Title: With you

Author: Sano

Series: Yu Yu Hakusho

Warnings: Yaoi and a bit OOC-ness

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimers: YYH is the product of Togashi-sensei's wonderful mind. I wish to keep Kurama and Hiei but unfortunately, they will sue me if I do. I am not making any profit of this; I'm still saving up for some of my anime needs so please understand.

Couples: Kurama x Hiei, Kurama Maya

Note: Hey, everyone!!! I'm back!!! I corrected some mistakes in this chapter so…have fun!!!

With you

Part 21: Open Arms

Hiei's crimson eyes widened to their extent at the sight of the redhead outside the door. His heart thumped loudly in his chest, and the hurt that he was feeling seemed to have intensified. He was rooted to the spot, just staring at Kurama before him.

Kurama was mirroring Hiei's expression excellently. He suddenly felt very nervous; his palms were even beginning to sweat. He should have expected this, but he wasn't expecting it so soon.

For what seemed like hours, Kurama finally found his voice. "Can we talk?" He said weakly. Hiei's face was devoid of emotion. Kurama felt so small under his burning gaze and cracked a small smile.

The fire demon didn't know what to do. He is still mad at Kurama, but there was no denying that seeing the kitsune's beautiful face brightened his mood a little.

Without another word, he turned around and walked inside the apartment. He left the door open, a sign that he was considering Kurama's presence.

Kurama's smile widened a little and he followed after his best friend. They arrived in the living room and just stood silently in front of each other.

The tension in the air was so thick that Kurama could almost choke on it. "Hiei I-"

"Leave." Hiei cut him off.

Kurama was flabbergasted. "What?" His smile vanished.

"I said leave."

"But Hiei, I came here to talk!" Kurama insisted.

Hiei glared at him. "You didn't seem to want to last night!" He retorted. He prepared to leap out the window but Kurama grabbed his arm before he got a chance. He shot him his most ruthless glare, but Kurama was as still as a board, and he looked determined. "Talk." He muttered.

"Thank you." Kurama said and let go of his arm. And making sure to block any means of escape, stood in front of the window and closed it.

Again, silence settled in the room. And Kurama was so nervous that his insides were twisting in his stomach. Even the most difficult heists that he had back in his youko days couldn't compare to the dilemma that he was facing now.

He darted a look at Hiei and sighed. "Hiei…" He paused, unsure of what to say. "Hiei…I'm sorry…" Hiei was still glaring at him. "I didn't know what to do. You left me three years ago, how do you suppose I was able to overcome it." 

Hiei started to say something. "You seem to be-"

"I didn't." Kurama cut him off. "I didn't get over you, Hiei…it was hard not being able to see you. I thought I would die when you didn't come back after 2 weeks." He chuckled bitterly. "I even considered suicide on the first year."

Everything that he had kept in tumbled out. "Then, Kaasan died. Do you know how much it hurts when someone you love so much leaves you?" Kurama paused to take in a deep breath. "First you, then Kaasan." He closed his eyes, he couldn't look at Hiei, if he did, he might lose his composure and break down.

"Then what about Maya?" Hiei's voice cut into his thoughts.

Kurama opened his eyes and gazed at Hiei sadly. "I know it sounds harsh, but I agreed to marry Maya because I was trying to forget you. Maya is so carefree and cheerful…she was there while I was grieving over Kaasan's death…I thought I had found the person that I would spend the rest of my life with…"

"But I just discovered that what I feel for Maya isn't the same as to what I feel for you. I love Maya as a friend…and I…" Kurama couldn't bring himself to say the words, so he decided to just show Hiei what he felt.

Hiei just stood there as Kurama walked closer to him. They were just a foot away from each other. Kurama made the first move and wrapped his arms around Hiei's shoulders and pulled the youkai closer to him.

Kurama buried his face in Hiei's neck. "I don't know what to do anymore Hiei…all these years I've been trying to forget you…but I can't, I still love you Hiei…as much as I did then, maybe more…" He whispered softly.

Hiei didn't know if he was just imagining it all, but the warmth that came from Kurama's body was proof enough. He responded, and wrapped his arms around the shaking redhead's body. He breathed in the smell of roses from the kitsune's hair and sighed.

"I love you too, Kurama…"

Maya gazed down at the piece of stationary in her hand, tears of sadness and realization coursing down her cheeks. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and wiped any trace of tears with the back of her hand.

She folded the paper into an envelope of the same color and wrote 'Shuuichi' on the back. Sighing, she lay back on the chair and stared at the ceiling. So many things were running through her mind. She couldn't sleep; the image of Hiei talking in his sleep haunted her.

She heard about Hiei before, 5 months ago, while she was cleaning Shuichi's room. She happened to stumble upon an old frayed photograph of Shuichi surrounded by his friends, Yuusuke and Kuwabara and a short, spiky haired boy.

She was shocked to see that Shuichi was pretty mad at her for touching it. Maya stood her ground and demanded for a reason for why he was so mad at her for looking at the photo. They didn't talk for about three days, and when they finally decided to settle things between them, Shuichi told him that the black haired individual was a very special friend of his in the past, and that his name was 'Hiei'. And that he was older than he looked when she asked about his age. Shuichi told her that he was gone and never to come back. She forgot all about it until now.

Now that she did, it all fit. The mysterious stranger with a tall stature and black hair was the same as the short and spiky haired boy in the photo. The crimson eyes…bearing so much experience in them…she was sure that they were the same person.

She always noticed that even though Shuichi never showed it, he was hiding sadness deep within his soul. Sometimes some of that sadness flickered in his eyes, giving the already rich color of his eyes a darker shade of green.

Maya hadn't noticed that the tears had started flowing again and she wiped them back roughly. In the process of blowing her nose into some Kleenex, she saw the phone lying innocently on the table.

A plan suddenly brightened itself in her head. Much as it would hurt her, she had to. She loved Shuichi too much. Picking up the phone, she punched in a series of numbers. The other line picked up and she spoke into the receiver. "Hello? Keiko-chan? Anou… is Yuusuke-kun there? Tell him it's about Hiei-san and I need to talk to him…thanks…"

Doumo arigato for reading and please review!!