Disclaimer: I do not own Yuu Yuu Hakusho nor do I make any money from this piece of fan fiction. I also don't own "negai" by Kaori Hikita.

Reader Warnings: Shounen-ai, fluff, pairings: Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan, Touya x Koto, Jin x Juri, Suzuki x Ruka, Shishiwakamaru x some unimportant OC and (of course!) Kurama x Hiei (because otherwise, this fic would have no point!) And in case someone missed it, shounen-ai and fluff!

AN: I didn't think I had it in me for a fluffy little something for Christmas. But then this past weekend, I went to karaoke with some friends and put this song in, and I've had it stuck in my head since. And, of course, after a while, fluffy Christmas one-shot ideas started rolling around in my head. And the end result is this song fic. As for the Touya/Koto, Jin/Juri, Suzuki/Ruka pairings, they are mentioned as unrequited crushes by the three girls from the final volume of the YYH manga. (And for those of you who forgot about them, Koto and Juri were the referee girls from the Dark Tournament, and Ruka was the nurse in the rope bikini.)

The first time I heard "negai" was from the Tales of Symphonia: The Animation OVAs. It's a beautiful song, and if you haven't heard it before, I highly recommend looking on youtube for it. As always, romaji lyrics and translations are taken from Anime Lyrics. Credit for them goes to KatrinaStrife.

Christmas Wish

Snow was softly falling in the courtyard as guests started trickling into the old temple. The radio softly played Christmas and romantic ballads in the background as pair by pair, everyone showed up: Kuwabara with Yukina, Yuusuke with Keiko, Chuu with Natsume, Rinku with Sasuga, Koenma with Botan. As a strange triple date, Jin, Touya, and Suzuki showed up with Koto, Juri, and Ruka. Shishiwakamaru had brought along an imp-like youkai as his date; she was quickly introduced as his girlfriend and the girls that were already present had quickly incorporated this new youkai into their group. Shizuru had dragged Atsuko along, and Kurama had showed up alone. Soon, the temple was filled with merriment as guests – human, demon, and god – began celebrating the human tradition called "Christmas". Gifts and jokes were exchanged, and smiles alighted every face, except one. The one person, who showed up alone, while smiling on the outside, was taking every opportunity he could to glance at the doors, hoping against all hope to see a shadow fly into existence on the other side. An hour passed, and noting his unease, Yuusuke turned to his friend, who had taken to holding a glass of eggnog while standing in a corner all alone.

"Na, Kurama, something wrong?" At that moment, a new song came up on the radio.

itsumo kokoro no doko ka

dareka wo motometeita

konna watashi wo hitsuyou nanda to ittekureru

Always, somewhere in my heart

I'm waiting for a certain someone

The one who will tell me that I'm needed

The reborn kitsune's vibrant green eyes misted over with some emotion – sadness? Yuusuke wondered – before turning to face the ex-Spirit Detective with a bright smile. "Nothing, nothing at all." Listening to gentle voice on the radio, Kurama could not help but wonder if the radio station knew just what he was thinking.

"You sure? You look like you're expecting something," here, Yuusuke paused for a moment, as though considering something, "or someone." The startled look Kurama gave in response told the Mazoku lord everything he needed to know.

hiroi kono sora no shita

sonna hitori aetara

sukoshi dake jishin wo motte ikeru ki ga shiteita kara

Because if I were ever to meet that person

Beneath the expanse of this wide sky

I think that I'd start to believe a in myself a little more

Walking towards the door, Kurama opened it, and walked outside. A small gust of cold air blew in, along with a few stray snowflakes. Yuusuke, after giving Keiko an apologetic look that went unnoticed by the kitsune, followed. As the door slid shut, the music became muffled, but none of it was missed by the youko's keen hearing. On the porch, Kurama leaned on the railing with his elbows as he looked up at the cloudy night sky. The stars were covered tonight, as the clouds released their moisture in the form of fluffy white snowflakes.

kaze ga fuiteru kigi ga zawameku

soredake de fuan na kokoro

yasashii koe de namae wo yonde

tada sore dake de ii no

The wind blows, the rustle of the trees--

even these things bring my heart unrest

Call my name out in a sweet voice,

and that would be all I'd need

Another cold breeze fluttered through the porch, causing what few leaves still stubbornly clinging onto the tree branches to fall, and, even though he knew no one would be there – his keen sixth senses told him that – Kurama turned to look up into the trees anyway. The Christmas lights strung up around the temple lent their dim multicolored light into the closest trees, but no familiar shadow appeared. The kitsune had not seen his friend since the Makai Tournament two years ago. And while the mysterious fire youkai had not shown up at the party last year, he had at least visited briefly afterwards. Kurama had plucked up his courage and confessed his feelings to the hiyoukai then, but, as expected, the little youkai had simply flitted away, leaving the youko without an answer.

itsumo kokoro no doko ka

anata wo sagashiteita

konna watashi wo sono mama de ii to ittekureta hito

Always, somewhere in my heart

I've been looking for you

The person who will tell me I'm fine the way I am

Ever since then, the youko had been rather depressed, and the others had picked up that something had happened, but what, none of them knew. The kitsune had covered it up with deceiving smiles and smooth falsehoods of stress at work. But now, at Christmas, when everyone had shown up with at least a friend, and most of them, a significant other, it hurt. It was like Fate or Karma, or maybe both of them, had decided to rub it his face that he, The King of Thieves, will be forever cursed to spend his long life alone. Once again, Kurama cursed himself. Why did he have to ruin the precious friendship he had with the hiyoukai?

yoru ga aketeku kyou ga hajimaru

anata ga warau kono sekai

watashi ni dekiru subete wo kakete

mamoritai no negau no

The evening breaks, and today starts

This world with your smiling face

I make a wish -- I want to do what I can,

whatever it takes, to protect you

Sighing once more, the kitsune drained his cup of eggnog, wishing that he had someone to go home with tonight, someone to cuddle and share his warmth with under blankets, someone to kiss and murmur sweet nothings to until sleep took them both, someone to wake up to in the morning and greet with a warm embrace and sweet kisses. The cold wind blew once more, and this time, the youko shivered. Yuusuke had long since rejoined the party, leaving the lonesome kitsune to his thoughts. Another glance at the pristine, undisturbed snow in the courtyard and the trees told him the truth: Hiei had not come tonight, and most likely, never will come near the kitsune ever again. Tears, long unshed, prickled at the corners of emerald eyes, but were quickly blinked away. He would not shed tears for his lost friend, his broken heart, his solitude.

taisetsu no mono wo shitta

shinjiau koto wo shitta

aisuru koto wo shitta no...

You knew what was dear to me

You knew that I trusted you

You knew that I loved you...

Turning around, Kurama paused at the door, recomposing himself. There was no need to ruin the others' merriment with his mistake. He would return to the party, and then excuse himself at an appropriate time to get himself home. Home, to his small studio apartment, where he would spend the rest of the night staring out the window, with his arms wrapped around a pillow with one of Hiei's old cloaks draped over it. The fire youkai had left it behind after that night, and Kurama had kept it ever since, as a memento of his friend, his love. There were a few tears and holes in it, and it was positively filthy, but the fox had diligently cleaned and repaired it. Even now, it hung in a special part of his closet, hidden from view, as hidden and buried as his love for the hiyoukai.

kaze ga fuiteru kigi ga zawameku

soredake de fuan na kokoro

yasashii koe de namae wo yonde

tada sore dake de ii no

The wind blows, the rustle of the trees--

even these things bring my heart unrest

Call my name out in a sweet voice,

and that would be all I'd need

Opening the door, Kurama pasted a false smile on his face as everyone turned around to see him reenter the temple. Keiko shuffled over, a fresh mug of mulled apple cider in her hands.

"Here, Kurama," she said smiling as she handed the warm mug to the fox. The pleasant smell of apples, oranges, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves wafted up to the fox's nose as he took the cup from her hands. "It's cold outside. I hope you like it; the girls and I found the recipe online and thought we would try it out." Conversation quickly resumed as Keiko sat back down with the girls.

Taking a deep breath and allowing the warm steam enter his nose; Kurama gently blew on the warm liquid and took a sip. Warmth and comfort spread throughout his body as he watched the scene around him. The party had died down some, and in one corner, Jin, Touya, Chuu, Rinku, Suzuki, Kuwabara, and Yuusuke started up a lively conversation on old times. The girls, on the other hand, were sitting in a group near the guys, occasionally intruding on the boys' conversation to correct some details, discussing their respective significant others and ways to keep them in check. Shishiwakamaru and his date had both reverted into their smaller imp-like forms and were cuddling up on the mantle, sharing a sake cup of hot apple cider.

As the kitsune reached behind him to shut the door, though, a familiar youki appeared, and he suddenly found himself unable to shut the door. "Kurama, you're not going to shut the door and leave me freezing outside, are you?"

yoru ga aketeku kyou ga hajimaru

anata ga warau kono sekai

watashi ni dekiru subete wo kakete

mamoritai no negau no

The evening breaks, and today starts

This world with your smiling face

I make a wish -- I want to do what I can,

whatever it takes, to protect you

Kurama could practically hear the smirk and smile in the voice as he slowly turned around. After Hiei flitted off that night, the kitsune had not heard nor seen the hiyoukai, but now, the youko had to resist the urge to pinch himself, to make sure that he was not dreaming, that the hiyoukai had returned. Red hair fluttered in the wind as Kurama looked at Hiei. The hiyoukai had changed little; his hair still defied gravity, the white starburst was as white as ever. Large crimson eyes glittered in the light from the room, as a small smirk played over a delicate mouth. The only difference was that he was now taller than before; whereas he had reached only Kurama's shoulder hair and all, his hair was now even with the kitsune's. All conversation stopped once more, as everyone watched the scene unfold before them. Unnoticed by everyone else, a knowing smile graced Yuusuke's lips.

"Hiei? Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Hn. What do you think? To visit during what I hear is an important human tradition of sorts."

"But . . . I thought . . . after last year . . ." Kurama's voice trailed off, as he stood there, rooted where he stood.

"Fox. You're babbling," Hiei said, effectively silencing the stunned kitsune. "Now, are you going to let me in, or stand there and let everyone else freeze?"

subete wo kakete mo

mamoritai to negau

tsuyoku

Even if it takes everything

My deepest, most sincere wish

is to protect you

Kurama moved aside to allow Hiei to step inside before shutting the shoji door. Yukina quickly rushed forward with a mug of mulled cider, which Hiei gratefully accepted. Greetings were quickly exchanged, and it was not long before conversation resumed. Nobody noticed when Hiei separated from the others to sit in a corner by himself, although Yuusuke did make a note of watching when Kurama walked over to join the hiyoukai.

"Hiei," Kurama started in a low voice, not wanting the others to overhear. "About last year . . ."

"Fox," Hiei replied, cutting Kurama off. "I should not have run, as Mukuro has been so fond of telling me ever since. She was the one who insisted I show up tonight. I . . ." At this, Hiei hesitantly reached inside his cloak, and pulled out a small velvet box. "The reason I was late tonight, was because I had to finish this. Consider this my response."

When Hiei flipped the box open, Kurama could not stop himself from gasping when he saw what was inside. A heart shaped pendant lay nestled on soft velvet. One side of the heart was a flame dragon, its eyes of small rubies, and on the other was a four-tailed kitsune, its eyes of small emeralds. Their tails entwined at the apex of the heart, while it appeared as though the two creatures were in the middle of a gentle kiss at the top of the pendant. In the middle, the front claws of the dragon and the front paws of the kitsune grasped a clear Makai diamond. A glance was all it took for Kurama to notice the chain and the pendant were of the finest quality and made by an extremely skilled craftsman.

"Hiei, I . . ." For what seemed like the hundredth time that night, Kurama found himself speechless. He looked at the hiyoukai, unsure of what to say. By this point, Yuusuke had noticed something momentous was about to happen, and had taken it upon himself to hush the others. This, of course, went completely unnoticed by the ones who were now the center of everyone else's attention.

"What I mean, Kurama," Hiei started, and Kurama could not help but notice that the fire youkai had used his name as opposed to Fox like he normally did, "is that I feel the same way towards you as you do to me. It just took me too long to realize, and if I'm not too late," here, Hiei's voice caught; he sincerely hoped he was not too late at his chance with his fox, "I want to be with you. To give 'us' a try."

Tears welled up in Kurama's eyes as Hiei finished and, not trusting his voice to work, Kurama simply settled for accepting the box from Hiei's hands and hugging him. The tears overflowed as the kitsune buried his face in the fire youkai's gravity defying hair and whispered, "Arigatou, Hiei."

Yuusuke was the first to lead the cheer that erupted in the room as the pair separated. "Took you two long enough!"

Later that night, everyone went their separate ways: Yuusuke, Keiko, and Atsuko were the first to go, as the younger two needed extra time to half escort, half drag Atsuko home. Shortly after, Koenma and Botan left next. Shizuru, Kuwabara, and Yukina left after much of the cleaning had been done. Kurama and Hiei were the last to go, as they spent some time after the clean up had been complete to simply sit together out on the porch, wrapped in a blanket to watch the sky as the clouds drifted away, leaving the stars and shiny snow on the trees and the ground. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Kurama turned to Hiei, right hand outstretched.

"Come home with me?" Wind swept the kitsune's scarlet locks forward, and he had to use his left hand to keep his hair out of his face.

"Hn," Hiei replied, smirking at the kitsune's attempt at keeping his hair clear of his face. "Of course." The fire youkai took the kitsune's hand in his as the two began their long walk home, enjoying the silence that came with being out in the middle of the night.

~Owari~

AN: Like it? Hate it? Teeth fall out on you from all the fluffiness? Tell me! Leave me a review!