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Comforting Heat

Chapter 12

Yukina was kneeling in her garden weeding when she felt a familiar presence approaching. She looked up to see Hiei and Yusuke walking out of the forest. She got up and ran to her brother, a smile plastered on her face.

"Hiei! I've missed you so much! I have so much to tell you!" She threw her arms around her brother's neck and hugged him close. Yusuke smiled at the fire demon's blush and kept walking into the temple, leaving the siblings to their thing. "How have you been? Why have you been away so long? And oh! I'm so glad to see you managed to bring Yusuke out of his depression. Hey, where did he go?"

Hiei shook his head and guided his sister over to sit under a tree.

"I'm glad to see you too. So what news do you have? You seem very excited today."

"I have been having the most wonderful time with Kuwabara. And I think he's so sweet and kind and I know he loves me very much."

Hiei didn't like the way this conversation was going.

"Last night we discussed marriage and---"

Hiei was on his feet and stomping towards the temple.

"Hiei! Wait!"

"Where is that carrot-topped ningen who thinks he's going to live to see tomorrow!"

Genkai and Yusuke looked up from their tea to see the angered fire demon storming into the temple, katana drawn with Yukina following behind, half worried, half laughing.

"I see you told him the good news." Genkai didn't bother to hide her smirk as she watched the scene unfold in front of her.

"He didn't even let me finish! He just stormed off."

"Where is he!" He ripped the jagan off and his body began to turn green and eyes appeared on his exposed skin. With the help of the jagan and his full demon aspect, he quickly located Kuwabara.

Yusuke was becoming worried. Hiei didn't change into his true demon aspect unless he was really, really really pissed. He stood up and walked over to the siblings.

"What's going on you two?"

Hiei ignored him and disappeared in a blur of black and green, a menacing smile aimed at Yukina.

"Hiei no! Oh, Yusuke, you have to stop him! He's going to kill him!"

"Whoa, whoa. Calm down and explain to me what's going on."

"I told Hiei about spending time with Kuwabara and how we had discussed marriage and he became enraged. He's going to kill Kuwabara! You have to stop him!"

"Alright, I get the picture now. You just stay here and calm down, I'll go stop the bloodbath." Yusuke offered Genkai a smirk before heading out the door. "We'll have to continue this conversation later, grandma. I've gotta go keep the kiddies from killing each other." And with that he disappeared in a blur of white, using his toushin speed to reach Kuwabara's house only seconds after Hiei.

Just as Hiei kicked in the front door, he was yanked backwards by Yusuke, the toushin wrapping his arms around the enraged fire demon's waist.

"Hold it right there, you hothead."

"Let go!" Hiei let a burst of energy out that threw Yusuke away from him. "Where are you, ningen! Don't be a coward! Come out and die honorably!"

Yusuke was up and blocking Hiei's way in an instant, his face set in a determined frown. "Calm down, Hiei. You know there's no way I'm going to let you and Kuwabara fight."

"Get out of the way, Yusuke. This is the only way he's going to let me marry Yukina. He has to learn that I am worthy of his sister."

Yusuke turned to see his childhood friend in a fighting stance, his eyes hard and determined, a glowing spirit sword at the ready.

"This is stupid! Neither one of you is going to---"

Hiei shoved Yusuke out of the way and charged Kuwabara and blades clashed all around the small living room, throwing yellow sparks of energy into the air. Yusuke sat there, not sure what to do. He watched Kuwabara manage to hold his own against the enraged fire demon's blade and he was impressed. I had no idea he'd gotten so good. But he couldn't just let them fight. They're not going to stop just because I say so. What reason could get them to stop? Oh yeah!

"Hey! Shizuru is going to be pissed when she sees what you two are doing to the house!"

Kuwabara and Hiei pulled up and stood there, panting, glaring at each other.

"Yusuke's right. Sis'll beat us both into a bloody pulp."

"Agreed. Your sister is quite formidable when given the proper motivation." Hiei looked Kuwabara up and down. "You seem to carry the same quality. I will not kill you." And just like that, Hiei disappeared in a black blur.

"Uh, Yusuke? What the hell was the shrimp talking about?"

"I think that was Hiei's way of saying welcome to the family."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hiei sat in the chair savoring every spoonful of his sweet snow as he watched Yusuke set the table with food and plates and such for the expected guests which would be arriving soon. He didn't know when he allowed himself to get so weak but he would have to remedy it soon. Although, upon reflection, it seemed to be Yusuke specifically which was his weakness. Those amber eyes and roguish voice could make him do anything, including getting him to attend a get together of their friends. Hiei let out a self deprecating growl and continued to eat his sweet snow in silence.

Yusuke heard the growl from Hiei but ignored it, only letting a small smile grace his lips as he set out the takeout food from Keiko's restaurant. He wanted to get everyone together to let them know he was going to live in the Makai permanently with Hiei and he knew that the easiest way to get Hiei to agree to stay would be a little bribery. He had offered Hiei a bowl of ice cream before the party and then another bowl afterwards.

"What's to keep me from just taking the sweet snow from you right now and just leaving?"

"Because you know this means a lot to me and if you runaway it will upset me."

And just like that, Hiei had caved. Yusuke was sure that Hiei would have stayed if he had just asked him to, but Yusuke didn't mind stroking the fire demon's ego once in awhile. As a matter of fact, he didn't mind stroking anything of Hiei's.

Hiei looked up from his empty bowl to see amber eyes fixed on him, glinting with desire.

"Down boy. Not until we get back to the fortress."

Hiei smiled at the slight blush on the toushin's cheeks.

"Speaking of us….." Yusuke went over and straddled Hiei's lap, letting his fingers work through the spikey black hair. "I want you to reconsider telling everyone about us. I don't see why we should keep it a secret from our friends."

Hiei closed his eyes and let his forehead rest against Yusuke's chest.

"Yusuke, we aren't mates and technically we're not even lovers. Why is it any of their business? You agreed no public displays of affection outside my territory."

"But this is the Ningenkai and they're our friends. And we may not have slept together yet, but we love each other and sex is just a matter of time." Yusuke guided Hiei's face up to his and kissed him tenderly. "I've never hidden who I was, Hiei. I know you like to keep things private, but I love you and I'm not ashamed of that."

"Why do you risk so much? You're flaunting your weakness to your enemies."

Yusuke chuckled at the angry and accusatory voice and he hugged Hiei tight. "The day you become a 'weakness' is the day I wear a pink dress and sing 'Mary had a little lamb' in the streets of Tokyo. And they're not the enemy."

"Hn. But you understand my point."

"Yes I do but I'm not going to change who I am. Are you embarrassed of me?"

"No!"

"Than I guess you have the answer to your question." Yusuke heard the defeated sigh and he squeezed a little tighter. "Now help me finish setting up. Everyone will be here soon." Yusuke jumped up and pulled Hiei with him, a big smile on his face.

"What?"

"You look good."

"Yusuke…."

Yusuke ignored the warning in the fire demon's voice as he pulled him in close, his hands becoming vise grips on Hiei's hips.

"I can't help it, Hiei. You look so good in those tight jeans and that t-shirt…." Yusuke's eyes wandered down Hiei's torso. "…fits very well. We've got time for a little something."

Yusuke's hands came around to unfasten Hiei's pants but Hiei slipped away, disappearing in a blur and reappearing across the room.

"Idiot. Can't you sense them?"

"Who?"

DING DONG

"Them."

To be continued….