Meddling with Dragons

Disclaimer: Too high maintenance for me to own. Much more fun to just cause problems and then run away cackling.


As Kurama flipped backwards to avoid another lightning fast cut to his stomach he could still feel those eyes on him. He couldn't see them - his opponent moved too quickly for that – but he could feel the weight of that gaze, heavy and intent, testing him.

::Well fox? Are you going to live up to your promise? I'm waiting…::

-o-o-o-o-

Kurama set his bag down and sighed. Another tournament. Another "field trip" to explain to his mother. Another week or so of fighting for a prize he'd rather steal and couldn't claim. The corners of his mouth tilted up. And another chance to see old friends.

And really, isn't that why I return? To see old teammates and remember when we stood back to back against the world and things were simpler. But maybe I am being too nostalgic. After all, Kurama walked to the door and opened it to reveal Yusuke, hand poised to knock, or potentially break down the door. Some things never change.

"I should really stop being surprised when you do that."

"You should. It's sad to see a lord of Makai jump like that."

"I did not jump." Yusuke tried to scowl, but the corners of his mouth kept twitching. Kurama waited patiently, not bothering to hide his own amusement.

"Aw, hell." Yusuke slapped his shoulder and slipped his arm around Kurama for a hug. "I've missed you, fox-boy."

Kurama smiled and returned the embrace, relaxing slightly in the familiar hold. "And I you, my friend. And I you."

The moment over, Yusuke started loudly complaining about Koenma and the stupidity of Makai travel regulations and bureaucrats who kept expecting to be eaten.

"So, you seen Hiei yet?" It was inevitable, but it still hurt.

"He comes to visit every so often when he's not too busy working for Mukuro."

Yusuke's eyebrows went up. "Wow."

"What?"

"That was seriously the most passive-aggressive way of saying 'no' I've ever heard." His eyes narrowed. "What has Hiei done to piss you off lately?"

"What? Nothing."

Yusuke was starting to be honestly worried now. Kurama was too good a liar to be betrayed by physical tells and Yusuke rarely bothered looking for them anyway, but something was off. Kurama seemed… weary somehow. It was almost like when Shiori had been sick.

His voice quiet now, Yusuke reached for Kurama's arm. "Fox-boy, what's wrong?"

Kurama stared at him and Yusuke felt like he'd been hit in the solar plexus. Then Kurama smiled, and the look was gone.

"Truly, my friend, I am fine. Though I'm starting to think Keiko's mother-henning is rubbing off on you." His tone was brisk, but his smile didn't reach his eyes.

Yusuke swallowed around the sick feeling in his stomach and forced a grin. "Well as long as that's not the only thing that's rubbing off…" A surprised laugh and a real smile were all the thanks he needed, and Yusuke quickly turned the conversation to Kurama's mother and stepfather and the drama of the younger Shuuichi's school life.

He left with a manly hug and an admonishment to "kick ass." Kurama waved him off with a smile and Yusuke sauntered down the hallway, thinking of everyone else he had to catch up with/beat up and trying to convince himself that one of his oldest friends wasn't close to breaking.

Kurama shut the door with a grin still lingering. Yusuke, for all his bluster and denials, was incredibly caring and a great friend. He'd also become much more sensitive in the last few years, both to emotions and energies.

"I'm surprised you stayed for all of that."

Not quite sensitive enough though.

A shadow on the windowsill folded its arms. "Hn. I'm surprised you can talk that long about life in Ningenkai."

So. Either Hiei had missed the beginning of Yusuke's visit or was choosing to ignore it. Kurama sighed and turned, careful to keep his arms at his sides and his face politely blank.

"Not all of us find humans as boring as you do, Hiei." Hiei scoffed and Kurama swallowed thickly. "How's Mukuro?"

He was certain no one else would have seen Hiei tense.

"Why should I care?"

Kurama waited.

"Fine." Hiei scowled. "Why do you care?"

Kurama offered him a blandly innocent smile. "Who knows? I might have to fight her."

"She'd win."

"So little faith in me?"

Hiei snorted. "You never go all out. You test and test until you bleed and you never commit yourself completely." Kurama raised an eyebrow and Hiei growled at him. "You know it's true."

"Did I deny it?" Kurama started unpacking his fighting outfits from his bag and sorting them on the bed.

"You won't do that against me."

Kurama's head snapped up. Hiei's stare was pinning him in place, oppressive and feral.

"If we fight, you fight me for real. No holding back."

There was something more than blood lust in his voice now. If Kurama didn't know better, he'd say it was desperation.

"Hiei…"

Hiei's eyes flicked away and he stared intently out the window.

"I cannot change my whole fighting style to suit you."

Hiei was tense enough now that Kurama thought he might splinter at a touch. Unspoken between them, the words 'you did before' hung in the air.

Kurama damned his rapidly beating human heart and breathed out slowly. "However, if we meet in battle I promise to hold nothing back."

A moment of surprise, a nod, and the windowsill was empty. Kurama closed his eyes for a moment to concentrate, but if Hiei was still there he could no longer sense him. Turning back to the bed, he contemplated his clothing. My life is a balancing act. Human jeans next to tournament outfits. The world he chose and the world he came from: care and caution, truth and lies. A normal person would just choose one world and stick with it if only to spare himself the drama.

In his mind's eye Keiko chased Yusuke around the fighting ring wielding a hairbrush, Shizuru lounged on a couch in Makai with the Sunday ken ken puzzle, and his own mother unloaded pints of ice-cream into the fridge "for that shy friend of yours."

These days the ice cream died of freezer burn before it was consumed.

With a sigh too controlled to be shaky, Kurama picked up his fighting clothes. Normality is overrated anyway.