A/N: I figure the only way to make this less confusing is to refer to lil' Shiori as just Shi-chan when her grandmother is present. Honestly I didn't foresee this dilemma mostly because I didn't think so many of the oneshots were going to involve Kurama's mother. *sweatdrop*

Disclaimer: I don't own Hiei nor any other smexy characters from Yu Yu Hakusho (drats!)

The Hatanaka's were very excited about throwing Shi-chan a birthday party, saying that she only turned one year old once. Hiei thought it was ridiculous but if they wanted to lavish that much attention on the child then he wasn't going to get in their way. They had eagerly welcomed him to join, the invitation was heart-warming to the "orphan" but when he got a peek inside the house to the brightly colored decorations and multiple family members already gathered he had to unfortunately decline.

Hiei hesitated on the front step as Mr. Hatanaka answered the door, while he trusted the man and his teenage son well enough with the baby if Shiori was around; actual one-on-one trust had yet to be made between them. Shiori came around the corner just then before the awkward silence between the men could stretch on any longer.

"Oh Hiei-kun, you're here! It's chilly out there, please come in." Mr. Hatanaka kissed his wife's cheek and excusing himself to see to the guests. Hiei offered the bundled up child in his arms and she cooed, "Hello Birthday Girl!" she kissed the baby's forehead and hugged her close.

"Shiori-san, I won't be coming to the party…"

"What?" the woman looked up in surprise, "But Hiei-kun…it's her first birthday…"

Hiei felt a pang of guilt, "Parties aren't really my thing," he shifted from foot to foot, "and this is suppose to be your time with her."

Shiori frowned, "You know, that we can spend time with her together." She left the part 'as a family' unspoken and while Hiei may have picked up on it he pretended he didn't.

"I know…maybe some other time…" he hesitated before turning away from the house.

Shiori grabbed his shoulder, "I haven't been to see Shuuichi yet today, what with the party planning and everything…maybe you'd like to pay him a visit?"

Hiei's back stiffened and then was gone.

Shiori still held his after image for a few seconds before it too disappeared. She was left wondering how he could possibly move so fast.

Hiei took his time walking up the steps towards the more secluded part of Aoyama Cemetery, the party would last for awhile and there was no real rush on this day. There was a layer of snow that covered the whole city; it dusted the graves and dead foliage all around him. To others it'd be a romantic scene, an image worthy of any canvas; Hiei hated it.

Snow was bitterness and loneliness; Kurama deserved to lay in flourishing life not something as disgusting as snow. Hiei's lip curled in repulsion as he kicked at a frozen pile of it in his path. As the fire demon drew closer to the grave he felt a tingle spring to life deep in his chest, his ki only reacted like that to two people. He jumped up the remaining hill and was greeted with the sight of his sister, in a dark colored kimono, kneeling before the two head stones that rested there.

Yukina looked over her shoulder and smiled at him, Hiei had the nagging feeling that something was off about her (it had nothing to do with the fact that she didn't look good dressed in black). The tomb stones were already brushed and cleaned, as was the small tree sapling that started to sprout over the last year, and an expensive looking bouquet of lilies were placed in front of Maya's tomb. As Hiei walked over to stand next to her he could see the bright white and yellow roses laying her lap, he couldn't help but wish they were red. Kurama preferred red roses…

"Good evening, Hiei-san."

"Hn."

There was a short silence, "We haven't seen you around lately…" she looked up at him, "I heard you've been raising a child."

Hiei flinched, he hadn't visited Genkai's temple much in the past year. He had actually planned on never returning to Ningenkai, however it was the baby that had change that, yet he hadn't done much in this world except to drop her off with her grandparents. It was actually odd not knowing what his twin was up too; he'd been watching over her for so long, how could he have forgotten about his own sister?

Yukina absentmindedly brushed her hand across the engraving of Kurama's tomb stone, "It's understandable, you have big responsibilities to live up to." Her fingers slipped from the cold stone and settled back in her lap. She gave a secretive smile, "And I'm no longer a child."

Hiei raised an eyebrow, he had always though he had been more mysterious about watching over her, since when did she become so perceptive? He continued to study her thoughtfully, there was something about her…what was it…

"It's lil' Shiori's birthday is it not?" Hiei nodded. Yukina giggled, "An Ichigo child." Hiei rolled his eyes with a groan; she was just as bad as the Hatanaka family with there over zealously strawberry-decorated house.

"You seem very fond of the child."

Hiei merely shrugged in response.

Yukina frowned a little, "Sometimes Shiori-san brings her to the temple, not very often but I have gotten the chance to meet her…your daughter."

"She's not my daughter," Hiei hissed, nodding to the mound of earth she sat upon, "She's his."

Another silence. More strained than any they've ever shared between them.

Yukina stared ahead for a long time, her red eyes blank of any emotion or reaction from what Hiei could tell. When she finally stood it was to place the roses besides Kurama's grave, she whispered something to the stone (Hiei swore he heard "he's an idiot"). She brushed the slush from her kimono and turned to face her twin with a cold stare. Icy and sharp, Hiei was reminded that she was in fact an ice maiden when she looked at him with those eyes.

"I feel sorry for you, Hiei-san."

Hiei could only blink in bewilderment.

Yukina drew closer and took his hand in hers, her eyes softening enough that the fire demon could make out the pity directed at him.

"You're so selfless, always looking out for others." Hiei would have fallen over in shock if it weren't for her hand still clutching his.

"Yukina, I'm not-"

"Please be selfish for once," she almost seemed to be pleading with him, "everything you've ever wanted has been out of your reach but only cause you keep anything…or anyone who made you happy at arm's length away!"

Hiei felt like he was being pushed into a corner, what was she talking about? Whom had she been talking to? What did she know?

"Please, Hiei-san, think of yourself this time," she released his hand, "and let someone get close. Shi-chan will be a wonderful daughter and she'll make you a proud parent, if you'd just give her the chance."

Yukina looked so depressed as she asked this of him, her eyes started to get that watery glaze to them and for a brief instant Hiei was terrified that she'd cry right there in his arms. But she pulled away without a single sob, took a deep breath as she stared up at the grey sky, and then walked around him towards the small stairway down the hill.

Hiei was baffled, and that led to being a bit peeved that everyone seemed to be getting an upper hand on him emotionally lately. Would everybody be a step ahead of him? Why had Yukina gotten so upset just then? It was common fact that Shi-chan was Kurama's flesh and blood, not his. If anything that should be celebrated not mourned; any child of his would be forbidden, an abomination.

Everything you've ever wanted…out of your reach…

Let someone get close…

Give her the chance…

…

Suddenly it clicked. Hiei was down the hill and in front of Yukina faster than a blink of an eye, even he felt a small rush of dizziness from how fast he launched himself in that moment of epiphany.

"You knew?"

"…I figured it out eventually."

Hiei tried to say something to that, anything would have done but he was grasping at air and his voice was vacant. How do you apologize for something like this? His mouth was dry and he felt close to hyperventilating, she'd known this whole time?

"Your reasons were your reasons, Hiei. But I don't wanna see you do the same thing to poor Shi-chan as well. Be the father she needs you to be, you deserve a family too." She hugged him and he ended up wrapping his arms around her more for stability then comfort.

He wasn't sure if he could handle any more surprises like these. Kami must hate him.

"Yukina…I should have…been the family you deserved…" he whispered.

Yukina shook her head as she pulled away and started for the exit of the cemetery, "You continue to think you're a bad brother even after I tell you how you were selfless, honestly Onii-san." Hiei felt his chest swell with warmth and he turned to watch her go, suddenly the snowy background didn't seem so bad.

"Besides," Yukina smiled over her shoulder, "Kazuma has already given me a family to belong to."

From this angle Hiei could make out his sister petting her midsection...something else clicked in Hiei's mind…before his world went completely black. Yukina squeaked in surprise as her brother fainted before her while above them both, atop the hill, a small sapling rustled its branches in a non-existent breeze.

As if it were laughing…

A/N:

Ichigo- Strawberry. Yukina's comment refers to the fact that Shi-chan was born January 5th, the fifth day of the first month. The numbers ichi and go.

So when Yukina begs Hiei to take a chance on love, she's talking about not only how he held back from loving her but also from loving Kurama, and loving Shi-chan. I hope it turned out as dramatic as it was in my head. :D

Yukina's almost two months pregnant~! Hooray!

Hiei's not so happy about it though, lol.

(Happy Birthday Shi-chan)