To say that Hiei was fast would be an understatement of gross proportion. Hiei could outrun vision and lightning and rain clouds and sound. There were very few times, however, when Hiei felt such speed was warranted. This was one of those times.

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"I'm going to die, aren't I?" Hiei looks up, his chest tightening at the lonesome tone in the other's voice. Kurama is lying in bed, red and green twisting in an indistinguishable pattern across his chest and arms. There is a trail of dried blood leading away from the corner of his mouth; Hiei finds himself staring at it again after depositing him where he is now.

"You'll be fine. You said yourself that you could return the plant to seed." Kurama chuckles, followed with a wet cough. The vines protruding from his skin seem to lengthen with the break in concentration. Perhaps it is only Hiei's imagination.

"Not today. But I will die before this tournament is through." Hiei's palm stings: he realizes he's grasping his hand shut tightly. He's already witnessed Kurama on the brink of death; he doesn't want to again. "I need you to promise me something, Hiei. When I die-"

"You won't die." He interrupts, his voice thicker than he'd intended. Kurama uses what little energy he has to turn his head, shooting him a tired but charming smile. "I won't let you."

"I doubt you'll have a choice. I foresee trouble in our last match: for me in particular. My foe will not have me live; nor I, if I have to lose." Hiei watches his eyes glaze over: something he doesn't understand, and knows better than to want to, is passing through the kitsune's mind. "That's why I need you to promise me that you'll protect her."

Hiei swallows, he's done with talk of death. Kurama continues, knowing he hasn't pushed far enough.

"I need you, Hiei." Hiei's heart tightens, damn the thing. He thinks it shows on his face, but can't be bothered enough to care when Kurama is looking at him like that. "You'll protect her like you protet Yukina. You'll become a part of her life and make sure she lives happy and fully until her end comes naturally."

"What makes you think I'll agree?" Hiei says it, but knows that it would have been better if he hadn't. Kurama is staring him down with such softness that he can barely stand it, half a room away and much too far.

"Because she is my mother. And because keeping her alive is the closest thing to saving me."

Hiei promises.

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A thousand fragmented questions passed through Hiei's mind as he ran, none sticking long enough for him to find answers. Things like why he was there, why he'd agreed, what had possessed him to think he could survive it: the best he could come up with while he reeled was stupidity. Idiocy had an aspect of convenience to it, one more acceptable than truth.

He hadn't been lying when he'd said he had an errand to run; though, the running had been intended as metaphorical. There were very few things that Hiei was willing to swallow his pride and run from, and even fewer that allowed him the experience of fear.

Nothing scared Hiei like Kurama did.

Coming back to Ningenkai had been a mistake; any doubts he'd held beforehand had faded out of existence. It hadn't even been a day and Kurama had managed to get inside his head: to pull out all his insecurities and wave them around like they were his playthings. Worse yet, he'd handed them to him. Hiei had been aware of the challenges returning would bring, and his inability to avoid them was nothing short of failure.

His heart didn't even beat the way Kurama's did. Why couldn't he manage just a little more control?

That answer, he knew. So did Kurama. Which was precisely the problem.

Had he been more naive, his current purpose would have been lucky happenstance after that incident. As difficult as it would be for him to ask, if things went as he expected, the consequences would be reasonable means of avoiding Kurama: during the wedding at least. His attendance was no longer an option; Hiei had returned, had asked a favor - one which he would owe him for - and had offered himself as entertainment. Kurama would go, if only to watch him suffer over it.

It hadn't been the plan he'd wanted, nor the one that was intended when he was first asked to come back, but it was the best he could do. Kurama's planned absence from Yusuke's wedding had placed a black cloud over the day. From what Hiei understood, there had even been talks of postponing it just until things could be sorted out, which would no doubt worsen the situation. Giddy with love himself, Yusuke remained entirely oblivious as to what crime he'd committed in the eyes of Kurama and would push him over the edge.

Which is where Hiei had been asked to step in: out of all the Tantei, he knew Kurama best, of course. They'd been the closest the longest, they'd been inseparable for most of their joint missions, etcetera etcetera. Yusuke was not the only one afflicted with blindness, Hiei had come to determine in listening to the pleas. No one else seemed to have noticed their break.

Sometimes, he wondered if Kurama had noticed.

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"For someone who claims not to like humans, you sneak through my window an awful lot, Hiei."

Hiei doesn't respond right away, just sulks in the corner of the room at the fact that Kurama hasn't bothered to even glance his way while being snide. The urge to snap back at him is extraordinary, but he holds back. If he wants to play on Kurama's field, he knows that he has to do it his way. That means stopping and thinking before speaking when riled; the "otherwise" is what Kurama would want.

"You don't exactly qualify." He settles on, watching the other read with more interest in his face than he'd have wanted to admit to. "Or are you not who you claim to be, after all?" Kurama shrugs nonchalantly, a hand reaching back to twirl a bit of hair on his neck. Hiei wonders if the habit means he's planning on growing it out, or if he'd had long hair in the past.

"I'm both of those things." Kurama stops the movement, as if realizing an unconscious action, but isn't bothered by it. "And you know it. So why are you pushing me when I'm otherwise preoccupied?" Hiei grimaces; he doesn't like being told that a book is more important than conversing with him. He doesn't enjoy talking, outside of these moments of brevity.

"You're too cold." Kurama's eyes stop scanning the page. He doesn't move to look at Hiei, but Hiei knows he's listening. He elaborates, "To be human. You say you love the humans, that mother of yours, but I don't see it. All I see is a demon in stolen skin."

No one speaks for a moment, Kurama just looking at his book and Hiei looking at Kurama. He wonders if he's said something that bothers the other, but then Kurama makes a noise like a sigh and his eyes are moving from right to left again. There's something close to a smile on his face, but it doesn't reach his ears.

"Is something I said untrue?"

"No, you've come to an absolutely logical conclusion." Hiei doesn't know what to say to that, not expecting something that sounds like praise. "But you're wrong. Only by a technicality, if that makes you feel better."

"A technicality." Kurama looks up at the dumbfounded tone Hiei's just used, making a conscious effort not to appear too smug. It doesn't work, in Hiei's opinion.

"We define human differently." Hiei is about to say something, but Kurama takes the lead. "You're speaking of a state of being, one which has nothing to do with species or priorities. As if good and evil can be defined. And I empathize with you, Hiei; it's been a long time since I was a proper child, but I do understand the need one has for boxes like that." Hiei makes a face, knowing he's just been insulted, but Kurama continues. "That, though, is not what makes me human; nor is it my inherent weakness. You could kill me right now, if you liked. But that doesn't mean anything either."

There's a moment in which Kurama's face changes, as if he's considering not saying what comes next, but something about the way Hiei's looking at him changes his mind.

"The only reason that I am human," Kurama breathes, with soft eyes and the smile of a madman, "is because I believe I am."

Hiei doesn't know it yet, but Kurama's greatest secret is held in that breath.

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"Are you attending the wedding?"

Hiei's comfort in the situation isn't helped any by the shocked and fumbling look on his sister's face, not to mention Genkai's background yelling - something along the lines of "...Don't show up for years and you can't even say hello? Little shit..." In fairness, he'd planned on something a little less direct, but the morning had left him flustered and he'd worried that any amount of stalling would lead him to back out. He hadn't even taken a moment to breath on the temple steps before accosting Yukina, catching her entirely off guard and causing her to drop her broom.

He didn't know why he thought she'd agree; clearly, she was terrified of him.

"To... Yusuke's wedding?" Hiei nodded, clamping his mouth firmly shut in case he said something horrible. High emotional pressure was not his area, and this certainly had his nerves on alert. "I am."

He could see it in the way her face changed: she was about to burst into a flurry of "where have you been?" and "it's so good you've come back." Before she had the chance he cut in, hoping that his anxiety was controlled enough not to make her pity him.

"Would you go with me?" Yukina only blinked, not having seen it coming. He'd known it would be the last thing she expected, but it hurt all the same.

"Yes!" She said, jumping a bit as the question truly sank in. "Of course, Hiei; I would be honored to go with you!" There wasn't time to avoid it - even for someone like him - when she stepped forward and took his hands in his, beaming up at him excitedly. "I'm so relieved; I was absolutely dreading going on my own. Will you really take me?"

Hiei just nodded numbly, far too overwhelmed for speech. This bit had been beyond what he'd planned for; the hope had been for either a yes, a no, or to chicken out quietly. Engaging in conversation is asking much more than that.

"Oh thank you!" Hiei tensed, afraid that she would hug him, but Yukina only squeezed his hand. The gentle look she was giving him said that she'd wanted to, but refrained knowing that it would make him uncomfortable. As relieved as he was, a part of him ached to have held her in his arms just once. Just as the thought crossed his mind, a small hand reached up to touch his cheek for a brief moment. "I'm so glad you're here, Hiei. We were all so worried that you wouldn't be able to make it. It's been so long since anyone has seen you." She pulled back, capturing his hand again. "We've all missed you, Hiei."

Though dull, a pain thudded in Hiei's chest. Half forced and half allowed, Hiei made an effort to smile back at his twin. Without any other option, he followed her inside the temple walls, and wished that what she said was true.