Chapter 14

"We won't deny we were there, but we were across the street and didn't see a thing." Hiei said.

"But Hiei, why should I try to hide the fact that it was me who was talking to Karasu. I had nothing to do with the attack." Kurama said calmly.

Hiei turned to him with cold piercing eyes. "Then why the scam, how much did you offer him?"

Yusuke blinked at the change in the black haired's demeanor.

Kurama just sat there, not the least bit intimidated and said firmly. "I didn't offer him anything. I don't know what you mean, but I didn't offer anyone anything. I just went there to…?" He was interrupted.

"You offered to pay him to take the blame. You knew he wouldn't serve a long jail term, he only has to plead with the court and tell them about the abuse then they'll offer him leniency, giving an early parole." Hiei said firmly.

Kurama smirked. "That's a good theory, but how can I pay him, I don't have a dime to my name."

"You were on more than one account." Hiei said.

"Only the one…you know that, you also know that all that money went to the hospital." Kurama voice had turned cold.

"What if I knew of other accounts?" Hiei said, crossing his arms. "Off shore ones."

"You make a lousily liar Hiei." Kurama smirked, calling his bluff.

"I know you." Hiei stated.

Kurama's eyes narrowed. "So you think."

Yusuke felt like a third wheel, these two were talking like he wasn't even in the room. He didn't understand all of what they were talking about, but when Hiei mentioned the money, it dawned on him. "That's why you changed shirts." He blurted out. The other two looked at him. "Damn." He muttered, saying. "That was the same stunt you pulled at the bank!? The hair up in the ponytail, the woman's blouse, you probably even changed shirts then too, you wanted them to think you were a woman."

"Aren't you the detective?" Hiei scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Yusuke ignored the shorter figure and walked over to glare down at Kurama. "Is it true, did you get Sensui to kill Karasu?"

Kurama looked up at him, a look of complete innocence on his face, except for his eyes, they where ice cold, dead of all emotion.

"Damn it, answer me…you owe me an answer." Yusuke growled. His nostrils flared, refusing to believe that this man he had come to care about had anything to do with murdering another human being, even if that human being was a scum bag.

Kurama just stared.

"That was the terms you made with him, wasn't it?" Yusuke said, running a hand through his hair before throwing his arms up in the air. "That's why you did anything he asked…you conned him into getting your name on the accounts and then started emptying them behind his back. I…I can't believe I didn't figure that out…you let him pay for everything while you rob him blind then when I came along and everything happened the way it did, you took advantage of it and used it to have him killed."

"Well, that was a lot of rambling…I little confusing even to me, but I think you got the idea…give the man a cigar." Kurama said, a sly smile on his lips as he waved a hand mockingly.

Yusuke was dumb stuck. "When did you know I was writing a book on Genkai?"

"Oh, forgotten already have we…" Kurama started, crossing his leg and placing his hands on his knee. "Let me refresh your memory…the night of the social gathering ring a bell." He arched an eyebrow as he watched realization appear on the raven haired's face. "The lovely Keiko was all too proud to announce it."

"So you've been using me to set Karasu up…is that what your telling me." Yusuke accused, he still couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You're good, that didn't take you as long to figure out as I thought it would." Kurama smirked.

"Did you know about this?" Yusuke turned to Hiei.

Hiei just shrugged, his posture and facial expressions showing no answer either way.

"What about the park, when…" He was going to say when they saw Bui and the red head's reaction to seeing him. "Then after you were…" He was going to say raped and what happened afterwards. "Last night when…" He just couldn't believe this, he always stuck his foot in his mouth and this time was no exception. He had fallen for the oldest trick in the book. It didn't make sense at the moment, but he had been set up. Each encounter made to set the wheels in motion.

The smirk faded and Kurama said with poise. "Yusuke, I can't fall for every sorry piece of ass I let fuck me…now can I? But, you were good…." His voice went flat. "Even for a cold fish."

Yusuke froze as his face paled, a million thoughts and emotions blazed across his mind. His hands slowly squeezed into fists, each knuckle popping loudly as they turned white from the pressure. Slowly turning, he walked to the kitchen and opened the door, pausing and taking a deep breath, he said. "You two deserve each other." Not looking back, he walked out, the sound of the door slamming echoed for what seemed like forever.

Yusuke walked calmly down the stairs, but once he hit the street, his knees buckled and he beat the ground with his fists. Tears threaten to fall, but he refused to cry, he was a man damn it and his mother always told him crying was for babies. With his hands sore and his heart hurting, the raven haired got up and not paying attention to where he was heading, walked away.

Back inside the apartment, Hiei watched Kurama's face fall, his eyes watering, yet no tears fell. "Are you sure you wanted to do that?" He said softly.

The red head ran to the bathroom, the door barely closed before the sound of retching started.

(One month later…)

Yusuke ran a hand through his hair, pushing bangs away from his face in complete fluster and it wasn't helping that the computer decided to be a pain in the ass at this particular moment.

"Damn it." He muttered, tapping the save. "I give up." Pushing away from the table, he headed to the kitchen, deciding what he needed was a break and a beer.

Coming back out of the kitchen with a chilled brew, he pushed aside the clutter and flopped on the couch. Having to take a moment to search for the remote, he turned on the TV to a wrestling match and settled in.

A bottle and a half later, a knock was heard on the front door. Assuming it was Keiko, who'd been dropping by at irregular intervals to see how the book was coming along. He got up without taking his eyes off the TV and opened the door without even looking at who it was as he made his way back to the couch. "Oh come on…I know this is fake, but please…you can do better than that." His eyes glued to the lame action.

"Am I interrupting something?" Came a deep voice from the door.

"What?" Yusuke said, finally looking over to see Hiei standing just outside the open door. To say he was 'shocked' was an understatement. He didn't think the bartender knew where he lived.

"Shuiichi mentioned where you lived, if you were wondering." Hiei said, as if reading the raven haired's mind. He couldn't help but take in the man's appearance, but decided not to say anything.

"If you're here to ask me why I haven't been 'visiting', I've been busy. I am writing a book after all and have a tight schedule." Yusuke informed, taking a drink.

"May I come in?" The small figure asked.

"Suit yourself." Yusuke offered and sat back down on the couch.

Hiei stepped in, shutting the door before making his way to the couch. It didn't go unnoticed by the black haired that the apartment was a mess. Empty beer and soda bottles laid about, along with empty food containers from Chinese and pizza places covered the floor, coffee table and clothes were flung everywhere, not to mention the smell. He noticed the computer desk in the corner with its papers and folders in stacks on the floor, forming a half circle around the chair. He almost smirked at the one pound M&M's candy bags, some empty, others half full that were placed around the computer, within easy munching distance.

"You've been busy." He said.

"Yeah." Yusuke said, looking around at the mess, knowing what the shorter figure was thinking. "I don't think when I write. I'll get to cleaning once I'm done and the deadline is over." He took another drink, focusing back on the TV.

"You're still writing the book?" Hiei questioned, his eyebrow arching, a little taken aback to hear that.

"I have a deal with Keiko, but don't worry…" Yusuke answered then smirked. "It's still a fiction one. I have no intentions of making myself look like an ass." His eyes never left the TV.

"Could you turn that annoying racket off?" Hiei growled.

"Why?" Yusuke asked standing, not liking the tone in the shorter figure's voice. "It's not like you were invited to come here or anything."

In a blink of an eye, that shorter figure grabbed the remote and turned off the TV, tossing the controller on the couch with a look of 'you want to try me.'

"What the hell's your problem?" Yusuke growled himself, ignoring the stare and making one of his own, how dare this man even show his face.

"My problem…that's easy." Hiei huffed. "I'm tired of the moping, which seems to be all anyone does anymore"

"Oh, now I see, you came here to enjoy my particular blend. Well, I'm sure you won't like the bitter taste, so get the hell out." Yusuke grumbled and pointed to the door.

"Do you not realize you did exactly what Kurama wanted you to do?" Hiei said calmly.

"Maybe." Yusuke said, stepping back, not really knowing what Hiei meant, but calling his bluff.

"Kurama pushed you away deliberately, just like he does everyone he's gotten close to." Hiei said.

"He sure as hell has a funny way of doing it…I don't play those games." Yusuke said, sitting back down and looking at the blank TV.

"Yeah right" Hiei snorted. "Shuiichi still wants you."

"He used me, or did you honestly not know?" Yusuke wondered.

"He saw an opening and took it." Hiei stated.

"Well, glad I came through for him." Yusuke quirked while toasting with his beer.

"He didn't think he would end up caring for you." Hiei said, using one hand to push at a stack of debris, dumping the contents out of a chair so he could sit.

"And you know this how." Yusuke wondered, rolling his eyes, not believing a word.

"I just know." Hiei said softly.

"Then you won't mind enlightening me ol' wise one." Yusuke said, getting up and going to the kitchen. He came back with two beers, he held one out.

"I don't drink." The black haired said, refusing the offer.

"You own a bar and don't drink…didn't figure that." Yusuke mused, taking his seat and sitting one beer on the coffee table. He opened the other one and took a swig.

"Do you care for him?" Hiei asked, ignoring the remark.

"I don't know." Yusuke said softly, looking at the beer.

"It's a simple question." Hiei said.

"Maybe, but…" Yusuke muttered, he didn't know how to explain why he cared for the red head even after knowing he'd been used.

"Are you afraid of being labeled 'gay'?" Hiei smirked.

"NO!" Yusuke's boasted, slamming his beer on the table. "That has nothing to do with it. Like I told Kurama…I've never judged the way people live and I won't start now."

"Then what is it?" Hiei asked.

"I…I…don't think…I can trust him." Yusuke whispered, looking down.

"Shuiichi's lost." Hiei said, getting the raven haired's attention. "He needs to be there for someone else, it was the way he was raised. Even before he got involved with Karasu, his mother controlled his life… he's a follower in need of a leader."

"Sounds like he needs a master." Yusuke joked, taking a drink.

"Maybe." Hiei said, causing the raven haired to look at him with large eyes. "Or maybe he just needs someone to stand up and stake their claim."

"Why does he go by the name Kurama?" Yusuke asked, playing with the bottle.

Hiei took a deep breath and said calmly. "He chose the name to dissociate himself with what he was allowing to happen, it was a way for him to think it was happening to someone else, not him. Also so his mother wouldn't know."

Yusuke nodded in understanding, no matter how mad he got, he still felt sorry for the red head. He could never image going through almost 10 years of well…'hell' would be a good word, even if he allowed it. He commented. "He said you two were together at one time, why don't you two just kiss and make up."

"We can't be together." Hiei said with a light shake of his head.

Yusuke raised an eyebrow, but didn't look up.

"I have my reasons." Hiei added.

Really wanting to know those reasons, but not asking, the raven haired said. "Then why me?" He looked up to see crimson eyes watching him.

"Because Koenma thinks he can make Shuiichi happy, but I don't trust the guy." Hiei admitted.

"Koenma." Again Yusuke's eyebrows rose.

"He's been coming in almost everyday trying to sweet talk Shuiichi into eloping with him, saying he could provide him with anything and everything he's ever wanted."

"He should take it." Yusuke said with a nod.

"Koenma just wants his body and Shuiichi knows it. I can tell he doesn't want to be Kurama anymore…he wants a 'normal' life. I think you can give that to him, you don't want him for just his body or his 'talent'. That's what made him get scared, he saw you were different and didn't know how to handle it, so he did to you what he did to me, he pushed."

"That's interesting." Yusuke whispered, nodding his head in thought. 'That's not how Kurama told it.' Taking a sip, he asked. "So how's he doing?"

"Lost, sleeping on the couch. I've been making him work the bar, gets him out of the apartment." Hiei informed.

"He hasn't gotten his own place yet?" He asked, though he did hear the 'sleeping on the couch' part.

Hiei shrugged. "He has no money and knows I won't kick him out."

"But if he took all that money?" Yusuke wondered, if the red head did then he could surely live off that, invest right and you could live off the interest alone.

"He told the truth about that, he was only on the one account and it all went to the hospital." Hiei said.

"But you accused…." Yusuke sat up, confused.

"I know what I did." Hiei growled. "But I had to make sure. I still don't know where he would have gotten the money or what kind of deal he made but…." He shrugged.

"So you still think he paid Sensui to kill Karasu and take full blame." Yusuke's said, his head was starting to hurt.

"We may never know…he's refused to talk about anything that's happened since you walked out." Red eyes looked to chocolate ones.

The raven haired sat there staring at the floor, lost in thought. So it was only the one account and there was still no truth to him having Karasu killed. Thinking of the money, he asked. "How's his mother?"

Hiei also studied the floor. "They found a treatment that seems to be working, but only time will tell. The new doctor has mentioned that if she keeps doing well, she can go home."

"She still has a home?" Yusuke's asked, his eyes widening as he wondered why Shuiichi wasn't living there if she did.

"No, sold it when she needed the money." The black haired said, knowing what the raven haired was thinking. "He'll get a place when she's ready to get out."

"He won't have any money, he'll need a job."

"Karasu let him get his high school degree, but…" Hiei paused and didn't need to finish the statement. Now days you needed at least a four year degree to even get your foot in the door.

"He can do community college courses….that's what I did." Yusuke said to no one in particular.

"Yeah, that's what you did….but what are you going to do now?" Hiei asked, standing up. "Thanks for the beer." And with that remark, he left.

Yusuke sat there for a few minutes. Should he believe Hiei? Hiei was not the type of person to go out of his way to talk to someone. Kurama…Shuiichi said he only provided information when he felt they needed to know. Did Shuiichi really feel sorry for what he'd done and according to the bar owner, still wanted him? The raven haired pinched the bridge of his nose, his head hurting from all the thinking and emotions he was feeling. Picking up a pair of sweats, he changed and went for a jog. It always helped clear his head.

After a jog through the park and a lot of soul searching, he bounded up the stairs two at a time to see Kuwabara leaning on the rail next to the door.

"What's up?" He asked, keying in.

"There you are, I tried your cell phone, but heard it ringing inside." The tall orange haired said, following him in. Seeing the look of the place, he added. "When did your place implode?"

"Funny." Yusuke said, going to the kitchen and coming back with a bottle of water. "Want anything?"

"Uh….no thank you." Kuwabara answered, trying to control his gag reflexes, the smell was making him nauseated.

"What's brings you to my humble abode?" Yusuke asked, offering the man the chair that Hiei had emptied earlier.

"Hiei said you haven't been to the bar in weeks." The tall man said, taking the seat, but sitting on the edge.

"Yeah well…I have a book to write and…" Yusuke trailed off, taking the seat on the couch, he wasn't going to say he was trying to avoid a certain red head.

"Have you been sick…you look like hell?" Kuwabara said, noticing the dark circles under the chocolate eyes.

"And you always look like a bed of roses." Yusuke mocked.

"You look pale and it also looks like you've lost weight." Kuwabara said with concern in his voice and eyes. He was guessing about the pale part, for the raven haired had at least a weeks worth of hair growth on his face, not to mention the hair, 'when was the last time he had a hair cut?'

"You know I'm writing a book." Yusuke shrugged. "You know how I get…I'm sure you didn't come here to offer me a shot in GQ, so what gives?" The raven haired wanted the subject changed.

Kuwabara knew how Yusuke had acted on his first book because they had been roommates at the time and he knew it had never gotten this bad. Something else was bothering his friend, but taking the hint, he said. "Well, I thought you'd like to hear the latest on Karasu." He saw the sad look in the chocolate eyes, but decided not to ask.

"He's dead, why are you still digging around?" Yusuke asked, taking a drink and reaching for a towel to wipe his face.

"We've been looking into his records and you might find this interesting." Kuwabara received a nod to continue. "Seems Karasu had a doctor on his payroll."

"What?!" Yusuke sat up, shocked. "Say that again."

"Karasu had a doctor he was making monthly payments to." Kuwabara said.

"Wait…he was paying for Shori's treatments." Yusuke muttered, biting his lip, thinking.

"But under the table?" The orange haired questioned.

"Why would he pay under the table?" Yusuke pondered.

"We confronted the doctor…a doc Kaitou and he said he was being paid for 'personal' treatments to help Ms. Minamino…funny though." Kuwabara smirked. When Yusuke arched an eyebrow, he added. "I went to talk to him again, but he resigned, the hospital said he turned in his noticed and left, no forwarding address, nothing…and they had no idea he was taking money outside what the hospital was paying."

The thought hit Yusuke like a ton of bricks. "You think he was keeping her sick, a way to black mail Kur…Shuiichi."

"Thought of that too, but we'll never know, unless we happen to run into the doctor, had nothing to arrest him on so we have no reason to be looking for him and last I heard, Ms. Minamino was responding well to treatments under a new doctor."

"Did you tell Shuiichi this?" Yusuke asked, feeling sick to his stomach. Surely the red head hadn't known Karasu was doing this to his mother. How had Hiei known she was under a new doctor? Kuwabara gave him the answer.

"I told him yesterday, that's how I heard you haven't been to the bar in awhile." He said, watching his friend's face pale and become lost in thought, he asked. "Something wrong?"

"Ah…no." Yusuke stuttered with a shake of his head, coming out of his thoughts. With a nervous laugh he said. "I've just been busy…got a book to write…thanks for dropping by." The raven haired stood, motioning towards the door.

"Oooo…kay." Kuwabara said slowly, standing up and making his way to the door. "See ya, don't be a stranger." He added, walking away and leaving Yusuke standing there.

The door closed and Yusuke shook his head, clearing his thoughts. 'Why the hell do I care?' He thought. He'd been used, conned and literally screwed…man this was better than any book he could ever hope to write. Downing the rest of the water, he went back to the computer. He needed to get the latest outline done for the next chapter before Keiko called or dropped by to yell at him. Getting online so he could do a general search for information on the temple and get dates for when Genkai used the place for her dojo, he paused when he noticed his hands were shaking. 'Damn it…I can't think about this now.' Cursing himself, he could deny it to anyone but himself that the past month has been killing him. The dreams about the red head were still occurring, so he tried to stay awake, but he would eventually fall asleep. He tried to think of other things, like strangling that beautiful lean neck, but nothing worked, even drinking to the point he would pass out didn't do it. Why couldn't he stay mad at Shuiichi? Would he have done the same thing if the roles had been reversed? Did Hiei really believe he could help the red head?

'Can't think about this.' He berated himself again as his hands moved over the keys, his breath hitched at the site that came up.

Yusuke blinked and his jaw dropped as he took in pictures of the 'employees' of the escort service. "How the hell did that come up?" He muttered, not wanting to believe Karasu had a website.

Looking to the search, he noted what he had typed. 'Kurama what should I do.' Did he really type that? Looking at the pictures, his eyes picked out the color print of the flaming red head. Under the photo was the caption 'I could be yours.' His whole body started trembling. 'I need to get out of here.' He told himself, he had been jogging a lot lately, it was the only thing he could think to do when he felt a panic attack coming on. Turning from the computer, he forced himself not to look at the picture, though it was now burned into his brain. He went to stand but his knees buckled and he fell to the floor, scattering the nice neat stacks of papers.

Crying out, he beat the floor in frustration as tears started falling. No matter how hard he tried to control it, the salty liquid fell. Letting exhaustion take over, he curled into fetal position, letting the carpet absorb the fluid.

a)a)a)a

Hiei finally stepped into the apartment, it was almost midnight and only the full moon was illuminating the small place. Walking quietly, he wasn't surprised to see the red head on the couch. Making it to the kitchen, he was just about to pour himself a drink of juice when he heard a whimper from across the room. Sighing, he placed the glass down and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Here we go.' He thought, almost every night the same thing.

Going over, he studied the red head as he slept. Shuiichi was laying on his side, back against the couch, arms hugging a pillow. He waited and when he didn't hear anything, he turned to head towards the bedroom. He stopped however when he heard a gasp. Turning back around, the black haired got on his knees and ran a hand through the short red hair. He still couldn't believe Shuiichi had cut his hair. A few days after the incident with Karasu and Yusuke, he had come back up after opening the bar to see Shuiichi sitting in the middle of the floor, hacking the red locks and letting them drop to the floor, his green eyes swollen from crying. Karasu had made him grow his hair long and it appeared Shuiichi hated it, so he decided to take matters into his own hands by grabbing a dagger off one of the selves. With the damage done, the only thing the black haired could do was take a pair of scissors and even it up, and be thankful it was hair and not skin he'd decided to cut. In the months since, the red hair had filled out. It was now curly and kind of made him look like he was twelve again.

Shuiichi sighed in his sleep, liking the feel of his hair being brushed. Thinking he had settled him, Hiei went to stand but stopped again as another whimper came out. "Sh…it's okay." He whispered, getting back on his knees and running his fingers through the hair again. The red head leaned into the hand, moving his head to prompt the fingers to move. Hiei leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "Your safe, you know this, so you need to sleep, nothing's going to happen to you here." He whispered near the pale lips. Those pale lips came up and brushed against his, moaning as they tried to move closer. "No, you don't need to do that." Hiei said softy, but with firmness, wondering how many times Kurama had been taken as he slept, his body trained to respond to touch and coerced until he performed.

The red head seem to pause, but then leaned up and kissed him again, harder as he made direct contact with his lips and at the same time lean hands came up to grab him, pulling him to deepen the kiss.

"Shuiichi." Hiei managed to get out once his lips were freed.

"Sh…I'll take care of you." Came a whispered reply.

"No." He said with a stern voice, bringing his hands up to remove the ones that had wrapped around his neck.

"Hiei, please…I need you." The red head pleaded.

Hiei could tell the red head was still somewhat asleep. "I said 'no', I'll hold you, but I will not do something you'll regret.

"I've never regretted you." Shuiichi breathed, trying to put his arms back.

The black haired leaned in, kissing the pale lips, making the taller figure moan. Placing lean hands back around the black haired's neck. The red head then pulled the shorter figure so he lay on top of him. They kissed while grinding their bodies together, allowing the friction to heighten their growing arousals.

"I can't do this." Hiei gasped, pushing his body up away from Shuiichi and composing himself.

"It's okay, it's what we want." Shuiichi said, taking his hands and trying to remove the blue tank top.

"No, it's not….we both know that." Hiei said, getting up and walking away.

"You don't know what I want." He heard as he went to the kitchen. Sighing, the black haired fumbled around for a moment before coming back with a glass of juice.

"Drink." He said, offering the glass.

"I'm not thirsty." The red head said sitting up.

"You haven't eaten much and I know you're dehydrated, its juice…you need the vitamins." Hiei firmly stated and pushed the glass forward, forcing the red head to take it.

Shuiichi took a few gulps, handing the glass back, he smirked. "There, satisfied mother?"

"Yes." Hiei said and went to place the glass in the sink. Coming back, he sat down next to the taller figure.

"You didn't have to do that." Shuiichi said his voice now drowsy. He looked down as his eyes grew heavy.

"It was for the best." Hiei said softly, taking an arm and pulling the taller figure towards him.

The red head sighed and settled into the welcoming embrace, closing his eyes as the sleeping powder took affect.

Hiei sat there with the too lean frame leaning against him and played with the short red locks until he heard content, peaceful breathing. He sat there hoping Yusuke would come around soon and would come to stake his claim.

End Chapter 14