei has his own job he has to do. I wouldn't call him back even if I could." Shinpi explained trying to keep her smile from wavering. "Everyone has busy lives and I can't interrupt them for no reason."

"What about Hayato?" Koenma pressed. "Surely he would drop everything to come to you."

"I have Hai working as my eyes in Demon World since your doting father won't allow me to cross over again. I need him there so I won't call him back unless I have to. It's fine, really. Between the research and work I kill time by fulfilling the tasks handed to me by you. I barely have time to realize I'm alone." Shinpi sat back in her chair, waving her hand through the air to brush away his concern. "I appreciate the thought, really, but I'm a big girl. I can handle myself."

"I'm certain you can. I have nothing else pressing on my schedule today. I know I'm no replacement for the others but I'll try my best if you'd like company today." He smiled at her, teeth showing around the blue pacifier. "I think it would do you good to do something other than pour over old books and make wild theories all day."

"Fine. Since you're being so insistent I'll cave. We'll make a date of it." She shook her head, resting her elbow on the table as she cupped her cheek while a new warm energy entered her gaze. "Hope you brought money though, I'm not cheap to please."

"Must be why you're still single." He mused rolling his eyes. "I can't imagine it's your personality keeping suiters at bay."

Shinpi laughed again, but there was a hidden meaning in it as she regarded the prince. Hiei and her had decided, just as their relationship had budded into existence, that they weren't going to tell anyone about it. It had begun as a joke, a prank to see how long it would take their friends to realize they were together. Except it had gone on far longer than either of them had guessed it would. Kurama had uncovered the truth about three months after they'd come back from Sayol. It had been an accident. She had been exhausted one day and Kurama had been there at her side as usual in those moments. When he'd asked about how living with Hiei was going she'd slipped up and told him that it was going well but she wished he'd come back and touch her again already because she was lonely. Kuwabara had stumbled upon the truth because he didn't know they'd be home and he'd come to drop off a treat Yukina had made. He'd caught her and Hiei kissing in the kitchen.

Yusuke still hadn't pieced it together. Koenma either.

It was immensely entertaining to her.

Though they couldn't be blamed. Hiei wasn't an overtly affectionate man, at least not in the presence of company. In fact he went out of his way to pretend they weren't involved if they were out in the open. Anxiety about what might happen to them if an enemy discovered their relationship gripped her fire demon despite her assurances that they were both strong enough to handle any comers. He didn't want to risk it. She didn't argue with him about it much, because she understood especially given his status, but sometimes she wanted to hold his hand or pay with his hair and knowing he'd rebuff her was hard to handle.

At least she knew that once they were alone he would let her do whatever she wanted within reason.

"Could be." She allowed in response to Koenma's jibe. "I'll find a warm body someday, I'm sure."

He snorted, entirely missing her joke. She loved this. It gave her new life.

"Alright Koenma, whisk me away. Let's enjoy a day together and pretend we aren't both under the thumb of a tyrannical god." She rose from her chair. "Which is personally bothersome to me because quite frankly, neither of you are the gods I was raised to consider."

"I thought you didn't believe in the old gods."

"I don't necessarily. But if I did you wouldn't have been one of them."

"Noted. Shall we? Where should we go first?" Koenma followed her out of the cafe into the cold air.

Shinpi pulled her coat tightly around her to ward against the bluster of wind that cut around them. With a narrowing of her eyes the air currents diverted, allowing her to loosen her posture. Still she slipped on her gloves and pulled a warm knit hat down over her ears. Keiko had handmade it for her the previous winter and it was one of her favorite accessories. She had left Hiei's scarf at the house, something she desperately regretted at the moment. It held it's own particular warmth, as though it channeled it's owner through the fibers. Plus it was made of some material she had yet to determine the origin of, but the cold could not penetrate it. She wanted a jacket made of the same cloth because these bitter winters were going to be the death of her.

Koenma snickered and she shot him a dirty look.

"What?" She demanded.

"It's just, it's hard to remember what you're capable of when you're bundled up like that." He admitted, attempting to hide his devious grin by turning his head so he looked at her side-long. "You don't look very menacing or cool for that matter."

She sank into the collar of her jacket to hide from the chill. "You don't look very cool either."

He fretted for a second, demanding to know what about him didn't seem impressive and she wallowed in the moment with her own snigger. He was too easy to pick on. And he was right, he wasn't the other members of the team but that didn't make him less enjoyable to be around. The fact was that they just didn't spend much time together for a variety of reasons. Even this act of benevolence on his part came with risks. They needed to play it professional lest someone from Spirit World suspect that he was conspiring with her. She needed Koenma in his post so he could filter information down to her and vice versa. He took her word to heart. Someone like Matsuma wouldn't.

They worked well together and she had grown to appreciate him.

Telling him that might make his head swell so she didn't, but she did shoulder check him and nod in the direction she wanted to go with a smile.


The front door blew open allowing flurries of snow to enter the hallway in a rush of cold air before Kurama could turn and push the door closed. The wind battered at the wood, shaking it in the frame. He shook white flakes from his lively red hair, then from his shoulders. Stripping off his scarf and his jacket he hung both on one of the many pegs Shinpi had finally installed in her entryway. Her home had changed dramatically since he'd first met her. Now photographs of their group and her human mother lined the walls. He knew that in the living room hung tapestries and painted portraits of her family in Sayol, stolen from the castle after she defeated Hiro. And centered on a wall all to itself was the picture he'd given her of Kin Jiro, her late son, in an ornate frame she had custom made. The entryway had been reformatted to allow for several visitors at once. They were changes that had been gradual but he was glad to see them. Toeing his shoes off he slid on a pair slippers that were just his size. With rosy cheeks and a wind-chapped nose he turned to be greeted by Shinpi standing in the kitchen entrance, a surprised smile on her face.

She was ready to relax, he noted, her feet bare against her floor. Her hair was thrown up and away from her face, held out of the way but a large clip. An oversized t-shirt that looked remarkably like a Kuwabara hand-me-down dwarfed her small frame. He knew she was wearing shorts underneath because she often did even though he couldn't see them for the length of the shirt. Her outfit told him she'd expected to spend this evening alone.

"Is it too late for that dinner?" He asked with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry I never got back to you. Life has been hectic."

"Did Koenma talk to you?" She asked, studying him with subdued suspicion.

"No. Why? Does he have news?" Kurama's smile faded into a frown, concern flaring through him for a moment.

Kurama acted as Shinpi's emergency contact and there were times when Koenma contacted him on her behalf in case she had to leave immediately for a mission. She would be handed her orders and either she or the godling would inform him so Kurama would know where to find her if she went missing. Or if she needed help. It also gave him an idea of when to be at her home waiting with a first aid kit to patch her up if the occasion called for it. He did his best to be there for her as often as he could.

"It's unimportant. I was just curious. We spent the day together and it was surprisingly enjoyable." Shinpi stepped out of the way so he could hurry himself into the kitchen, a smile stealing over her face once more to put him at ease. "Tea is on the stove. Help yourself."

He did just that, already in the process of searching for a cup when she'd given him permission. He poured himself a healthy serving of the hot liquid and cradled the mug in his palms, warming his fingers on the ceramic for a moment before sipping. Finally he turned around and pressed his back into the counter beside the stove.

"You look tired." He commented lightly, precise gaze scanning over her to make all sort of assessments. None of her bluster or masks could hide the fact she hadn't slept. It showed under her eyes, in her waning posture. She'd pulled some skin from her lip which he knew meant she'd been worrying over something.

"All the men I know are animals raised with no sense of tact." She complained mildly, rolling her eyes. When his thin red brows rose in question she explained. "Koenma said the same to me earlier."

"I hadn't realized you two had planned to meet." He frowned again. "You didn't mention it on the phone last we spoke."

"It wasn't exactly planned. He called the appointment two days ago. I didn't want to bother you about it knowing how busy you've been." She shrugged. "I missed my last check-in because I was busy. I sent a report instead but I have since learned that is not good enough."

"Busy?" Kurama smiled knowingly.

"I am busy." She warned him, relenting quickly with a shrug. "Fine. I just didn't want to go. It's growing tiresome being Spirit World's pet and I wanted to dig in my heels a little."

"There it is." He nodded with a chuckle. "How is work going?"

"Well enough. I've written three articles. I've sent in my thoughts on the newest beta I've played. It needs work. One of the levels is impossible. Who would have guessed that after all that schooling I would turn out to be a professional beta-tester."

"You do have a knack for pointing out the flaws in things."

Shinpi pointed a finger at him in warning before grabbing her own cup of tea from the counter. She stood beside Kurama and just closed her eyes for a moment enjoying the presence of someone else in her house. The last three months had been more lonesome than usual. It was hard the previous year too. This was around when her and Hiei had finally chosen to be together and the quick descent into chaos that followed had burrowed in her bones, rising during these months as a constant nagging sense of impending doom.

"I'm glad you're here." She spoke up, deciding it was important for him to know what she was thinking. She leaned her head against Kurama's arm. "It means a lot to me that you take time out of your life to visit."

"Of course." Kurama smiled gently. "Have you heard from Hiei?"

"No." Righting herself, she caught her bottom lip with her teeth before releasing it quickly, Hiei's constant chiding sounding in her brain despite his absence. "But I do know he made it back to Mukuro's recently. Hai was able to deliver my letters to him. So, at least I know he is alive and safe."

Kurama nodded, quiet. He sipped his tea and said nothing for a long moment.

"Don't." She warned him.

"I didn't say anything." He looked at her sidelong. Shaking his head he stopped with the facade of being impassive on this subject. "I don't understand why you won't ask him to come back. If he knew how lonely you get he would surely try to fix it."

"He has to do his job." Shinpi argued for the millionth time. "I cannot call him back every time I miss him. He'd never be able to leave. Besides, I write to him to tell him his absence leaves a hole in my life. He knows. It's not like I'm keeping it a secret."

"You tell him you miss him but you don't ask him to come home. I miss you is not the same as I'm lonely."

"His work is important."

"So are you."

Silence lapsed between them as they stared at each other. Shinpi deflated, looking all the more tired for the conversation.

"Well, at least I have you." She told him, offering a wan smile that touched her shadowed eyes. Reaching over she gripped one of his hands for a moment before releasing it. "I haven't started on dinner yet, what would you like?"

He tossed his head side to side, setting his tea on the counter beside him. Moving to the fridge he pried it open hinging forward at the hips to make sense of the sparse contents. Veridian eyes shot her a look and she shrugged, unable to defend herself. She barely had anything worth cooking a meal out of. Kurama closed the door and pursed his lips in thought.

"We can go shopping tomorrow." He decided. "For tonight why don't we order in? We'll make a night out of delivery and a terrible movie."

Shinpi laughed, a bright sound that radiated from her stomach and sparkled in her cobalt eyes. This would be the second date she'd had today. Kurama's subtle demand for her to get groceries didn't elude her. He fretted often about her taking care of herself when she grew a little too fevered about her research. A girl faints once from hunger and she never lives it down. "I take it you're spending the night?"

"Naturally."

Rolling her eyes at his assumptive tone, Shinpi pulled a few menus from the narrow drawer between the oven her refrigerator. This had become a comfortable practice between them. In fact, Kurama seemed totally at home in her house now. He came and went as he pleased, often unannounced and she didn't mind at all. His presence eased her. It was quiet and warm.

"Mind sleeping next to me?" She requested, handing him the menus to look over. "I think it would help. I won't sleep through the night but I'm sure I'll at least get a few extra hours with you at my side."

He just smiled at her softly and nodded.

This was also routine for them. When Kurama spent the night, more often than not he slept in her bed. This wasn't something she hid from Hiei, in fact he condoned it. He knew better than most that she rested more soundly with someone to hold at night and he trusted Kurama to keep her safe.

Plus, the alternative would be Kurama sleeping on the couch which didn't seem very friendly to Shinpi. Hiei's need for space and privacy meant he kept his own room. Sometimes they slept together sometimes they didn't. It really depended on their moods and it had rarely been an issue. Shinpi didn't like punishing Hiei by cutting off physical contact. He had, after all, demanded she stop doing that exact thing. And Hiei endeavored to be the same. He slept alone when he needed quiet, when the days had been too hard and too loud and too full of interaction with others, but not when he was angry with her. Shinpi understood that. When he was away Hiei's room was strictly off limits to anyone else. Shinpi kept it locked most of the time to ensure no one messed with his things.

Kuwabara had once asked her if it bothered her that they didn't sleep in the same bed all the time when they lived together. It had come up because she had explained that the second bedroom wasn't a guest room, but that the fire demon had laid claim to it. He'd expressed how weird it would make him feel. Like his girlfriend was mad at him or something. She had told him then "When I need him, Hiei is always there. And if I ask, he'll come to my side. Allowing him space is a small price to pay for that level of dedication."

The wind screamed around the house, rousing Shinpi from her thoughts, and she frowned at the window behind her sink. Even from where she stood she could feel the cold seeping through the glass. Kurama finished placing their order and hung up the phone, his eyes also moving to the frigid darkness that lay behind the walls.

"Some storm." She commented, annoyed. When would winter end already? This weather was ridiculous. "Are you sure you'll be able to make it to work tomorrow?"

"I'm not going to work tomorrow." He told her easily, coming to stand just behind her. "I've taken a few days as vacation time. Last week was rather brutal and I could use the relaxation."

"You wouldn't rather be at your apartment?" Shinpi pried shamelessly.

"Why would I go home to an empty apartment when I can be here with you?"

"You've only just gotten your own space, why not go enjoy it?"

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Kurama teased her, knowing better. "At some point you should stop worrying so much about the rest of us and start asking us to worry about you. If you don't reach out we won't always know when you need us, Hichi."

The look she offered him was one of pained agreement. She knew this was a flaw of hers. She didn't like reaching out to them when she felt weak or alone. Well. She tried, but she never wanted to tell them that was why she wanted to see any of them. Instead she called and asked them out to dinner or lunch or to a movie or to walk around. She would invite them over. When they told her they were busy that was the end of it. Pressing any further, mentioning she felt emotionally vulnerable, that she felt isolated sometimes, it all felt like an unnecessary guilt trip. She had spent considerable time alone in her life.

This craving was a symptom of having a group of friends once again. It was new, and old, but different than it had ever been. It had been a long, harrowing lifetime and so much of it was speckled with loss and stretches of solitude that she often forget that she had other options.

"I'll work on it." She promised Kurama, raking her fingers through her bangs. "It's just hard when I don't want to put myself above any of your lives. You're all so busy. Who am I to intrude?"

"If any one of us called you in the middle of the day or night asking you to come over because we couldn't stand being alone, what would you do?" Kurama crossed his arms, eyebrows poised in demand for an answer as he waited for her to speak.

"I'd go to you." She responded easily. "Without question."

"Expect the same from us. But if you don't tell us we can't make that choice." He chastened her. "Offering half-truths and guarded sentiments is behind us now."

"A hard habit to break." Shinpi admitted, rubbing the back of her neck while smiling. "Thank you, again, for coming here. Now. Enough scolding me for being inept at asking for help. Tell me about your week. How is your mother?"

That was the ticket to switch the conversation, as it quickly diverted the fox's attention to something else he deeply cared about. They chatted in the kitchen, moving to the larger table Shinpi had bought to replace the small three seater she had before. Now she could easily fit six people at a time before adding the center leaf. It made her kitchen considerably smaller but that was more than fair trade for the warmth the piece of furniture brought her. Every time she sat at the table she was reminded that she had to upgrade because her home had a revolving door policy for her friends.

Kurama relayed as much about how well his mother was doing, how well his step-brother was doing, and how irksome work had become as possible before their food arrived. The wait emptied nearly a full pot of tea between the two of them.

"So, before we start this assuredly awful film," it was customary to watch the worst graded films on nights like this one, "tell me about this day you had with Koenma. It's unusual for you two to bond."

"He said something similar." Shinpi offered a snicker. "Well, I think he felt bad for me. He decided to spend the afternoon hanging out with me when I told him how busy everyone was and that I didn't want to bother any of you. Honestly, and I'll kill you if you tell him this, he wasn't bad company. It helps that I made him pay for everything."

Kurama laughed at that. "You would."

"And I did." She nodded. "It was nice. We had coffee, we went to see that new installation at the museum I've been hungry to visit. We even had a small lunch before Botan popped in and reminded him he had work to do. It was a pleasurable change of pace."

"You said the afternoon. Have you been working ever since?" Kurama spied the book she had left on the counter, the missing spine a familiar sight to him. She'd been trying to make sense of some of the passages for the better part of two weeks.

"Of course. What sort of question is that?" She snorted, rolling her eyes. "What else would I do?"

"Well you could, and this is just a thought from the top of my head, truly from nowhere, you could try spending a little time on yourself for once. When was the last time you did something just for you?" Kurama questioned mercilessly.

Shinpi blinked, pulling back in her chair as she stiffened in thought. Her eyes rolled to the ceiling, pinching partially closed. Something just for her? She was having a hard time recalling, actually. If she wasn't researching, she was working on her gaming articles or testing new games, and between those two things were her missions from Spirit World. She worked as their pet bounty hunter, more or less, and sought out the stray demons causing trouble in Human World. She investigated for them. She even, sometimes, worked with the SDF to find the best methods for handling larger incidences.

But time for herself?

She didn't even know what she'd do with it. What did people do for themselves?

Kurama seemed to sense her conclusion because he sighed, tutting at her. "Honestly Hichi, sometimes I feel I need to put you on restriction and take away your novels and notes and force you to take a vacation."

"I would very much so enjoy you trying." She flashed her teeth in a wolfish grin. "Actually, please do. It would give me great pleasure to win that particular battle."

"Win?" Kurama asked with a snort. "That's presumptive."

"Sword beats plants, Kurama, that's just a fact."

"Hardly. Even to this day Hiei doesn't want to cross me. I am quite ruthless when I want to be."

"You have restraint." She tipped her head toward him with a wink. "And we both know I show none when it comes to winning a petty argument. Not to mention I'm not scared of letting you hurt me if it ultimately gets me my way."

"That's true." He agreed, bobbing his head. "Still, think about taking time off. That's all I'm asking. As someone who cares about you, it would mean something to me to see you take care of yourself."

Waving her hand through the air she dispelled his concern. "Relax. I'm fine. Besides, I have that week off coming up."

"Koenma granted it?" Leaf green eyes widened slightly. "I thought for sure someone above him would find a reason to deny you."

"Apparently not. And the time away will be very much so enjoyed." She winked again, though this time her grin was more impish than anything else. "Enough nagging. Let's go watch a terrible film about horribly done zombies and the havoc they wreak on the world."


The next night snow blitzed the house, filling the window panes from the outside and the cold fogged up the windows. Kurama sat on the couch, Shinpi laying back against his chest between his open legs as they watched the news.

"Snowed in. How annoying." Kurama commented in a cool tone.

"You said you wanted a break from work." Shinpi reminded him, craning her head back so she could look at his face. "You asked for this. Don't complain when your wishes are granted, Kurama."

"You're just glad you don't have to go out in the cold." He accused blandly. "We should have gone shopping yesterday like I said. Now we'll be scrounging for food and rationing leftovers."

A soft laugh escaped her, her weight sagging against him as she went back to watching the screen. An adjustment of her shoulders had her snuggling closer to him. With a tug she yanked the soft pale blanket from the back of the couch and used it to coat their legs.

"You're stuck with me." She declared, unabashedly amused. "We'll make do. I'm sure they'll clear the roads and sidewalks soon."

"I feel as though you could help on that front." Kurama shifted behind her to make himself comfortable. "Rain and snow aren't so different. Isn't there a way you could just push the storm out?"

"Kurama." She sat up, turning to look at him with judgment. "Are you suggesting I bend the laws of nature to my will?"

"No. I'm asking you to bend them to mine."

She laughed again, tossing him a comfortable smile. Kurama traced the expression, noted the ease with which it was brought into being, and he committed it all to memory. The last two years had been strange for them all. He had been promoted at his step-father's company. Yusuke and Keiko had gotten married. Kuwabara had been excepted into graduate school. And of course, Shinpi and Hiei were together.

Shinpi swept her eyes over Kurama, picking out something new about him. The slightest change in the way he looked at her. A little tightness around his eyes, the smallest tension in his jaw. It was as if he were holding back on saying something to her.

"What?" She pried with open curiosity, tilting her head to the side.

He blinked, eyes widening for a moment, his lips parting. Then it all fell away and he smiled at her. Something about the change seemed off to her but she couldn't place why.

"I was just thinking about how different everything is compared to when we met." He explained.

"When we were children or when I conned all of you into giving me exactly what I wanted?" Her sly smile spoke of her undeniable satisfaction with the outcome of that particular gamble. She made a note to remember that the look in his eye had been sentimentality. She rarely got to see it on him. In fact, she wasn't sure had ever had the privilege before.

"That one." He gestured to her. "Who would have known the cool, calculating woman who walked into our lives would turn out to be one of our dearest friends? It certainly caught me off guard."

"I will add that to my resume under accomplishments: I managed to catch Kurama off guard." Shinpi teased him. "I'll get any job I want with that one. Mind if I use you as a reference?"

He laughed along with her. This was one of his favorite things to do, be alone with Shinpi and just relax. She held no expectations of him other than wanting him to exist in her proximity, preferably touching her in some way. Even that was negotiable. There were times when he came to her home just to be in her orbit but still separate. He liked to read books near her or watch movies and shows. She had a welcoming energy about her that had steadily grown stronger. It was comforting.

He understood why Hiei kept her so close.

That reminded him. "You mentioned your leave had been approved. Do you need any help arranging things?"

"Actually, yes." She accepted readily. "I want to set everything up ahead of time so that when the moment comes, it can just be. You know?"

"Just tell me what you need from me." Kurama nodded and listening intently as she listed off the ways he could her accomplish this task of hers.


Runa and Hiei lead the way towards the encampment staying as far back as possible until they got a better sense of what they were facing. As they quietly picked their way toward their destination Runa spoke in hushed tones, walking through the dark belly of the forest on the roots of trees that shook angrily at the intrusion. Heavy green leaves blocked most of the light from above them, menacing in their size. Hiei had a stray moment of thinking that these trees, though daunting, had nothing on the walking behemoths of Shinpi's homeland. At least these ones stayed put once planted.

"I just think maybe Marcel doesn't completely understand why I keep working for Mukuro when I could have left." Runa explained, obviously frustrated with the situation. "He keeps telling me we can move on but I don't want to. I enjoy supporting you and Mukuro. Do you think it's because he's worried about me? Or that he's just antsy to change towns? He has been a nomad most of his life. Maybe being stationary just isn't for him."

Hiei suppressed a groan. He enjoyed Runa, he really did, but sometimes the sound of her voice worked this particular nerve in his shoulder and it tensed his entire body up. Particularly whenever she started asking him to project theories about Marcel's or anyone else's behavior. Shinpi was the one with insight when it came to guessing at motives. She understood these personal matters better than he did. He wasn't a fool. There were nuances that even he could see, and yes it did seem to be that Marcel worried about Runa's safety.

But it wasn't Hiei's job to point that out and it shouldn't be asked of him. Dammit.

"I thought I was clear that this was a covert operation." Hiei told her curtly, keeping his own voice low. "You're going to alert them with your incessant rambling."

Runa glared at him, reminding him of another massive shift she had gone through over the last couple of years. She was now far more confident in herself. She didn't fear him the way she used to. Her blind obedience and hunger for his approval had faded into mutual respect. She still trained with him, still lost to him, still learned from him when he offered guidance but it wasn't some childlike desperation that fueled her now. It was genuine interest in her own development.

"You're being decidedly snappish." She accused.

"I just got back from the field and now I'm on yet another mission. Except this time, I have to be careful and show restraint because I have to save one of these wretches for Mukuro." He glared right back at her, his hushed voice heated. "I just want to be done with this shit so I can sleep. Is that a problem?"

"No." Runa smiled then, giggling quietly to herself.

Hiei refused to ask what she was laughing about. He told himself he didn't care. After a few minutes he stopped walking and turned on her. "What the hell is so funny?"

"Nothing." She lied obviously which infuriated him.

"We don't have time for games Runa. If you can't take this seriously then I'll continue without you."

"You always get like this, y'know. Everyone sees it." She told him.

Hiei's eyebrows pulled down, his mouth screwing to the side in a scowl. "Like what?"

"Tired. Angry. When you're away from Amon-Shinpi for too long you start to become unbearable. Sometimes Mukuro says she sends you back just to avoid dealing with your bad attitude. How long has it been this time?" Runa pried with that same annoying smile.

Hiei marched over to her, grabbed her by her shirt front and yanked her down to his eye level.

"You need to remember that I'm your commanding officer and my personal life is none of your goddamn business, Runa. I'm not out here with you to peddle my woes. We're here for a reason. So shut up, pay attention, and don't make me regret bringing you with me or Marcel will get what you think he wants because you'll be done working for us."

Runa frowned at him, then nodded quietly. Hiei released her and started walking again. He just wanted to be done with this bullshit. He hadn't slept in days and it looked like he wouldn't get to anytime soon. Forget about going to Shinpi. He couldn't even get himself to a safe resting place. His body hurt. His head wasn't as clear as it should be. Nothing about this mission was worth the energy to him. Still, he followed his orders and he carried out the plan. The two grunts following behind them spoke amongst themselves and Hiei was glad that at least he had earned some reprieve through them. They weren't at his side offering stupid rumors or crying about their roommates.

"Wait." Runa grabbed his bicep and pulled him to a stop. She looked around, legs spreading out to lower herself slightly. "I smell something."

Her blue eyes shone and it made Hiei acutely aware of the fact she was right. When her eyes did that, they reminded him of Shinpi, and even he couldn't deny that the feeling in his bones was the wariness of missing her. How long had it been? He didn't like counting the days. That rarely stopped him doing exactly that though. It had been three months and three days since he'd last seen his woman. Twelve letters and surely a thirteenth was being drafted as he stood there. Shinpi's letters kept him company and even right then his fist circled around her newest love note, but they didn't actually combat the feeling of being alone without her. It was the strange, small things that hit him the hardest. The sheen of Runa's wolf eyes. The scent of an approaching storm. The sight of a freshly sharpened blade. Things he associated with Shinpi.

But if Shinpi, who was so strangely affectionate and open, wasn't lonely without him how could he dare to claim the emotion? Shinpi who was forced to spend so many weeks by herself and yet stayed strong. His wolf demoness missed him, he knew this, but it didn't impact her daily life so he vowed to not let it effect his. Besides, he couldn't go back to her if he died because he was distracted by his want of her.

Hiei heeded Runa's warning and he nodded to their two companions to stop. She might be annoying, but she wasn't bad at her job. When she was serious. The four of them grew still, each of them circling in place slightly to take stoke of their surroundings.

"We're close." She whispered to him, releasing his arm.

Reaching up to undo his bandana, Hiei closed his eyes. The Jagan came to life, violet iris projecting the soft glow of purple light. Performing remote viewing had always been the easiest of tasks and that was no different now. They were close. The group they hunted was numerous, larger than he'd expected. For a moment he considered turning back and getting reinforcements but that would take time. It would draw this ordeal out. Instead he made sense of their camp, noted the locations of some barrels he suspected contained the inhibitor. Lowering the bandana, he allowed his eyes to open to harsh slivers. Sneering he turned in the direction of their enemies.

"We only need one of them. Take the rest out. And destroy the entire camp. I want to walk through the ashes of these fools as their ideals burn down around them." He declared to a chorus of 'yes sir's. "Let's go."