A/N: Is it...can it be... yes, yes it is- sequel to Rest In Pieces! –fanfare- told you I'd do it eventually. Main pairing's gonna be heterosexual this time.. yes, stand in awe of me writing het. I'm still gonna throw up a slash warning, though, caus' Kurama and Kuwabara might see some action. As always, all irritating bashers/flamers/reviewers with terrible grammar and sentence structure please exit stage right. As for the rest of you, I hope this story winds up being worth the wait.

Part 1: The Will

When the Spiritual Master known as Genkai finally died, one rainy day in May, she left a curious stipulation in her will.

To the fox demon called Kurama she entrusted her gardens, with hopes that he would keep them as beautiful as he had while she had been living. He had gracefully agreed.

To Jaganshi Hiei, feared Warden of Mukuro, she left a certain tree, about five hundred paces from her back step, for "reasons you already know, you twit." And Hiei had grunted and nodded and tried not to look sad, failing miserably.

To genetic Mazoku Yusuke she left her video games, "in hopes that the blockhead will eventually learn how to play tetris without swearing his head off and ruining other peoples' concentration." And Yusuke was too drunk to say very much, but he didn't need to say anything at all.

To psychic Kazuma Kuwabara, Genkai bequeathed her vast collection of books, spells, and ancient tomes, "so you can be better than I ever was." And the redhead had only nodded and leaned tighter into Kurama, his blue eyes looking very much like rain.

To the ice apparition named Yukina, Genkai left her temple, which she desired to be a waystation- a safe house between the demon plane and the human world. The ice maiden was to live there as caretaker and matron, for as long as she would have the position. But for this gift there was a single stipulation.

That Toguro Aniki take up residence as Temple Guardian.

oOo

"That I WHAT?!"

"That's what it says, Ani." Koenma said, tapping the paragraph in question. "Yukina's position at the temple is only safe so long as you are living there, as guardian."

"What on earth do I need to guard?" the demon asked. "the crazy old bitch has wards for her wards!"

"I think," Kurama said calmly, "that she wants you to guard Yukina."

Ani blinked at Kurama. Silence hung heavy in the room.

"Let me get this straight." Ani said slowly. "Yukina is allowed to live in the temple only so long as I hang around and guard her from things like bats and moths and D class demons?"

"Pretty much." Koenma said.

"And I suppose saying no fucking way will incite rage the likes of which I have never seen?" the demon commented. Yusuke's murderous look was more than enough of an answer, although Hiei's fingertips brushing his sword hilt was a nice touch.

"Toguro-san?" the small man turned his head. Yukina watched him quietly through carmine eyes, small hands folded against the black of her mourning kimono. "I do not mind this rule." She said quietly. "I would not mind having you here."

They looked at one another then, ice apparition to rokurokubi; and when Aniki opened his mouth to express just how ridiculous the whole thing was, he found he couldn't speak at all. He could only think, with a sort of distance, that Yukina did not belong in the color black.

Two hours later, the small group departed the temple hidden away in the mountains; Koenma back to spirit world, Yusuke and Hiei to demon world, Kurama and Kuwabara to their shared apartment...and Ani to pack.

He swore all the way down the stairs.

A/N: Yes. You read that right. Ani Toguro and Yukina living in the same space. If you can't figure out the pairing there, then please, have your brain checked. Note: You'll see that Ani is called a 'rokurokubi'. This is an actual type of Japanese demon that I have long twisted to suit Ani's character, as it is the only one that even remotely fits. He is called Metamorph over in Rest In Pieces because I'm too lazy to change it. Further note: anyone wishing to complain about the pairing please PM me, don't clog up my review page. The rest of you? Truussttt me. -insert evil grin here-