Yusuke sat on the couch, head resting against the back of it, eyes closed, unconcerned that he was still undressed. The soft noises of someone else in the room didn't cause a change in his relaxed demeanor, nor did the weight of someone naked straddling his lap. He moaned softly when lips found his neck and traced the faint pulse there. There were no words exchanged, no movement from Yusuke, as those lips continued to minister to the boy's neck and shoulders, nor were any expected. Those lips made their way up his neck, along his jaw line, finally pressing against his slightly parted lips. Finally, he moved, his fingers coming to tangle in the wild hair of the one above him, deepening their kiss, seeking connection to the one who loved him. Their tongues merged, caressing each other delicately, not seeking dominance, only seeking and finding a soul-deep companionship. That connection reestablished, the two separated, brown eyes opening to see red above him. "Thank you for your help today," Yusuke whispered.

Hiei's expression softened, "We've been waiting so long, I couldn't stay away."

"I know, love. He's allowing himself to progress quickly."

"Don't you think you rushed him a bit at first?"

Yusuke blushed, "Yeah, maybe…but his eyes were so beautiful. You should see them, so soft and open."

"I will, in the morning."

Yusuke's hand caressed the cheek of the one above him. "You're eyes remind me of blood," he murmured, "rich, warm, life giving."

"You always notice eyes, don't you?"

"They tell the truth, they reveal the soul."

"Always?"

Yusuke paused to consider, "When they're open, they do."

"Your eyes show that you are tired and need to be cared for a bit."

"It's been a long day," Yusuke conceded, surrendering to the koorime's touch as Hiei began massaging his shoulders. He allowed his eyes to remain suspended in Hiei's, simply enjoying their connection. Hiei permitted this, holding his lover's gaze, because he knew it allowed the brown eyed boy to relax, to open up to him.

"A very long day," he agreed, his hands slowly working from Yusuke's shoulders to his chest and bending in to kiss the relaxed boy. "So, it is my turn to pamper you."

"Mmmm, I like it when you do that," Yusuke smiled.

"I never would have guessed," Hiei teased gently, bending in to kiss Yusuke's willing lips, effectively ending their verbal conversation. The physical connection made, Hiei opened his connection to Yusuke's soul and the two came together, one blue-black with brown eyes, the other black flames with blood red eyes. Silver with gold joined them and they both reached out and welcomed him. Silver flowed over both blacks, caressing each and melding with them both. The black flames caressed the brown eyed one, soothing away his fatigue, calming him when minor concerns about how he'd rushed the redhead at first surfaced.

"You did the right thing, Yusuke," the silver one spoke up. "Had you been more tentative, he might have run. He was ready to."

Brown and gold met, "Youko, you really are a manipulative fox, aren't you?"

Silver seemed to smile back at him as it wrapped around him, merging with him. "I do what I need to do in order to bring out the best…to bring the best to the one whose life I stole."

"So, all this is for you?"

"Not completely. Some of it is, yes, but it will help Shuichi, as well. There may come a time when I have to leave him, though I hope not, and if that happens, were he to remain bound, he would not survive the separation of our souls. By allowing him to be freed, by helping him be free, I am making sure he can be whole."

"Why would you leave, Fox?" Hiei asked.

Silver caressed the two, his golden eyes dim with sorrow, "I don't ever want to, but I didn't want to join with a human soul in the first place. Some times, life takes choices out of your hands," his voice was pale.

Blue-black and black fire moved to surround the silver one. "We will do what we can to protect you from that ever happening," they swore on the same breath.

Gold eyes softened, "I know. I love you both."

The three remained tangled together a long stretch of timelessness, caressing, soothing, rippling over each other. Slowly, Yusuke and Hiei became aware of the physical world around them. Yusuke was lying on the couch he'd been sitting on, his eyes still locked with Hiei's warm red ones as the koorime moved within him. Hiei's hand moved between their bodies, and they were both near their completion. Hiei's body tightened first, his hand clutching tightly around Yusuke's arousal as his body convulsed deep within the brown eyed boy. He called out to his lover as he felt the other's shaft pulse within his hand, the boy calling to him as his pleasure washed from his body.

Hiei allowed his body to rest limply on Yusuke a long time, listening to the boy's heart beat slow and return to normal as his body calmed. "We should go to bed," he finally murmured.

Yusuke yawned, burying his face into Hiei's spiky hair, "Yeah, we should."

"Wait a moment." Hiei moved off the lax body of his lover and moved around the apartment to find a washcloth. With gentleness that no one would believe possible from the fierce fighter, Hiei washed Yusuke's body before lifting him from the couch

"I love you," Yusuke muttered, his head resting against the strong shoulder of the one who carried him. Hiei merely grunted as he set Yusuke's body on the bed next to the redhead. Yusuke turned to face the red hair, since Kurama had turned on his side, and snuggled into the pale back. Kurama moaned and wriggled a bit, moving back into Yusuke. Hiei smiled at the sight and crawled into the bed in front of the redhead. He soon found himself drawn back into the redhead's grip, surprisingly tight for as asleep as he was. He hummed a little in pleasure as Yusuke draped his arm over the both of them and let himself drift to a quiet sleep.

Before he opened his eyes, Kurama knew who held him and who he held. A small smile crossed his lips and he felt Youko stir within him. "They're both here," he told the silver one.

"I know," Youko answered.

"I don't feel afraid any more, Youko."

Silver wrapped around red, "And why is that, my little Shuichi?"

Red sighed, "Because you're here, they're here. I'm not alone. I know where I am. I trust you and them."

"Good answers," Yusuke's voice came to him and he saw blue-black coming toward him. Red reached out and pulled the brown eyed one close.

"Am I allowed in?" a new voice emerged from the darkness. Not unfamiliar, just new.

Shuichi reached out to the black flames. "Please!"

The flames flowed over the red one, red eyes meeting green as this happened. "What will you of me?" the flames asked.

"Free me, Hiei," the red one answered.

"Come to me, then, and be freed."

Red flowed as well as the two points of restraint would allow, seeking to fill the fire the way he'd been filled by the other two. He struggled against his binding, fighting them, but couldn't break free enough to reach the fire well enough. "Help me, please."

"Is this what you want?"

"It's what I need. Please, help me."

Black flames flowed along the red one, undoing the restraint, freeing one more point of the red one. Red surged forward to feed the fire, seeking to be consumed by it, to fill it with himself. He could feel the blue-black move within him and silver move about them, and it was right, it was what should be. He felt free despite being contained by the three and the one remaining binding. He cried out his joy, tears forming in his eyes as he moved with the other three.

Kurama's eyes opened and he found himself on his knees, Hiei bent before him, Yusuke behind him, all moving in concert. His hand was around Hiei's waist, moving in time to their bodies to bring Hiei to release. It wasn't long before he felt his body begin to tense as Hiei's body arched and reached its pinnacle, pulsing in his hand and around him. He let himself be pulled over, feeling Yusuke follow him. Time again stood still and he felt a little lost, not being able to see the other's eyes. Hiei turned and met his seeking eyes, giving him an anchor in the physical world. He felt himself being laid down gently and reached for Hiei as his side touched the bed. Vaguely, he felt Yusuke leave the bed, but his mind was captive by the red eyed one he held.

After a long moment, Hiei spoke, "He's right, your eyes are beautiful."

Kurama smiled, but before he could respond, Yusuke was back in the room, washing both of them, "I told you," he grinned at the two. "How you doing, Kurama?"

The redhead rolled onto his back, keeping eye contact with Hiei, exposing himself for Yusuke to clean better, "I'm feeling good," he answered simply, still smiling, the expression lighting his eyes, making them sparkle with a new vibrancy. "I feel very, very good. I feel almost like I could just fly away!" He laughed at himself and let his eyes meet the brown ones above him.

"Gods," Yusuke breathed, his body reacting quickly to the drug that was those green orbs. Before he was fully aware of what he was doing, his lips were on the redhead's, their eyes locked, and he was crawling over Hiei, pulling the koorime with him

Softly, when he heard Kurama's body complain, Hiei asked, "Is he going to have to wear sunglasses to get some food?"

Yusuke pulled back. "Oh, Kurama…I'm sorry. You need to eat. All you had yesterday was some eggs!" He scrambled off the bed, looking around for clothes, "I have to go out, there's not much more than a package of ramen. I'll be back in a little bit. Will you be okay?" he stammered out, almost in one breath.

Kurama laughed at his friend, his lover, "Yusuke, I'll be fine, it's okay."

"Besides," Hiei added, "I'm here and you had him to yourself all yesterday. We'll be fine, detective." The last word came out somewhere between reproof and a caress.

Yusuke bent over the bed and kissed Hiei, "I know, I'm being selfish. I'll give you your time, too."

"I know," Hiei replied, running his fingers through the messy black hair. "You may want to run a comb through that," he teased.

"I will," Yusuke answered as he stretched across the bed and kissed Kurama. "I love you."

Kurama smiled, "Yes," he hesitated a moment, his mouth working, "…and I can almost say it."

"No one's in a hurry, love."

"I know," Kurama answered, remaining relaxed on the bed. "Now," his voice took a mock regal tone, "bring me food before I eat Hiei!"

Yusuke laughed, "He just may like that!" At Hiei's growl, Yusuke stood up, "Okay, I'm going!"

The two on the bed remained silent until they heard the door close behind the brown eyed boy, their eyes on the ceiling. After a pause, Hiei began, "Kurama…"

The redhead turned to face him, "Hiei…"

"I didn't expect for us to…to wake up the way we did." He avoided contact with those green orbs.

"It's okay, Hiei."

"You should have had time…"

"Hiei," the redhead cut him off. "Look at me, please," his tone was soft. When the red orbs met his, he began, his voice still soft, "I don't feel like I was rushed. You were more than patient to give me a full day with Yusuke, when I can see how much he cherishes you and how much you care for him. I feel that you both have been more than patient with me. I've been a fool for so long, keeping myself bound needlessly. I want to be free." His eyes began to reflect self rebuke.

"Don't do that!" Hiei commanded, both physically and though the fragile connection they now shared. "Do not punish yourself for being who you are."

"But, who I was kept me from you…"the voice carried the same scorn the eyes held, and the words were cut off by the pressure of the koorime's finger against his lips.

"If you continue that way, you will find yourself bound again, Kurama. Please, stop," his eyes were full of concern.

"I don't want to be bound again," the redhead whispered against his finger.

"Guilt is a sure way to remain bound. Things happen in order, Shuichi. There is no need to feel guilty for them."

Green eyes closed briefly, struggling to take in the words. "I know there is no need for guilt, Hiei. But…I've put everyone, you, Yusuke, Youko…myself…through so much…I'm trying," he said, acknowledging the voice in his head, "I'm trying not to blame myself, Hiei." He opened his eyes, the green troubled as they met red. "I don't want to go back," he whispered.

Silently, Hiei wrapped his arms around the redhead, pulling him as close as he could. "I forgive you, Shuichi. Yusuke forgave you the moment you met his eyes day before yesterday. Youko forgave when he joined with you. All that remains is for you to forgive yourself." Hiei pulled the redhead on top of him as he rolled onto his back. Kurama's head went to the pillow, his eyes drowning in tears. "Let it out, Shuichi." The voice was so soft, Kurama didn't know if it was physical or mental, but it broke the dam in him, his tears spilling over as sobs wracked his body.

Hiei held him, caressing his back, letting him spill his guilt and anxieties into the pillow. Gently, he opened their connection, seeing the red writhing in pain as black chains tried to form about him. Youko stood back, watching, knowing that this was not something he could help the other through, and it pained him, the silver twisting about itself, as if wringing its hands. Slowly, the black fire approached the red one, softly touching it. Watery green eyes met red, and the black flames spoke, "Will you let me help you?"

"Please, if my weakness doesn't disgust you."

The black flames wrapped more firmly around the red one, "You are not weak. If you were, you never would have been unbound in the first place. You never would have begun this journey." His eyes carried conviction as he held the green orbs captive.

"Help me believe you," the red one's voice came softly. "I want to…I want to believe you."

"Come to me, let me soothe you," Hiei's voice here was gentle, able to say things here in this plane that he could not physically. Not that he didn't feel them, but that he still felt awkward expressing his emotions verbally, but he was making progress. Red flowed into him, hesitantly, and he could see the black shadows still holding the green eyed one. "I love you," he said softly, black flames caressing red. "It's okay to feel the way you do. But, don't let that feeling keep you away from us." As Shuichi grew a little bolder, Hiei began to soothe away some of the wounds on the red form, helping them to heal. As they were ministered to, the black of the bindings began to fade and the red one became more confident. Black fire and red wrapped around each other as the world resolved around them again.

Kurama was moving within Hiei, his hand between their bodies, his eyes locked in the red ones. His tears had stopped and there was a small black velvet bag in his free hand. He wanted to ask Hiei about it, but the knife edge of passion was too close, and Hiei's body convulsed in his hand and tightened around him, pulling that blade through his body and mind. He collapsed bonelessly on the koorime, panting, bringing the velvet bag slowly closer to his face. Some how, he knew what was in it and it gave him great comfort. He could hear Yusuke moving beyond the closed bedroom door as he slowly pushed himself off Hiei. As red eyes watched him, he slowly opened the bag, almost afraid that his guess would be wrong, even though he knew it couldn't be. He slipped his fingers in and between his index finger and thumb withdrew a perfectly round nearly black stone that had a red iridescence. Hiei took the gem away from the redhead and held it in his palm for both of them to see. "Can I call you weak for doing something I did, Shuichi?"

"How…?" the confused question began.

"You were reaching for the lube in the drawer and pulled these out as well. I was going to show them to you, I wanted you to know."

"I don't really remember…" Kurama continued to stare at the stone, proof that Hiei had shed tears and wanted him to know.

"I know. After a while, though, you will know what happens on the physical plane and that other plane are mirrors of each other. Shadowy mirrors, not reflecting everything, but mirrors none the less."

Kurama thought a long time, his eyes continued to be focused on the gem that Hiei obligingly held for him. He felt Yusuke moving around their bodies, cleaning them, but he couldn't really hear, his mind was too focused on its activities, on reaching the understanding that was tantalizingly just out of reach. Slowly, he closed his eyes, willing himself to see the other that dwelled within him for the first time. "Youko," he called tentatively.

The silver one appeared, slowly moving toward the red one, "Shuichi."

"My bindings…they were…they were things I created, weren't they?"

"Some of them, yes. Some were the result of things you created."

"They were fear and lies and attempts at hiding, weren't they?"

The silver one seemed to nod, not answering verbally, knowing the red one was nearing the answer he needed to finish the work he'd begun. He knew his alter was a quick study, and this was something he had to do on his own.

Shuichi was silent a long time, his eyes scanning the vastness of this no where place. Softly, more to himself, he began, "At first, I was afraid of you…you barged in and took over my life before it began, handling everything, working circumstances and everything to suit your goal. Then, I feared you leaving me, that I wouldn't be able to be who every one knew…to be you, so I started learning from you, trying to be you. And then, you weren't leaving. I didn't know what to do then. I allowed you to continue to have your way because that was easier than coping with anything else. It was easier than figuring out who I might be. And, then, this with Hiei…and my mother…and everything else. I couldn't…I was afraid to be myself…to challenge you…so…so, I let myself be bound, I added to those bindings." Red flowed along itself to the final binding. "I did this to myself, and…and I'm not sorry…no…that's not quite right. I wish I didn't have to learn this lesson this way. I wish there had been an easier way, but…but…I don't want…I don't want to be bound anymore. I am ready to face you, to face me, to face them. I am ready to claim my heritage, who I am, to fully realize what we can be." Green eyes met gold. "I know what it means now. I know what it means for me to be Shuichi, for you to be Youko and for us to be Kurama." Green eyes returned to the binding. "It's so simple, really. Together, we are more than either of us could be apart. You didn't mean for me to be frightened, but my soul was too young and yours too weak at the time. Before you could explain, I had already wrapped myself in those chains, and though you tried, with all those conversations, I couldn't see. It wasn't you I hated, Youko, it was myself. You were very patient with me, Youko," he glanced up quickly, "but, now…now it is time we were truly free, the two of us, to be what we can be." With that, he removed the binding, brilliant lights flashing before his eyes. "I LOVE YOU!" he cried for the world to hear.

His body arched up from the bed in extreme ecstasy, his harsh cry echoing in the room as red and brown eyes watched in awe. Though at no time had the redhead touched himself, his body was climaxing violently over itself. They watched in awe and concern as the pale form collapsed to the bed, sobbing "I love you," over and over.

Hiei moved first, touching the redhead's shoulder, "Shuichi?"

Green eyes turned to meet his, "I am Kurama…and I love you, Hiei." Those eyes held golden fire and were full of life and love and joy.

Yusuke released a breath, "Gods, Kurama, you're beautiful…" His words trailed off when those green orbs met his.

"I love you, Yusuke." He smiled, "I love you both…all of us," he corrected himself, laughing when his body complained, "and I demand you feed me!"

Yusuke laughed, the spell of those eyes broken, "Yes, sir," he quipped, picking up the store bought bag of sweet rolls he'd dropped when he'd entered the room and saw the wild contortions Kurama's body was taking. Opening the bag, he proffered it to Kurama and Hiei before taking one himself. Cockily, he raised his bread, "To freedom!"

Kurama laughed, "To love"

Hiei softly echoed Kurama, "To love."

Yusuke agreed, "To love, now eat!" And they did, moving as one to devour the breads.

They ate in silence, all needing the fuel before anything else was done or said. When he finished, Kurama yawned mightily, stretching along the bed before relaxing again. Yusuke silently ran his hand along the redhead's leg before getting up and leaving the room. Hiei caressed the red hair as green eyes drifted closed, surrendering to exhaustion of the emotionally taxing day. He yawned once more, muttering, "What a wonderful vacation…"

Yusuke cut him off as he returned to the room and began cleaning the redhead, massaging his body gently, "Yeah, you get to be loved, freed and sleep. Enjoy it while you can."

"Yeah," Kurama answered, "who knows when I'll get to sleep again." His eyes were heavy with sleep as Hiei and Yusuke left the bed, covering him before they left the room. As darkness claimed him, he found himself once more standing with the silver one. "Youko," he acknowledged.

"Shuichi," the gold eyed silver one answered.

"I have let someone in." Green eyes smiled over to him.

A/N: Well, this is it, my dears. I hope you liked it. I don't kow what I'm going to do next, so...see ya next time...whenever that is...