Ashley: HA! And you thought she was dead....

Yutaan: clinging to Ashley's ankle ...I'm not so sure I'm alive....

Ashley: pats Yutaan on the head JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE LOTS OF HOMEWORK DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T WRITE! Anyway, to you readers, three things:

1)'Taan has started high school, so updates will be maybe once every month.

2) We're out of ideas – even though Yutaan has nine chapters written, she scrapped three of 'em. So if you have a suggestion for a chapter, leave it in a review! pries Yutaan off of her ankle with her katana E-mails work too, but as neither of us knows how to use a computer, we employed Zero, her otouto-chan. And he doesn't tell us what the e-mails say. So! Ya.

3) Disclaimer: If she owned it, Kurama and Hiei would be together.

Yutaan: bounces up YAOI! WHERE?!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Four: Assassination?

Yusuke waited, biding his time, until the last rays of sunlight faded from between the blinds. As the shadows deepened, grew and joined together, he stood, grimly pulling on his dark clothing and brushing his hair down over his face, concealing his eyes. Camouflage complete, he carefully opened the closet door. He kicked aside a pile of wrinkled garments. In the dim evening glow, something made of dark metal gleamed at him, faint light reflecting off its cold form like a giant eye.

Yusuke stood and wrapped his hands around the gun. He caressed the trigger, ran his fingers over the smooth barrel, squinted through the sight. Its cold metal body came alive at his touch, seeming eager for the hunt to begin. Blood pounded in his ears, holding the silent voice of the weapon, urging him to get the job done, cautioning him against detection, making him tremble in anticipation....

Yusuke pulled his hood up over his head, slipping the gun into the large front pocket of the sweater. It settled heavily against his stomach, absorbing his body heat. It clacked softly against the windowsill as he climbed out into the night.

Yusuke darted silently from the pooling shadow of the house, stopping only to retrieve his ammunition from its hiding place – a bush at the edge of the yard. He glanced up at the blank windows, scanning them for light or movement, making sure he had not been seen. Then he silently made his way down the street, avoiding silver patches of moonlight, keeping to friendly shadows. His own shadow stretched long behind him, barely distinguishable from the night's own dark.

His footsteps were quiet, but confident, stepping deftly over fallen leaves and branches. Yusuke had been studying his target for weeks, learning of his strengths, intelligence – and of his weaknesses. Yusuke knew how to pull this off. BANG, one shot to the back of the head. He never missed.

He reached the stand of trees, their majestic presence announcing the beginning of the woods. Yusuke scanned the branches for signs of his target. Hiei was known for being hard to spot, for staying out of his opponent's reach and sight. But Hiei believed Yusuke to be a friend... surely no one had tipped him off?

Wait - yes - there, there he was, blending into the darkness atop an oak tree's sturdy branches, leaning casually – arrogantly – against the trunk. But his katana was flashing in the moonlight, a fatal mistake. It was like Hiei had painted a bull's-eye onto himself.

Yusuke heard quiet rustling behind him, and suddenly became aware of the sweat running down his face, the way his grip on the gun was slightly shaky. He cautiously lifted the weapon to his shoulder, glared down the barrel, lining up his shot with Hiei's spiky head. His slippery finger groped for the trigger, and then he –

POW!!

Shock waves exploded from between Yusuke's shoulder blades, sending him sprawling to the cold earth. Pain crackled along his spine, and he watched through blurring eyes as his shot went wild, smashing into the tree trunk nearly ten feet above Hiei. The three-eyed demon glared down at him and smirked, with an air of someone who knows he has just outwitted a master.

I've been shot.... Yusuke thought sluggishly, his brain shutting down. How...? Who...?....

A booted foot slammed down to the ground in front of Yusuke's face, then Hiei's black-bound feet landed catlike beside it. Yusuke heard Kurama's bitter laugh, and then, "You see, Yusuke, I told you I wouldn't just allow you to attack Hiei."

Groaning with pain, Yusuke felt for his back with trembling hands. When he looked at his fingers, they were smeared with dripping liquid, seeming to burn and mock him for his own mortality. Nothing is forever. "How... c-could you have known?" he rasped, his poor body aching and screaming at him.

"Your mother hired us to take you out, fool," Hiei said. He leaned forward, smirking, bringing his face down toward his victim's. "Hn. Baka. You know she said no more nighttime paintball, Yusuke."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inspired by my brothers Zero and Fireblade, who dye the yard different colors with their paintball guns.

Thanx to all reviewers! Sorry about the late update!