A/N: You are all so awesome! I heart each and every one of your reviews, but I can't respond to them personally this time 'cause I'm still in the middle of PACKING!! College starts tomorrow. Eep! Lol, just wanted to get this up 'cause I don't know when I'll have time once I head out. Wish me luck!

Now, on with the fic.

Bleeding Hearts

Chapter 10

By Yami no Kokoro

Hiei's POV

My fox is sitting in his garden as I approach - the place that mirrors his soul. I find it in turmoil. Last summer I had always found it to be beautiful beyond any compare. A section in one corner was full of young sakura trees and violets, a place for Shiori, and forget-me-nots twined up the trees in what he's never said but I was sure was a reminder of his old partner, Kuronue. It was colorful and bright, and nothing like the dreary mess I find myself in now.

Kurama sits beneath the drooping flowers of a sakura, the only part of his garden that remains mostly undevastated by vicious thorns and bushes. It was nothing like this yesterday at noon, when I had come to look for him here before tracking his ki to that pathetic excuse for a fighting competition.

What is the detective doing to my fox?

"Please, just leave." Kurama hasn't turned his head to face me, but he senses my presence still. Of course he does. I could follow his ki through dimensions; it only makes sense that he could feel mine so near.

"Hn." I respond, crossing my arms. "I have no intention of leaving here, fox, unless you agree to come with me."

He sighs, closing his eyes, and tipping his head back against the tree's trunk. Light filters down onto his face and I see belatedly that the skin around his closed eyelids is red.

"We've been through this, Hiei. We went through it too many times last summer. Shiori is the one constant in my life. I'm not leaving her."

"Fine. Then I'll stay." That makes him look to me, and I move my gaze away from him, unable to hold his gaze as I continue to - for the first time - really say what is in my heart. I'm not completely sure what will end up coming out, and the words tumble out less than gracefully.

"I . . . I hate this distance between us, fox. Seven months in another world was hellish for me, though I don't believe I even realized it until I had that nightmare."

"Nightmare?" Kurama's voice is soft, but with a suspiciously nervous undercurrent. I shrug.

"I had a dream three nights ago, and in it you were dying. So I came here to make sure you were alive . . . and saw that that the detective had gotten to you the day before." He nods, but his brows crease as though he's deep in thought. After a moment, he rises to his feet, and grants me a sad, gentle smile.

"I've missed you too, Hiei. Now, is there any chance that the dream you had will come to pass?"

Our conversation isn't strained; there is no screaming, no fighting. Just a quiet comradeship. We're starting to slip back into our old routine, the one we had before we'd become lovers.

"Heh, doubtful. Even ningen don't dance in blood as far as I know, and you can't turn into a fox anymore." He lets a slight grin show, and my heart does that baka fluttering thing.

"No, I don't believe I can." He pauses briefly. "In that case, Hiei, you should return to the Makai."

My eyes narrow.

"What?" Kurama still smiles at me, clearly believing that what he's saying is right. But how is that? He'd just said that he missed me. "Your logic escapes me, Kurama . . . unless this is about the detective again."

"No." The fox earnestly replies, and I nod, satisfied that in that, at least, he is speaking the truth. He looks down, as though unsure whether he should reveal something or not. "Yusuke and I . . . we're not . . . we aren't together anymore." He looks crestfallen, but I can't help a satisfied smirk from creeping over my lips.

"Then, if you aren't betraying Yusuke I fail to see the problem."

I move forward and run a light hand down his chest, making his breath catch, and he inches back quickly. We both know from experience that as long as I keep touching him he'll easily forget his arguments, all of which I'm sure are caused by any guilt for hurting the baka ningen detective who is quickly making his way to the top of my least favorite humans (second only to those fools who had captured Yukina for her tear gems years ago). Why couldn't Yusuke have just left my fox alone?

"Hiei, listen. We can't be together. You belong in the Makai - in your kingdom - and I belong here. I can't force you to stay here, in a world where there's nothing you care about, just for me."

I think he can tell that he's backing himself against the sakura tree, because he calmly steps sideways, eyes never leaving my own.

His answer confuses me, and I shake my head.

"Fox, I think I understand this relationship stuff better than you do." I growl, and stalk towards him, ignoring the fact that he tries meekly to back away again, grab his arms, and pull him into a violent kiss that immediately halts all thoughts of escape.

He fights not to respond, I can tell by the way his body tenses and untenses against me, but it's a battle he is quickly losing. The harsher my embrace is the more Kurama enjoys it. I learned this one time long ago when an assault on his neck accidentally drew blood. He has a rather unhealthy masochistic streak.

My short nails find their way under his shirt and begin to rake across his back, just wanting to be closer to him. We've been apart for so long.

He stifles a moan, and I am as always struck with the realization that I, the Forbidden Child, could elicit such reactions from the great Yoko Kurama.

Finally, when my breath is gone and my lungs are practically screaming for oxygen I pull my lips from his, loving the sound of Kurama's shaky, uncontrolled gasps, tasting his hot mint breath as his mouth hovers mere centimeters from mine.

Then I tilt my head up to meet his heavy-lidded eyes.

"You're all that I care about." The confession escapes my lips before I could check it, and flinch, hating how vulnerable it makes me sound. My fox's emerald eyes sparkle, however, and a true smile breaks over his face.

"Hiei..." A hand moves up to caress my cheek, and I resist the urge to close my eyes and lean into the touch. I'd already confessed how weak I am verbally, I'm not about to break down like a ningen and lose all of my composure.

"Inari," he continues, voice awed, "do you know how long I've wanted to hear that?" A single tear escapes his left eye to travel slowly down his cheek, and he leans forward to kiss me softly and quickly. In an instant he has pulled back and escapes my loosened grip around his waist.

"But if that were true then you wouldn't have gone to train with Mukuro." I open my mouth to object, but he covers it with one hand gently, silencing me. "I don't blame you for wanting more, Hiei. Obviously, a third of the Makai would be a foolish offer to pass up, and that's why I cannot force you to stay, just for me."

There is something else behind this. This is exactly what he had wanted from me last summer. What is changing his mind now?

Suddenly a pain clenches my chest, as I watch a second tear slide down my fox's cheek. Of course. It is still the detective. There's no other reason that he would want me to go.

He senses my change in attitude as I pull away from his gentle hand. His brow creases.

Why can't Kurama understand? He is the only person that I've ever let into my heart besides Yukina, and for living for over 200 years that's saying quite a bit. Urameshi could have anyone he wants, so why does he need to go after the only thing I desire?

Why is the universe so set on my getting nothing?

Does my birthright truly mean I am cursed?

"Hiei, please understand." He's begging me now, with his words, with those sad eyes. I turn away abruptly.

"I understand well enough."

"Hiei…" He sounds so hurt, so vulnerable. That makes me want to forget my anger, turn around, and kiss away all of the tears that I know are still falling. I stop myself, though barely.

I need to settle things with the detective first.

He begins to move up behind me, but before he can reach me, I am gone.

TBC

A/N: That's it for now. Sorry for the lack of Yusuke. Please review and I'll update as soon as possible!