PLEASE NOTE: This story is technically a prequel to my "Tree of Life" story, taking place about a year earlier. However, this works well as a standalone story as well. Enjoy!

...

November 14, 1995

It was a nice fall day in Mushiyori City, Japan. Many people were outside, walking, talking, shopping, enjoying the area's moderate climate…Kids were at school, adults were at work, demons were afoot, and Hiei was at home…if that's what you called it.

Never once had he regretted his decision to return to the human world, not if that was where his fiancé, Kurama, also lived. He only wished he didn't have to live like a caged animal in such a tiny apartment in a big city with very little nature nearby. Demons weren't supposed to live like this. Kurama said their living situation was only temporary and that they would be moving to a house soon instead, in the suburbs of Kyoto; they even had their eyes set on one, a nice big two-story house with two and a half bathrooms and two bedrooms. It had a huge kitchen and living room on the first floor, plus an office and what Kurama called a "powder room." There was even a bathroom in the master bedroom. Best of all, it was surrounded by a miniature forest, completely hidden from the outside world, with a path leading to the train station.

But they hadn't moved in yet, and until then, they were stuck in this miniscule apartment, a tiny one-bedroom, one-bathroom that was so small Hiei could barely turn around. He asked Kurama why they couldn't just move into the new house, and Kurama said it wasn't theirs yet, but when Hiei asked why he couldn't just buy it, Kurama said they needed a "mortgage" first (whatever that was), and when Hiei asked why Kurama didn't just get one of those, he said something about the bank having to approve it and something about a "realtor" and "negotiating" and by then Hiei had lost interest. Kurama was spending a lot of time on the phone and the computer lately, while Hiei just wrote his name on whatever papers Kurama told him to. He didn't understand the words Kurama used, like "real estate" or "realtor" or "move-in ready" or "mortgage," and he didn't care, either. He just wanted to move.

It was almost seven in the evening, so Kurama would be home soon. He was working hard at his dad's company so they would have more money for their big house, and even though Hiei thought Kurama was destined for better things than just being a "cubicle rat," he seemed fine as long as he could be with Hiei, and get married to him in April.

Hiei turned on the TV, but there was nothing on except some garbage sitcom with a horrible Japanese dub. The main characters, Frank and Christine, were arguing over something stupid again. It seemed to Hiei that most of the problems in these episodes were misunderstandings that could be solved with a little communication, the one thing most characters seemed absolutely incapable of doing. Not that he could talk. Communication wasn't his forte, either.

Just as Christine was revealing to her friends that she was jealous of Frank's new girlfriend and was planning on getting back together with her ex-boyfriend to prove she wasn't, and Hiei was wondering how on Earth that would ever accomplish anything, the lock on the front door clicked and Kurama stepped inside, bringing a strong smell of tuna in with him, which was one of Hiei's least favorite smells.

"I'm home, Hiei," he said, holding out his arms, but when Hiei simply wrinkled his nose, Kurama added teasingly, "Come on. Where's my kiss?"

"You smell like a cat's breakfast," Hiei told him.

"And I was just going to tell you why," Kurama replied. "It's good news, for me, at least."

"What do you mean?"

"Kim got fired," Kurama said happily, taking off his shoes and walking over to the couch. "Her replacement is a big fan of tuna, and he eats lunch at his cubicle so he can get more work done, just like I do. But I'd rather deal with a bad smell than Kim's constant death glares any day."

That really was good news. Kim was Kurama's ex-girlfriend, and although Hiei had only met her once—at Yusuke and Keiko's wedding last August, when she and Kurama were still dating—she sounded like a lunatic. The way Kurama told it, she hadn't taken their breakup very well; when she found out Kurama was leaving her for a man, she had apparently thrown a lamp at him, said some not-so-enlightened things, and thrown him out. But, Kurama said, he'd thanked her, because she had just made it a lot easier for him to dump her.

"Well, I'm happy for you and all," said Hiei. "But you still smell of fish."

"I'll take a shower before dinner," Kurama promised. "My mom gave me a great new recipe for meat sauce, so I was thinking we could have spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. Would you like that?"

"I guess so," said Hiei, realizing just how hungry he really was. "Now go get your shower."

"Yes, sir," Kurama joked, giving Hiei's head a kiss before he headed upstairs.

Hiei turned the sound on again and tried to figure out what was going on now. Christine was throwing a surprise birthday party for her brother, but really it was an attempt to show Frank how happy she was with her new boyfriend (definitely not happy). All these trashy sitcoms ever did was convince Hiei of how ridiculous the human world and its culture really was, and reminding himself that Kurama and Yukina both lived there was pretty much the only way he could tolerate it.

Just as the party was really getting under way, for the sitcom characters anyway, Hiei heard the cordless phone ring on their tiny end table. He turned the TV off this time and answered the call. To his surprise, it was Kuwabara.

"Is this Hiei?" he asked.

"Do I sound like Kurama?" Hiei said impatiently. "What do you want?"

"Well, I'm throwing a surprise birthday party for Yukina on Saturday, and I think she would like for you and Kurama to come," said Kuwabara.

Hiei was glad Kuwabara couldn't see the shocked expression on his face. In the few years that they'd known her, Yukina had never mentioned her birthday—and, as a result, Hiei had no idea when their birthday was. He supposed he could have just asked her, since they had the same birthday, but why bother? His birth was nothing to celebrate. It wasn't even supposed to have happened. When he next spoke, Hiei tried to make his voice calm.

"I hardly know her," Hiei lied, trying to avoid suspicion. "Why would she want me there?"

"You both are her friends," said Kuwabara, clearly oblivious to Hiei's ongoing ruse. "And you don't have to act so darn cold. I thought you were making a play for her at the Dark Tournament a few years ago, but—"

"What?!" said Hiei, snapping to attention. "I was not making a play for her! Are you out of your mind?"

"Well, obviously I know that now," said Kuwabara, "since you're engaged to a man and all. But you always wanted to be around her, do nice things for her, and you even beat up a guy for her when he captured her. I figured you wanted her to be your girlfriend, but then…well…you and Kurama…"

"You're crazy," said Hiei. "She's always been like a sister to me, and that's all."

Well, at least that was close to the truth. Shizuru had mentioned once that Keiko and Yukina were like little sisters to her, so if it was possible to have a familial relationship without actually being family, certainly Hiei could claim that he saw Yukina as a little sister, too.

"Well, okay, whatever," said Kuwabara. "Are you coming or not?"

"Fine, I'll come," said Hiei. "And I'm sure Kurama will want to come, too. So her birthday is this Saturday?"

"No, it's actually on Tuesday," Kuwabara told him. "But Keiko and I have school on Tuesdays, and I have work. I figured more people could come if we just had it on Saturday instead."

Yes, that was right...sometimes Hiei forgot Keiko and Kuwabara were still in their last year of high school. According to Kurama (who had just finished high school the year before and had taken a job at his stepdad's company instead of going to college), Keiko and Kuwabara's graduation ceremonies would be in March.

"All right, I'll be there," said Hiei, and he hung up the phone. Kurama was still in the shower, and he didn't feel like turning on the TV again. As he thought about the birthday party, he knew he had to come—and he really did want to. But he was still afraid to get too close to Yukina. She still thought her twin brother was out there somewhere, and the more she thought about him, the more she likely built him up in her eyes. And he just couldn't disappoint her like that. Shigure was dead, so it was now Hiei's choice to tell Yukina the truth, but his mind was set. And he supposed that as a result, Kuwabara would have to remain in the dark too, or he'd shoot off his mouth for sure, even if Hiei swore him to secrecy.

There was another problem, too, and that was what Yukina's present would be. Of course, Hiei didn't expect to get any presents, nor did he really want any, but he would have to give Yukina something special. There was only one time before this that he'd given someone a birthday gift, and that was Mukuro. That one had been easy; it was only what he would have wanted her to do for him. And she'd clearly liked it. But Hiei was equally certain that Yukina would not be quite as pleased with such a gift. In fact, almost anyone but Mukuro probably would've been horrified.

Hiei looked at the end table again, noticing a copy of the Makai Tribune that Kurama had left there. Ever since the fall of the Kekkai Barrier, not only had trade apparently resumed between the human and demon worlds, but the demon newspaper could now be delivered to human doorsteps. There was never anything exciting in it, though, so Hiei ended up turning on the TV again, all the while not paying attention, just thinking about Yukina's birthday and what her gift should be. But what could possibly be good enough? What could he give her that she would attach any value to at all?

Lost completely in his thoughts, Hiei jumped when he heard Kurama's footsteps behind him. He turned to see his fiancé heading back into the living room, his long hair still wet, wearing a white T-shirt, an old pair of jeans, and fluffy white socks.

Kurama smiled and sat down on the couch next to Hiei, and Hiei couldn't help but lean his head on Kurama's shoulder. Was there any smell better than Kurama when he had just gotten out of the shower? His hair still smelled like the fruity shampoo and conditioner he made himself, and that, combined with fresh aftershave and the gentle smell of roses underneath, made even Hiei feel like he was melting. Kurama put his arm around Hiei and snuggled him just a little closer. Hiei blushed, wondering if Kurama wanted something more, or if he was content to just snuggle. It was still difficult for Hiei to figure these things out, and it didn't seem very romantic to ask. Most likely, the ball was in Hiei's court now, and that was probably the most terrifying possibility of all.

Either way, however Hiei might have normally felt, or how receptive he would have been, he'd had a squirmy sort of sensation in his stomach ever since his phone call with Kuwabara, and he definitely wasn't feeling it tonight.

"I'm not in the mood," he mumbled, pulling himself out of Kurama's grasp. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry," said Kurama, setting his hands on his lap. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes!" Hiei sprung up off the couch, beyond relieved that he had something to do. "Can I help?"

"Well…of course, Hiei," said Kurama, getting to his feet as well. "Thank you. Perhaps you can boil the spaghetti and microwave the meatballs, while I make the sauce?"

"It's a deal," said Hiei, heading into the kitchen. If something was ever bugging him, like it was now, his solution was always to stay occupied. It didn't make the problem go away, true, but it stopped him from thinking about it so much.

Using the microwave and making noodles were two things Kurama had shown Hiei how to do, and they were easy enough, especially the microwave. Hiei just put the meatballs in, pressed the right buttons, and…poof! Only a few minutes later, they would be ready to eat. Boiling pasta was easy, too. Hiei didn't have to wait for the big pot to come to a boil under the burner like most cooks would. All he had to do was stick his hand in the water and use heat energy to warm the water, and it would be bubbling within seconds. Then he would just pour in the spaghetti, stir it every so often, and after twenty minutes or so, he just poured it into a colander in the sink.

Meanwhile, Kurama was putting together the spaghetti sauce, a delicious-smelling combination of beef, pork, tomatoes, olive oil, and onions, plus garlic, oregano, and a multitude of other spices that made the tiny kitchen smell like an Italian restaurant. Hiei set the table for two while Kurama finished the sauce. Once food was on the table and the meal began, Hiei dug in heartily, but he must have been even quieter than usual, because that was when Kurama spoke up.

"Anything on your mind, Hiei?" he asked delicately. Hiei noticed how he cut his meatballs into tiny pieces with his knife before he politely ate them one by one. Everything about Kurama, after all, was elegant.

"No," said Hiei, stabbing a meatball with his fork and shoving it into his mouth whole. "Nuffin's wong."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Hiei," Kurama scolded.

"How about you stop nagging me, then?" Hiei retorted.

"All right, Hiei," said Kurama, rolling his eyes and getting back to his food.

Oh, he's just waiting for me to snap, Hiei thought to himself as he watched Kurama continue to eat his dinner, as peacefully as ever. Kurama probably knew full well that something was up, and he would certainly figure it out eventually. That was the thing about being in a relationship with Kurama. It was impossible to keep any secrets, because his smart Kurama-brain was always three steps ahead. Besides, Hiei had promised Kuwabara he'd tell Kurama about the party.

"By the way, we have to go to Yukina's birthday party on Saturday," Hiei blurted suddenly, his other meatball poised halfway to his mouth. "But it's a surprise party, so don't tell her. And I need to get her a gift."

"Ah," said Kurama, eating a bite of spaghetti, the long noodles twirled perfectly around the tines of his fork. "Did you have anything in mind?"

"Not at all," Hiei confessed. "I can't think of anything that would be good enough for her."

"I'm sure she would treasure anything you gave her, Hiei," said Kurama. "But if you're having trouble, I have a suggestion."

"Go ahead," said Hiei with a shrug.

"The best thing you can do for Yukina is to tell her the truth," said Kurama, looking directly into Hiei's eyes.

"Oh, no." Hiei shuddered at the very thought. "Don't make me do that, Kurama."

"I'm not making you do anything," said Kurama. "But it would make her so happy, and that's what you want, isn't it?"

"Why would that make her happy?" Hiei snapped.

There was silence for a minute, and then Kurama said, "You're serious?"

"Yes." Hiei glared. "If anything, I would ruin her birthday by telling her I'm her brother."

"Now, Hiei, why would you think that?"

"Well, for one thing, she would probably be angry that I didn't tell her earlier," said Hiei. "The longer I wait, the worse her reaction will be. And besides…" Hiei cleared his throat. "I told you. I like it this way."

"No. You hate it this way." Kurama's tone was mild, but it didn't take away from his candor. "I know you want to be her brother, Hiei. But that can't happen unless you tell her the truth."

Hiei's heart sank.

"Maybe I want to be her brother," he admitted, staring down at the pasta. Once so delectable, it now looked no more appetizing than a chunk of concrete that he couldn't possibly swallow. "But I can't. You don't understand."

"You're right," said Kurama calmly. "I don't. So enlighten me, please."

"If Yukina found out she had someone like me for a brother, she would be ashamed," Hiei explained to him. Why did no one get this? "It's better for her to think her twin is a good person. I…I just don't want to ruin it for her. That's all."

"Hiei," said Kurama, after a long pause. "Are you sure you're not the one who's ashamed?"

"Huh?"

"I know you've done things you aren't so proud of," said Kurama, "just like I have. But what I've learned is that the sins of the past only make you a bad person if you let them—if you never change. And people can always change."

At that moment, the Jagan eye picked up a lingering thought on the edge of Kurama's mind. This so rarely happened that Hiei was able to decipher it right away: That's a funny way for him to say he's afraid of being rejected.

I am NOT afraid of being rejected, Hiei thought back without thinking, glaring at Kurama, who just raised his eyebrows. That was when Hiei realized Kurama had actually wanted him to find that thought. The Jagan eye had never been able to read Kurama's mind. It was too deep, too old, too experienced. Not even Hiei's psychic powers could penetrate those enigmatic folds. Hiei, and anyone else proficient at reading minds, would only see what Kurama wanted them to see.

"If you've got something to say to me, say it," Hiei said angrily. "Don't just think it."

"All I want to say is, think about it," said Kurama. "And don't be afraid of what you might find. Whenever I'm faced with a problem, I usually look at my options, then act on the best one. Perhaps you should do the same. And if you do, make sure you tell Kuwabara, too, sometime before Saturday."

"Why should I tell him?"

"Because he deserves to know, especially now that he's dating Yukina," Kurama replied. "Once everyone else knows, is it really fair to keep him in the dark?"

"I guess not," said Hiei, shrugging. "And she'd probably tell him, anyway."

"That's a good point," said Kurama, and changed the subject.