Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho at all.

Silver Rose Assassinator

Suuichi looked down at the sleeping form of Hiei, trying to understand this feeling that was growing inside his heart. He liked the feeling, yet, then again, he despised the feeling at the same time. He had come here to kill Hiei as he slept, not wishing for another confrontation with him. He was stronger than he had anticipated, faster and more skilled too, but when he laid eyes on Hiei's sleeping form, he found that he could not do it. His employer was getting edgy, constantly calling him to see if the job had been completed, and Suuichi was forced to tell him soon, soon. The employer called him earlier in the evening and Suuichi snarled into the phone and hung up. He did not call back again.

Suuichi sighed softly, and pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed. He placed his face into his hands. He was bound by duty to fulfill the death promise, yet his heart was telling him to leave him be. Hiei rolled over in his bed and faced him, a small smile playing on his enticing lips. Suuichi smiled at the innocence that wrapped Hiei up in a blanket. It was only in sleep that Hiei looked like an angel. Suuichi reached out a hand and laid it against Hiei cheek. He snuggled against the palm and sighed, saying 'Kurama.' Suuichi looked bewildered; this was the second time that Hiei had dreamed about him. However, this time, his dream self seemed to be giving Hiei pleasure not pain. I wish I could be doing that right now, he thought to himself, and then pulled his hand away. What the hell am I thinking?! I can't let my emotions rule my mind! Damnit, is this what a love and hate relationship is like? Only, I don't hate him. Am I falling in love with Hiei? Suuichi shook his head and chuckled quietly. No, that was ridiculous! He, Suuichi, the greatest assassinator in the guild, falling in love with one of his targets? It was ludicrous! Then his thoughts traveled back to the past. There was another story very similar to his.

Many years ago, when Suuichi was still a novice in the guild, there had been an assassinator who was one of the best. She was ruthless and quick in her killings, never hesitating to deliver the death blow. That is, until she met him. Jewel was called to kill a man by the name of Tenchi, who owned a small little business that was on the turf of a big gang. Tenchi refused to pay for 'protection,' so the guild was called to take him out. Jewel went to the man, ready to kill him without a second thought. However, this man caught her off guard by his kind face and his crystal blue eyes. It was said that the two of them fell in love with each other at that moment.

The story went on saying that Jewel and Tenchi held a strong relationship, until the guild found out. The guild burst in on them when they were in bed together, killing Tenchi and bringing Jewel before the head of the guild, who allowed her to speak. She said that her punishment was already administered when she saw her lover die, and she begged to be killed as well. The master felt compassion for his worker and allowed her a painless death by having her drink an herbal potion that killed the host instantly in their sleep. Her body was burned and her ashes were thrown to the four winds. All because it was forbidden to fall in love with a target.

Suuichi took from his bag a sketch book and pencil and began to draw the sleeping angel. Every detail was exact, from the smile on the lips, to the tussled hair that fell into his eyes. He had always excelled in the arts, including herb lore, and this was the first time that he left a drawing as a warning. However, Suuichi felt as if it was not a warning, more like a truthful statement that he was watching Hiei, even in his sleep. He cleverly slipped the name 'Kurama' in the sketched hair of Hiei, letting him know that he was there. Only thing was, Hiei would have to have sharp eyes, and patience to find the name. Suuichi left it on the night stand, and disappeared into the shadows.

***

Hiei awoke the next morning in a good mood. His dream had been quite pleasing to his senses, and he shivered in delicious satisfaction as he remembered how the dream Kurama cried out his name in ecstasy. He cracked his back, yawned and scratched his head, his eyes falling to the folded piece of paper that was on the night stand. Hiei didn't remember leaving anything there so he picked it up with interest. Upon opening the leaf, he saw himself sleeping peacefully with a smile on his face, looking too innocent to his liking. The sketch was beautifully done; every line was perfectly completed by a skilful hand. His eyes grazed the paper, and they fell on a single curve of his hair. In that curve were written the words, 'Love Kurama.'

"Perhaps dreams do come true," he muttered and reached for the phone.

***

"Come on Suuichi! You are not focused today," scolded Ryuujin as Suuichi barely dodged the blow to his head. Ryuujin took in the physical appearance of his adopted son and did not like what he saw. Black circles were under his eyes, his shoulders were slumped and his mouth sagged slightly. Sweat was formed on the younger man's brow and his eyes did not sparkle, they were dimly lit from lack of sleep. Ryuujin lowered his quarter staff and stood up to his full height. Though he was old, the hand of age had not bent his spine and his shoulders were still straight. Suuichi growled and demanded that they keep training. He lunged at his father, who tripped him easily with the staff. Suuichi fell to his face, and quickly twisted around, ready to attack again.

"Fight me!" he yelled, and attacked again. Ryuujin managed to knock the staff from his hands and gather the younger man into his arms, holding him as a loving father would.

"Suuichi, that is enough," he said firmly to the struggling boy, "You are exhausted from lack of sleep. Your mind is not focused and you are behaving like a child. Now tell me, what is the matter with you?" Suuichi defiantly kept his mouth shut and refused to look at the older man. Ryuujin sighed and pulled the boy's chin up. Even when he was a child, he would do this. Refusing to let the older man into his deep problems, refusing any help he had to offer. However, Ryuujin had an idea what was the matter with him.

"It's been half a week since you started this new mission," he said softly, "And you still haven't completed it. Are you developing a friendship with the boy Hiei?"

"He's not a boy," Suuichi muttered into the man's kimono, "And neither am I."

"You still haven't answered my question Suuichi," he replied.

"I…have no idea what you are talking about," he answered, jerking his chin out of his father's hand. He twisted away from him, and turned his back to Ryuujin, folding his arms across his chest, and sitting Indian style. Ryuujin smiled at Suuichi's back, now quite certain that he had a developing feeling for Hiei. Which I think is an excellent idea. I never did like Youko, he's defiantly not Suuichi's type, and Suuichi's been alone for far too long. Even I have trouble getting him to talk to me.

"You know," Ryuujin said softly, going to sit next to his son, "When the master of the guild first asked me to adopt you and train you, I thought that you would be a hopeless cause. You were so scrawny, and you never asked for my help in anything. However, you showed me that training was easy for you. It was the fact that you never talked to me that really sent me into a circle of frustration." Suuichi looked straight ahead, not looking at the older man. He continued on with his speech.

"After a while though, you began to trust me and speak to me of things that annoyed you, bothered you, and made you sad and so on. I found that I enjoyed having you in my company, and I was ready to admit that I cared for you like a real father. But by that time, you were called into the guild for initiation, and I hardly saw you. You only came when you wished to train and find solitude up in your childhood room."

"Is there a point to this lecture?" asked Suuichi in annoyance.

"I am trying to say, that should you develop something for Hiei, you may bring him here any time that you wish. I gave Jewel the same promise, and she brought Tenchi here many times. What a fine gentleman he was, I am only sorry that he had to die."

"You harbored Jewel and her lover?"

"Yes. I never did like these rules of assassinators having to fall in love with either someone from the guild, or someone who was not a target. Sometimes we are destined to fall in love with those we must kill. It's a little thing called fate."

"So, you would never…"

"Your secrets, as well as Jewel's, will accompany me to the other world."

Suuichi turned to his father and he smiled, knowing that he could trust the old man. He hugged him, like he did when he was a child, and buried his face into the folds of the kimono. Ryuujin hugged him back, glad that Suuichi trusted him. The phone rang and Ryuujin rose to get it. As he walked from the room, Suuichi spoke to him.

"Thank you father," he said.

"You are most welcome my son," he replied with a smile. Suuichi leaned back and gazed at the ceiling, happy that he was able to bring Hiei to his place of solitude.