Part Four: Crossroads.
Hiei knew what Kurama was planning to do as soon as he'd mentioned going to Pier. Understanding why was a completely different matter. Every time he thought he understood the fox, he'd go and do something to keep him guessing. It was irritating, to be so close to him and not know what was going through his head. Especially when his games included Hiei.
He accepted the fact that Kurama was giving him a gift, but didn't know whether to be happy about it. Inviting him into Kurama and Yuusuke's relationship, even for a night, seemed to be a huge risk on the fox's part. If Yuusuke hadn't been interested he could have ended the relationship then and there, something which Hiei knew Kurama didn't want to happen.
Even in sleep they sought the other out, and some masochistic part of Hiei had made him sit and watch. How could he have put himself through that only to have one more night with Kurama? He quietly rose and gathered his clothes, dressing quickly. He should have known that Kurama would be awake.
"Leaving?" he asked, green eyes staring up at Hiei.
Hiei nodded, walking to the window. "It's better this way."
"Is this really what you want?"
"Nothing has changed since then," Hiei told him, referring to the reason he'd broke off their arrangement. He glanced at Yuusuke, who had an arm threw over Kurama's chest, holding his boyfriend close. "We want different things."
Kurama sighed, sadly. "I'm sorry if my actions last night hurt you, Hiei. That was never my intention."
"I know."
Yuusuke stirred, cutting off whatever Kurama was about to say. "Shh," he said, kissing Yuusuke's cheek. "Go back to sleep." When he turned back to the window, Hiei was gone.
Sometimes loving someone meant knowing when to walk away.
-
When Yuusuke woke up the next morning, several thoughts immediately came. Firstly, the room was far brighter than it had any right to be. Secondly, his head felt like a marching band had set up camp in there. And thirdly, there was only one person lying beside him, which was an odd thought to have really, since there was no reason for anyone else to be there.
Then it all came rushing back to him. Getting drunk, going to Pier, dancing with Hiei, and then coming home, where the three of them had … What the hell have I done? He groaned, both from the realisation and his pounding headache.
"Hangover?" Kurama asked, sounding like he'd been awake for a while. "Here, chew this. It'll help with the headache." He handed Yuusuke what seemed to be a leaf, and when he didn't eat it straight away, Kurama decided to tease him. "And your breath."
"Hmph, see if I give you a good morning kiss."
"Oh, I'm wounded." Kurama joked, watching as Yuusuke chewed the leaf. He waited till he knew it would have worked. "Better?"
"Mm. Where's Hiei?" Having no reason to wait till later, Yuusuke thought it would be better to talk about it.
"Genkai's."
"Oh."
"Did you really expect him to stay?" Kurama asked. Hiei had said it was only for the night.
Yuusuke sighed, closing his eyes. "I didn't expect any of this." Two days ago he'd been angry with Kurama for wanting Hiei; he never thought he'd know what it was like to be with the fire demon.
"Do you regret it?" It was important to Kurama that Yuusuke harboured no ill feelings towards Hiei. If he's angry with anyone it should be me, he thought. I'm the one who pushed it.
"I don't know. How am I supposed to treat him now?"
"The same as you always have. Hiei will pretend it never happened, I suggest you do the same."
Yuusuke snapped his eyes open. How could Kurama just calmly say that? "How can I do that? We had sex, for fuck's sake! I can't just forget that it happened."
"Yuusuke," Kurama started, stroking his arm to calm him. "This is why three-way relationships never work out. Hiei would never have done it if he didn't think you could handle it."
Yuusuke snorted. "Handle what? The morning after or being ravaged by two horny demons?"
Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Don't even try to tell me you didn't enjoy it."
"Well, yeah, but-" A thought suddenly popped into his head. "Holy crap! Did I cheat on you?" Kurama couldn't help it. He laughed, loud. "Why are you laughing at me?"
It took a little while for Kurama to calm down enough to speak. "Yuusuke, it's called a threesome, stop worrying about it. I was there, remember? I touched Hiei just as much as you did."
Oh, Yuusuke remembered. That was the hard part. "Nothing's ever simple with you, you know that?"
Kurama shrugged. "It makes life interesting. Look, if it makes you feel any better you can just say that I got you drunk and coerced you into it."
"That's exactly what happened." Yuusuke told him, matter-of-factly.
"Well, partly," Kurama admitted, but they both knew it wasn't all on him. "Hiei wanted you and you obviously wanted him. I just helped it along. Would you have preferred if I weren't there?"
"I wouldn't have done it if you weren't."
Kurama smiled, kissing his cheek. "Good answer. I don't see why we should have a problem with this. Unless you've developed a taste for fire demons, of course, then we may need to have another talk."
Yuusuke laughed. They'd been having a lot of talks in bed lately. "Do they have a rehab for that?"
"I'll check it out."
"Cool, while you're doing that I'm gonna make breakfast." Not that his headache was gone, he felt he'd be able to stomach cereal, at least. "You hungry?"
"Starving," Kurama replied in a way that made Yuusuke feel he was the meal.
"Kurama, I meant food," he told him, laughing as Kurama pulled him onto his chest. "Kurama!"
Food could wait.
-
When he realised that he'd been all but neglecting Kuwabara, Yuusuke decided he needed to tell his friend just why he'd been spending so much time away. Kurama had offered to do it with him, but Yuusuke thought it would be better to do it alone. He understood Kuwabara better, and wanted to make sure he was okay with it.
That didn't mean he knew how to tell him, though. Somehow coming out and saying 'Sorry I haven't been around lately, but I've been too busy screwing around with my boyfriend. It's Kurama, by the way' just didn't seem right.
Kurama was a big part of his life now, and he didn't want to keep it secret from everyone close to him. As far as he was concerned, being with Kurama was nothing to be ashamed of. He'd never cared for social castings and didn't see why Kurama being male was a problem.
They'd been talking a lot more lately, working their way past their night with Hiei. It had been hard for Yuusuke at first, but he now had a better understanding of his boyfriend. The first time he'd seen Hiei after that night he'd been so shocked that he just stood there, his mouth open and saying nothing.
Hiei stared right back at him and told him he looked like a frog waiting to catch a fly, and Yuusuke laughed. Nothing had changed between them. Hiei was still his same irritable self, and knowing that made it easier to pretend nothing happened. He'd never forget the night they shared, but he wouldn't let it come between them. It wasn't worth it.
He and Kurama were stronger now more than ever, and that strengthened his resolve to tell Kuwabara. If he was happy then his friends would be too, right?
"-and then they made me their chief. Are you even listening to me, Urameshi?"
"Huh?" Yuusuke asked, pulled out of his musings. "Was it anything important?"
"I knew it!" Kuwabara shouted, grabbing his friend and pulling him into a headlock. He ignored the fact that his radio was sticking in his side. Punishing Yuusuke was worth the momentary pain.
"Oi, I was joking!" Yuusuke told him, elbowing him in the stomach and taking his chance to escape.
"You've been zoning out all afternoon. What's wrong, your girlfriend dumped you or something?" Kuwabara teased.
Yuusuke couldn't help but laugh at the irony. "You sure you want to know?"
"It can't be that bad."
"You asked for it," Yuusuke grinned and proceeded to tell him all about his boyfriend. Kurama would be proud.
The End.
I hate happy endings.
"-and then they made me their chief." is from Pirates of the Caribbean. I love re-hashing (yes, Chrissy, it's your influence).