"Hiei-sama?" Yukina, the ever gentle ice maiden , tilted her head to the side as she blinked in surprise at the fire demon before her.

He was shaking.

"Is it true? What the oaf said? That you two…that he and you…will…" Hiei couldn't even finish his sentence. It was so obvious, even to Yukina, that he was furious. Even though he did try to hide it.

She gave him that soft smile of hers and answered. "Why, yes. Kazuma proposed to me."

Hiei flinched at this and ended up growling out, "Y-you didn't say yes did you?"

Yukina blinked, puzzled and confused. "But…of course I did." There was just a hint of her being hurt by his questions in her voice. Yukina may be naïve, but…she wasn't stupid. She, along with the others had noticed how, well, protective, of her he could be, which always left her to wonder just why that was.

"You….you…said…"

Yukina's brows furrowed, still so confused. She had expected him out of all the others to be the happiest for her and instead he was….he looked murderous and it really did hurt on a much deeper level than she would have thought.

"Hey, Hiei! There you are!" The forever delinquent Yusuke Urameshi, ran the rest of the way into the yard to where the twins were facing each other.

"Hn. I'm flattered, Detective, but now that you know where I am you would do well to leave."

Yusuke blinked at the fire apparition, then dawning hit him as he looked from Hiei to Yukina. 'Oh, crap. That's just great Kuwabara, way to go!'

"Look, Hiei, I know it's been awhile and all, but Koenma still wants to see us, you know?" The Mazuku stated, wondering if he was going to have to drag a half-conscious Hiei back with him.

Hiei turned his hardened eyes to the taller boy and hissed "This has nothing to do with you."

"Hiei-sama," Yukina broke the tension between the two as the addressed turned his fiery gaze back to her. With a pained look in her eyes, Yukina was fighting in her mind with what to say.She didn't want to hurt Hiei anymore than he already was, but neither did she want to….not get married to Kazuma and swallowing down her own hurt thickly, she askedy "I'm sorry, but…exactly how…how is it any of your business?"

A wound in his heart.

He became paralyzed.

Yukina. He wanted to say. Yukina, I'm your brother! I've always been there for you,Yukina, I'm right here, before your very eyes.Can't you see me? Can't you tell?

But instead he lowered his head in shame. He was such a coward. In front of her, he was such a coward. His fist clenched tightly as he gritted his teeth.

"You're right, Yukina-chan." His voice had lost its harshness all of a sudden, it wasn't recognizable. He gave a curt bow of his head, refusing to meet her hurt eyes again. "Goman nasai."

Then he disappeared completely.

Yusuke sighed, scratching at the back of his head. Turning back he saw the koorime's head down and sighed again. Yusuke went over to her and placed a hand on her tiny shoulder. "Now, now. Don't be like that, he'll come around, you'll see!"

Yukina raised her head to look up at him and nodded slightly.

"I'm sorry, but I do have to go."

"No, it's fine." The ice maiden shook her head in reassurance.

"If you say so." Yusuke whispered and started to head to Spirit World.

"Yusuke-sama," Yukina's gentle voice stopped the Mazuku. "Out of everyone, I thought….I thought that Hiei-sama…. would be the happiest for me, and now….he's the most…disappointed. And I feel so bad for letting him down. Is that normal, Yusuke-sama? To feel that way over someone you barely know?"

Yusuke smiled back at her. "Not really, after all, he's always been there for you. Like a brother, yeah?"

Yukina blinked at the man in surprise then smiled back at him. "I guess…you're right. Thank you, Yusuke-sama."

"Hey, don't mention it! See ya later!"

0000000000

And later it was. Much later.

A few weeks later at the engagement party was where the whole group was….all but the one, which was upsetting Yukina very much so and because Yukina was upset, her fiancee was upset because the tall man didn't understand why she was in such a condition.

And it didn't help the carrot top to know that the incarnated thief, Kurama had no clue what was wrong with her anymore than he did because….welll…..Kurama knew everything.

And Urameshi acted as he normally did as did all the girls….the only who was left….was….

Hiei.

And without his noticing, Yukina, his beautiful wife-to-be, had slipped from his sight while he brooded over what was, what might have been….wrong.

Yukina sighed softly as the light breeze kissed her naturally cool skin, soon winter would come. But that thought which had always been so welcome and comforting didn't help to calm her as it should.

She was still so upset about what happened between her and the fire demon and she was still so confused as to why this was hurting her so. And as to why she wanted so badly to make amends, to find a way for him to accept this engagement.

Holding her hands in front of her face as she silently prayed for him to show up, yearning for this….so badly and deeply that if he didn't appear she would cry.

And she wanted to know why.

WHY?!

Unbeknowst to her the one she wanted to show up was there, watching her from the shadows.

"Hiei-sama….please."The hidden demon heard her whisper softly, quietly, and in such a pleading tone, too.

Anger filled the hybrid as he clenched his hands into tight fists and suddenly he moved, but not towards her no matter how desperately he wanted to. No, he instead found himself standing in the middle of the overcrowded room.

Facing none other than the man who was going to be his brother-in-law.

"We need to talk about something. Now!" Hiei seethed at the shocked and flabbergasted Kuwabara who stared at the smaller man a moment before narrowing his eyes and saying' "Fine. There was something I wanted to ask you too."

Kurama and Yusuke shared confused, shocked and above all else, worried glances. This was not going to go well.

Kuwabara followed Hiei outside.

Hiei had made sure that Yukina wasn't near before turning on the younger man by far and delivering a well-aimed punch straight to the man's face.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR, SHORTY?!" Kuwabara yelled loudly.

"You…you have…no right. Absolutely no right…."The fire apparition was having trouble getting words out so bad was his rage.

Kuwabara blinked at the man. "No right to what?"

"No right to…marry her."Hiei's whisper was soft and barely heard.

A stunned human stared in silence at the demon.

"Hiei, what are you talking about?"

The addressed gave a flinch, his face had been hidden ever since the punch he had provided to the other.

Standing Kuwabara asked again. "Hiei, what are you talking about? Why do I not have any right to marry Yukina?"

Hiei was now twitching, and in a voice he didn't know he said. "You haven't asked her brother, yet."

"Well….that's kind of hard, seeing as he's not around."

Still in that unrecognizeable voice, and much more quietly than before, the fire demon replied. "He is around."

Completely baffled, Kuwabara let his mouth hang open slowly. "Um…then, uh, who is he?Where is he?"

"Right here."

"'Right here'? You mean here now? But…where?"

Gritting his teeth, Hiei still didn't raise his head, his body still twitching and shaking. "Right. Here."

Kuwabara blinked. "Um….I don't see him…."

Hiei couldn't stand the younger's stupidity anymore and ended up glowering up at him and shouting.

He. Hiei. Shouting.

"IT'S ME YOU GIANT OAF!! I'M YUKINA'S BROTHER! I AM HER LONG LOST TWIN!! AND YOU DIDN'T ASK MY PERMISSION! YOU JUST WENT AHEAD AND DECIDED TO ASK WITHOUT TELLING ANYONE!!"

Kuwabara's astonishment was more than just evident and this announcement shook him to the core. He just…stared….not at all sure how to react, what he was supposed to say and do. But at the same time, it made perfect sense. Everything suddenly became so clear, this...it…exclaimed everything.

Painfully gulping down a huge lump in his throat, Kuwabara opened his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out and so he snapped his mouth shut.

"Why didn't I know?" He finally asked. "The others…they knew, but no one…told me."

Hiei snarled. "Why don't you try to figure it out for yourself."

Kuwabara growled back, suddenly completely furious. "And Yukina! Why didn't you tell her?! You know how much she wants to find him…I mean, you and you…you….YOU HAVEN'T TOLD HER!! YUKINA DESERVES TO KNOW!!"

Hiei never glared more before in his life. "It's not what she deserves to know, it's what she deserves that matters!"

"Hiei-sama…"

Both turned at the sound of Yukina's soft, gentle voice. Tears in her eyes.

Hiei started shaking and he took a step back, actually afraid. For the first time in his life he was truly terrified.

He gulped down a huge lump in his throat as he took another step back.

He was more than ready to flee.

"Yukina." Kuwabara muttered, but she completely ignored him as her tearful eyes were only focused on the terrified ones of Hiei.

"Is it true?" She asked as she cautiously took another step, Hiei taking another back. "Is it? Are you really my brother? My twin? Hiei-sama?"

He couldn't say anything. His voice wouldln't make any sounds.

Yukina was still looking at his desperate eyes.

Desperate and terrified….

So, the ice maiden tentively reached out her hand to him and smiled "Hiei-sa…Brother." Came her soft voice.

His eyes widened as he was finally able to say something. Her name. "Yukina…."

Another cautious step brought her closer to him and she felt so happy that he hadn't stepped farther away.

And this went on for some time because Yukina had the feeling that if she was too sudden, he would turn tail and run.

When she was standing in front of him, she knew she only had this one chance and before he could so much as blink she wrapped her arms tightly about his neck so that he couldn't escape.

"Hiei," She cried softly into his neck and shoulder. "It's okay, brother, it's all right now." She whispered, "I forgive you and I thank you."

That finally got a reaction from him and he uttered. "Yukina? Th-thank you?"

"Yes, thank you. For protecting me all this time. Thank you for thinking of my happiness. I understand why you…didn't tell me."

"But how?"

She smiled up at him. "I'm your twin, right?"

Hiei was left speechless.

"Come Brother, let's go inside."Yukina took ahold of his much warmer hand and led him inside, to the party.

After the party, Hiei was approached by an awkward Kuwabara.

This was all so new to the both of them.

Kuwabara frowned and said. "Hiei, I need to ask you something."

"And what is that?" Hiei somewhat snapped back.

Kuwabara placed himself onto one knee. "May I have your permission to marry Yukina?"

Shock.

Dead silence.

Hiei was left speechless once again, and found himself glancing over to Yukina and realized that everyone was watching the two with baited breath.

And….she….was happy with the oaf, right?

So taking in a deep breath, Hiei nodded and mummbled "You may."

This was one of my favorite stories to write. Hope you enjoyed, because I sure did!