Author's Notes

I've been playing around with this idea for approximately two weeks ever since I started re-watching the series. It will use certain plot mechanics from an already existing storyline (think Chapter Black) but it'll add to it in the most logical way possible to keep it realistic. I dislike the Hiei and Mukuro pairing, but the story calls for it due to their involvement in the manga, hence why you see the mention of her wearing his Hiruseki stone. But I guarantee that this will be purely yaoi in essence and will eventually play out like so.

Have fun!

Sifting through various letters uninterestedly, Kurama leaned over the table to press the button on his answering machine after an intermittent beep caught his attention. The action triggered a message left by Shiori. Snatching the phone off its cradle and dialing his mother, he turned and leaned against the table, scrutinizing the woman asleep on the couch across the way as the phone rang. Her chest fell and rose at a steady rhythm, lips ajar and a hand resting by her face. Her mind had been overwhelmed in her fragile state, and he had barely caught her when she keeled over unexpectedly. He was speculating on when she'd wake up, when his mother tentatively called out to him over the phone after not receiving an initial answer.

"Oh, forgive me, Mother." Kurama mumbled apologetically, "I seem to have a lot on my mind. No. No. It's nothing dire. Yes, I've been taking my vitamins." Slight pause. "Yes, the wedding was very beautiful. They seemed happy." Another pause. "Lunch tomorrow sounds wonderful, I'll see you soon. Yes, I love you, too. Goodbye, Mother."

He lowered the phone back to its rightful place, sighing inwardly. He detested alluding to half-truths when speaking to his mother, but it was the only way of maintaining a balance between his identities, regardless of how perceptive she could be. In retrospect, it's eerily similar to his approach with Maya nearly ten years ago. Although, he had been unaware of how detrimental it was to her, and was now the source of his guilt. She had always been spiritually aware and even intrigued by the occult, a quirk he found endearing, but couldn't humor out of fear of exposing her to the numerous demons that sought to defeat him. Despite his best efforts, he still managed to dangle her within the enemy's grasp.

He indulged the part of him that ached to share his journey with her for a single moment, before quickly dispelling the thought in lieu of concocting a plan upon seeing her eyelids flutter and stir awake from her slumber. She pushed herself up with trembling hands and a dull pain plaguing her head, her eyes immediately darted around the room, then settled on Kurama.

"You're awake," His shoulders slackened, "I'm relieved."

"What... happened to me?" She remembered snippets of her staggering, then everything fading to black.

"You collapsed on your way here."

"Oh... I'm sorry."

"It was no trouble." Kurama reassured her softly, "Is there someone you could call to come pick you up?"

"NO!" She lurched to her feet, nearly colliding with him as she sought to obstruct his view of the device with her own body. He eyed her suspiciously, and Maya felt mortified, "I mean... so soon? I have a lot of questions... and I know only you could answer them. Like... that dream."

He narrowed his eyes even further, "Dream?"

Maya's gaze traveled downwards, admiring her own feet, "I dreamt of this monster... he was ugly and had eight arms, and..." She nibbled at her bottom lip, uncertain of her own words under his ardent stare, "... you saved me, you and that little guy... and you carried me home."

He stiffened, but remained detached. He had never questioned the efficiency of his dream pollen, and wagered that her resolve had rendered it ineffective. His eyes belied what his body language endeavored to conceal from her, and silently, he marveled at her.

"It was real... wasn't it, Suichi?" Maya staggered towards him, and he diverted his eyes from her, "Please, I need to know..."

Kurama seized her wrist in mid air, deterring her from touching his cheek. "I fear you're wrong."

She hung her head, her fringe obscuring the somber look plastered onto her face. Her shoulders quivered with every whimper, and he remorsefully reached out to comfort her, but froze when she lifted her tear stained face and sniffed, "I guess... it was wishful thinking. Maybe I... made it all up because of my feelings for you." Her voice tapered off, "...perhaps that's why you never loved me back, because I was so dumb as a child."

Her eyes widened as a hand snuck behind her head and gathered her into an embrace, burying her face into his broad chest. A whisper made her breath hitch, "Forgive me for being so selfish, Maya." She melted into his arms, loosely gripping the back of his shirt with renewed tears streaming down her cheeks. "But we must part ways."

Hiei extracted himself from the windowsill, averting his eyes from the scene unfolding before him. He had been adamant about ensuring that the redhead arrived home safely and had witnessed Maya, who he identified as the feeble female from their past that had been snatched by Yatsude, intersect Kurama along the way. Vermillion eyes wandered back to the window as Kurama knocked Maya unconscious.

He steadily lowered her limp body to the floor and called out loud enough for the fire demon to hear, "You may come in now, Hiei."

Hiei quietly slipped inside the commode, tossing him a baleful look.

"I've done nothing to warrant such a look." The redhead stated in a clinical tone, then motioned towards Maya's comatose body, "I'd be grateful if you used your Jagan to erase her memories." Hiei began to retort, but Kurama interrupted him before he could finish, "It is the least you could do."

"Hn," Hiei huffed, recalling how confronting the fox in his youth had made Maya susceptible to Yatsude's minions. "Fine." He acquiesced, kneeling by her body and unclothing the Jagan Eye.

Maya began to rouse awake, blinking multiple times to clear her vision as the room spun and a black figure loomed over her. The Jagan Eye began glowing a bright purple, quickly engulfing her with an unfamiliar warmth she tried to rebuff, but was unable to contend with its influence and caved into the darkness at the snap of fingers.

Hiei covered the implant and turned to Kurama. "I erased your encounter and implanted false memories regarding that night with Eight Hands. She'll never pursue you again."

Kurama nodded wordlessly and scooped her up. "I believe it's best if you leave now."

A growl reverberated within the Jaganshi's chest, he pivoted on his heel and escaped through the window.

"19 year old Mei Sato has been reported missing by her parents after not returning home Saturday night from an off-schedule study group within Shokubutsu-gaku University's campus. She was last seen leaving the building at around 9:15 by her fellow classmates. She was wearing a purple sweater and blue jeans. If anyone happens to know the whereabouts of this person, please contact the local police for immediate action." The anchorwoman narrated, before it panned out to commercials.

"Isn't that Kurama's school?" Kuwabara queried.

Genkai shrugged, sipping her tea."Hell if I know."

Kuwabara turned to greet Yusuke, who wobbled towards him while stifling a yawn, "Urameshi, we just saw some missing person's report on a girl from a local college. Isn't Shobukutsu-gaku University where Kurama teaches?"

"'old on, lemme check," The brunette rubbed his eyes and stooped in front of the TV, compressing his face against the pixilated screen while incredibly hung over. "Yep."

"And just what exactly are you doing, detective?"

Three pairs of eyes transfixed on Hiei cocking an eyebrow at Yusuke, who stumbled towards him and playfully hit his shoulder while guffawing, "Long time no see, buddy. You know I've been retired for some time now, riiiight?"

The fire demon scrunched up his nose, "Your breath reeks of alcohol. Don't you humans have trivial tasks to complete?"

"Naaah," Yusuke drawled, "It's Sunday."

"Yeah, but don't forget we get to go home today," Kuwabara added, "Shizuru's breathing down my neck about me getting a job."

Hiei's eyes scanned the room in search of his twin, then quickly snapped towards Genkai, who addressed him with a poignant look, "Yukina's making tea."

"Hn."

Kuwabara bolted upright, his beady eyes glowering as he threateningly yanked Hiei upwards by his white scarf. Yusuke almost instantaneously sobered up in time to restrain Kuwabara's retracted fist while Genkai remained seated, her face expressionless. " I thought you had that demon Mukuro all the way back in Demon World, Hiei, what do you want with Yukina?"

Hiei's mouth warped into a cheeky smirk, "Unhand me, oaf."

Yukina managed to walk into the room unnoticed, despite fumbling with the door as she attempted to balance the tray one-handedly. The clatter of the cups shattering on the floor made the group glance in the ice maiden's direction, who cupped her mouth with an aghast expression. "Kazuma... what is going on?"

Kuwabara lowered Hiei to the ground with a frown and concealed his face from Yukina. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Yukina." His voice lacked the cheerfulness it usually exhibited as he knelt down to clasp her hands within his own, "It's my fault, just let me do this." She, however, barely acknowledged him and briskly extricated her hands from his hold to pursue Hiei. Kuwabara's frown deepened and solemnly rose, walking over the remains and fragments of the tea as he exited the room. Keiko, Botan and Shizuru, having been startled awake by the racket, nearly collided into him as he walked away.

"Is everything okay, Yusuke? We heard a loud noise!" Keiko carefully treaded around the mess with the aid of Botan.

Shizuru faltered by the door, "And what's eating my baby bro?" Yusuke gestured a thumb in Yukina's direction.

"Mr. Hiei, please wait." Yukina stood opposite to Hiei. "Is everything alright with Kazuma, he's normally so gentle, did something happen?"

His irritation subsided at her words, regarding her now with warm eyes, "He's nothing but a well-meaning fool." Her earnest smile was all that was required in order to quell the darkness that engulfed his soul.

"Oh, yes." She beamed, "Kazuma's wonderful."

They slipped into a comfortable silence, and Yukina watched Hiei as he, in a rare moment of vulnerability, reveled in the shafts of light from the sun hitting his face through half-lidded eyes. A soothing breeze swept over them and unfastened his scarf from his neck, she caught a glimpse of her Hiruseki stone over the hollow of his collarbone and drew her eyes closed as tears welled at the corners. She dabbed at them with the sleeve of her sweater before they were even shed, and then opened them to find vermillion eyes curiously staring back at her own.

He caught the hem of his scarf as it floated away, "I have to go."

"Thank you, Hiei." She said with a broad smile, a single tear coalescing into a Hiruseki stone.

"So, how was it?"

Hiei callously sauntered past her and slammed the door closed behind him. Lifting her wrists to eye-level, Mukuro pondered on whether or not she'd admit, if prompted, that Hiei released her from the iron shackles of her own past, but bound her to his.

Thank you so much for reading! After this point, everything will begin unfolding much faster for our villain. Next chapter soon!