WARNING: This one shot takes a darker view of Yukina's character. You've been warned, so please, no flames (though constructive criticism is always welcome).

Shizuru was scared. If Kazuma knew about her fear, he'd be confused. If Yusuke knew about her fear he'd probably laugh at her. She had a feeling though that Kurama and Hiei would understand; after all, she was human, and for all her spirit awareness, she was weak.

Yukina wasn't.

Not that Shizuru thought Yukina would actually try to hurt her. But Yukina certainly wasn't going to like what Shizuru had to say, and all things considered, some fear was only natural.

That doesn't matter; I might be scared, but I'm angrier than I am scared.

Scratch that; Shizuru wasn't angry, she was furious. Again, she knew the guys wouldn't understand her anger, but they didn't see what Shizuru saw. Yukina had lived in the Kuwabara household for a year now, and it had given Shizuru a chance to get to know Yukina like she hadn't before. It had given her a chance to observe things she almost wished she hadn't. The guys wouldn't understand, because they thought Yukina was sweet, naive, and innocent.

Yukina wasn't.

Shizuru waited until she and Yukina were the only ones in the house before bringing up the subject she wanted to talk about.

"Yukina, we need to talk," Shizuru said.

Yukina looked calmly up from the laundry she'd been folding, her red eyes wide and questioning. "What about?"

Shizuru took a deep breath and plunged into the topic. "I want you to let Kazuma go."

Yukina frowned, looking sweetly puzzled, the way she always looked where Kazuma was concerned. Shizuru had believed that face, until Yukina had moved in with them. It had slowly dawned on her that no one was that stupid. Four years Kazuma had been in love with this girl, and he'd never done anything to hide his feelings. Even if Yukina hadn't been raised around men, she should have realized how Kazuma felt about her. By this time, Yukina should have either developed feelings for Kazuma in return, or told him to go away.

Yukina hadn't.

"I don't understand," Yukina said.

"I think you do," Shizuru said. "You know just as well as I do that Kazuma is in love with you, and we both know you will never return his feelings. But Kazuma won't give up until you tell him to." Kazuma was to stupidly loyal to leave while he thought there was hope, and to in love to realize there was none. "I'm telling you to do right by Kazuma for once, and let him go."

Yukina's face shifted then, becoming flat and cold, her eyes as emotionless as the ice she came from. "What I do is my business," she said, and her voice had a sharp edge to it that Shizuru had never before heard.

"What you do with my brother is mine," Shizuru countered.

"I have never promised Kazuma anything," Yukina said.

Yukina had.

Not in so many words, no. But promises had been in there, in her smiles, in little touches on his arm or shoulder, the way Yukina would ask for little favors. She was flirting, and Kazuma recognized that, even if he didn't realize she would never follow through.

"You never told him no," Shizuru said. "You give him hope that you'll love him too, and it's cruel. I won't sit back and watch it anymore. You will let him go."

Yukina's eyes narrowed, and suddenly Shizuru was reminded of Hiei, deadly, coiled, and ready to strike. "And if I don't?"

Shizuru steeled herself. She would not be intimidated, no matter that Yukina could probably freeze her with a thought. "I'll make you."

They two women held each others eyes for a minute, gauging each other. Finally, Yukina nodded. "Very well. I'll do as you say."

Yukina did.

Shizuru caught sight of Kazuma on the back porch when Yukina came in the house after talking to him. She saw his drooped shoulders, the dejected air about him. It seemed as though Shizuru could hear the splintering of his heart.

Yukina shut the door and looked at her. "Happy now?"

Shizuru wasn't.