Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, it belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi. The only thing that I own is my OC.

As Ayame stood in her kitchen cooking herself some ramen it didn't surprise her when Hiei appeared unannounced, in fact she missed him doing that.

"Hey Hiei it's been a while since you've been here. How are you?" She asked the fire demon without taking her eyes off of her cooking food. When Hiei didn't reply she turned her head to look at him. He was staring at her as he pulled a glowing orb out of his cloak. Ayame stared back at him as he then threw the orb onto her floor. It broke a few feet from her and as she began to form a question as to why he'd just did that she took a step back when an image began forming from the shattered pieces of the orb. Ayame became surprised when a demon that reminded her oddly of a mummy appeared on her floor. She looked curiously at Hiei but turned her attention back to the image on the floor as it spoke.

"Hello Hiei my name is Mukuro. I'm hiding my face as a safety measure. Not because I'd be in danger or anythin' it'd just be tougher to move freely if people knew what I looked like. I know it's out of the blue but you've caught my eye. I've heard about you, the "cursed child Hiei" you're pretty famous up in area 13-northeast."

~Cursed child?~ Ayame thought to herself as she looked up at Hiei as the demon continued.

"Why would a gifted child, who was an A class fighter at the age of 5, turn to petty crime and hide himself in the human world?"

~He was an A class demon when he was only 5 years old?~ Ayame stared at Hiei in awe as he stared back at her, the woman who housed him (occasionally) yet hardly knew him.

"It ain't to late man. Join me. Be my new right hand."

Ayame wondered if Hiei was going to join him but then laughing at her own stupid question she thought to herself, ~Of course he will, he's wanted to go back to demon world since he was arrested by Yusuke. ~ Although Ayame couldn't see it because she was too absorbed in Mukuro's message Hiei smirked at her thought.

"By the way, you know this three way stalemate I've got goin with Raizen and Yomi? All we've done for the past 500 years is shoot each other mean looks and I'm fed up with it."

~500 years? Demons really can live forever. ~ Ayame thought as her eyes widened in shock.

"This is top secret info, but I'll let you in on the scoop, Raizen's about to crook. The second he is out of the picture Yomi and I are going to war. The way he keeps spewing his happy horseshit about "uniting the demon world" makes me hate him even more than Raizen. If that little bitch tries to recruit you, turn him down, unless, of course, you're feeling suicidal...Of course if you really are suicidal you might as well join up with Raizen's guys. The demon world will be back to normal very soon. The way it was before you were even born. If you wanna live to see what that looks like come over to my side."

Ayame watched as the mummy's image faded away into nothing. She stood there looking down where the image had been, thinking deeply about what the demon had just said until Hiei stated casually,

"You dinner is burning."

Ayame shook off her thoughts and pulled the pot of burnt noodles off of the burner. She placed her hands on the counter and sighed deeply.

"So you're finally going home." It was a statement rather than a question. Ayame turned to him her eyes filling up with tears. Ayame's reaction took Hiei by surprise, why was she crying?

Upon seeing Hiei's confused expression Ayame wiped away her tears, smiling at him she said,

"I'm crying because I'm happy for you."

Hiei scoffed." You shouldn't be, now that I'm going home who will visit you?"

"I got by fine by myself before you came, I can do it again." Ayame said as she poured herself a glass of water.

Hiei stared at Ayame his eyes glaring angry at her." You fool."

Ayame sat her glass of water down on the counter and turned to look at Hiei confused.

"You know how to control your pyro-kinesis. You will not harm anyone you don't wish to. I taught you how to control your power so that you could have a life. Not so that you could be stuck up here on this damn mountain side by yourself until you die." Hiei sighed angrily still glaring at her.

At first Ayame looked hurt but then sighing heavily she said,

"You're right Hiei. I'm sorry."

For a few moments her kitchen was silent.

"How are you going to get to the demon world?" Ayame finally asked Hiei before she took a sip of her water, wanting to change the subject.

Hiei saw through Ayame's sad attempt to change subjects but answered her none the less.

"Spirit World wants the detective, the fox and myself gone so bad that their lackeys are opening a portal for us."

"When?" Ayame asked before taking a large gulp of her water to cure the sudden dryness in the back of her throat. ~Wonder why Spirit World wants them gone so fast? And so bad…. ~ Ayame wondered to herself.

"This coming full moon." Hiei said, and then contemplated on answering the question playing in her mind. In the end he decided that it would be best not to.

Ayame loved that. The way that Hiei always told her how long or soon something was going to happen based on the phase of the moon. She was going to miss it…and him.

As Ayame took in this new information she wondered how to word her next sentence while finishing off her glass of water and placing it in the sink. With her back turned to him she asked,

"Hiei...promise me something?"

"Hn."

Ayame smiled knowing that meant he'd at least consider accepting the terms of her promise. She turned to face him as she said, "That you'll be happy; no matter what the outcome of that war is."

Hiei stared at Ayame letting his face remain emotionless as he said, "Hn."

He turned on his heels and walked away.

Ayame stared after him as he walked away unsure as to whether or not he had agreed to her promise.

Hiei opened up the kitchen door to leave but stopped. As Ayame waited for him to disappear he said, "Promise me something Ayame."

Ayame was taken aback by the softness of Hiei's voice and the fact that he used her name.

She smirked as she sarcastically mimicked him.

"Hn?"

Her eyes widened in shock when she heard Hiei chuckle.

"Live." And with that one word Hiei disappeared.

Ayame was unsure of how long she stood in her kitchen staring at the spot where Hiei had been standing. Finally she slowly made her way over to where he had been standing at the edge of her kitchen door and looked out into the forest that surrounded her house. A cold fall wind blew that caused the pale skin on her arms to break out in goose bumps; it tangled her long mahogany hair as her eyes scanned the forest. She smiled as her eyes filled up with tears, this time they were tears of loneliness. As Ayame's tears fell to the ground she looked up as a snow flurry landed on her nose. She wiped it and her tears away then looked back up at the night sky which was covered with gray clouds; however, they were thin enough that the nearly complete moon could be seen just behind them.

~It's going to be cold these next few days. ~ She thought to herself as more flurries began to fall. As the wind blew stronger making her entire body break out in goose bumps she used her spirit energy to warm herself. ~Just one more thing that Hiei taught me...~ Ayame thought as her blue-grey eyes stared at the wind chime that Hiei had gifted to her only a month ago, it chimed as the cold wind kicked up and the snow began to fall faster.

~Farewell Hiei maybe in another life you could have been mine. ~

Authors Note(s): In my small (very small) corner of the Yu Yu Hakusho universe Hiei's message ball reforms after he breaks it while with Kurama. It only shatters for good after he shows it to Ayame. Why? Because that is how my corner of Yu Yu Hakusho universe works. And I also used the one-sided orb conversation from the manga. Just in case anyone was wondering.