50: Death-Hiei/Kurama
Kurama's death had not been unexpected. He'd died young, as far as Hiei was concerned, even if he had no idea how long the average human lifespan was.

He'd died at fourty two, of a blood disease he'd warned them of years prior, but none of them had ever seen. They suspected he'd hid the worst of it for their sakes, until he could do so no longer. Having taken up residence in Genkai's temple, Yukina and Hiei were the ones who were there most often. He would wake up with muscle spasms and bone pain, gritting his teeth and making his palms bleed from the clenching of his fists. His gums, nose, eyes and ears bled without warning, and Hiei had gotten used to keeping kleenex and cloth in his pockets for those moments. The veins in his eyes swelled, leaving them red and ugly and terrifying to look at. He refused to do so. "It's like when you try to put too many clothes in a suitcase," Kurama had tried to joke, coughing and wheezing, leaning against his lover's chest, "And you can keep it there for a while, but eventually, the hinges give way from the strain. And everything pops out." His demon energy, unable to contain itself in the human skin. He was killing himself. There was no way to heal him.

His blood had become poisonous...

He'd died on a sunny, beautiful afternoon, in the presence of those he'd loved. Having finally swallowed his pride, he'd allowed Hiei to call them, each knowing that the point was to say goodbye, if needed. No one knew if it would be permanent, if he could come back from this in his true form. Botan waited with her breath held, anxiously wringing her hands. "It's alright, Botan," he'd patted her hand, comforting her, "If anyone were to bring my soul, I'd rather it be you. You are my favorite ferry girl," he tried to joke, and she'd cried, wrapping her arms around his neck. Attempting to be light, the kitsune smiled, wiped her face with his long kimono sleeve, "There, there. Death isn't such a bad thing..."

And Yusuke was angry. He was angry that Kurama had hid this from them for so long. That there was nothing he could do about it. Keiko had finally pulled him aside; "Do you really want to spend the last days we have fuming and glaring at everyone? Kurama knows what he's doing...don't waste it." And so he tried to pretend it was just a visit, not a living funeral.

"See you later," he'd smiled, leaning against the willow tree and studying their faces, looking impossibly serene in the face of an ending. Shizuru and Kazuma stood together, trying to be reassuring, feeling him fade like a candle dying out. "We'll see you around kid," she put a cigarette between her lips, a nervous habit, "Don't do anything stupid, alright?"

"It'll be okay!" Kuwabarra had been trying to be positive through the tears, patting his shoulder awkwardly, "You're gonna be just fine. And don't..." he gulped, "Don't worry about us either, got it? We'll keep each other in line." "I have no doubts," Kurama smiled, accepting the tight embrace.

"...Kurama," the kitsune looked up, startled to see Yusuke kneeling in front of him, eyes swimming with tears and jaw clenched, "I..."

"I know," he'd pulled his gruff friend into a gentle embrace, kissing his cheek; Yusuke was a younger brother to him, an incredibly stubborn protective force that had so many times lightened the darker corners of their lives, "You're still young, Yusuke," those red eyes focused on his, pale lips smirking, "Don't waste your youth in anger and trying to stop the inevitable..."

The words of someone so much older.

And they'd taken Hiei's presence silently, turning to give them privacy as Hiei carried him away, sitting in the rose garden and gently brushing sanguine strands of hair. Lips trembling, he smiled, just a little, as a white hiruseki fell into the grass. He tucked it away in the sleeve of his lover's kimono, "For luck," he whispered. Kurama nodded, gently pulling him down to kiss him; it was a long, sweet farewell, and he didn't cringe as Hiei's grip tightened, even if it made his bones ache. "Meet me in the forest," the kitsune murmured, "I'll wait for you there, by the tree we planted together...remember that?" Nodding, Hiei choked on the lump in his throat, "I thought you were crazy," he laughed through the tears, trembling, "Willow trees never grow in the dry lands..."

"Just ours," Kurama agreed, "The willow tree..."

And it was like he'd gone to sleep. His head fell to rest against Hiei's chest, and his entire body relaxed. Hiei waited for a moment, biting his lip, hoping it was all some cruel joke; the fox would open his eyes and he'd be okay, just tired, and apologize for making them all worry so damn much.

But he didn't open his eyes.

They'd gathered in the thick forest, deep within Genkai's mountain before a large, blossoming tree. It had been one of Kurama's favorites, one they would often find him lounging in, napping or reading. When asked why he'd loved it so much, he simply smiled. Each member of their strange family together, each sprinkling the soil upon the body wrapped in white and gold linen. Yukina and Hiei dropping in Hiruseki. The twins held each other, ruby eyes meeting in a silent conversation.

The group, now one empty, stood together, clutching roses.

Staring at the stone they'd all worked so hard on, which read

"Until We Meet Again"