A/N: Whew! You guys certainly are protective of Hiei's feelings. Don't think I've ever gotten so many negative reviews for anything than what I did last chapter... but I stand by it as a plausible ending. Thanks for everyone's patience with this story, I promise this ending will be kinder to Hiei. This picks up right where chapter 5 drops off, so you may want to reread it first.

Chapter Six, Version Two

"This isn't love," Kurama said quietly. "Not yet, at least. You may think you love me, Kenrin, but--"

"Spare me," Kenrin said. "I'm not twelve. I know it it's love, not yet; but I think it could be. And I want to know why you don't want to let that happen."

Kurama hesitated before speaking, seeming to consider his words carefully. "It's not that I don't want it," he said finally. "It's that I'm too much of a realist to let it happen."

"You're not making sense again," Kenrin sighed.

Kurama scooted closer to him. "Close your eyes," he said softly. "Just close your eyes, and I'll tell you everything to make it make sense."

It was a measure of trust that Kenrin didn't hesitate or ask questions, but simply did as Kurama bade him and closed his eyes. It was a measure of the betrayal of that trust that as Kurama put a hand on Kenrin's shoulder, whispering something no doubt soothing and deceiving into his ear, his other hand already had the flower he needed in it. Kurama had decided before he left his house tonight; he had known before this conversation began how it was going to end.

To any casual observer it would have been a romantic scene. Two young lovers sat on a bench together, one whispering sweet nothings to the other and gently touching his face. Only Hiei knew the truth; that Kurama's fingers were laced with a gentle, mind-bending poison, and that the words he whispered were not words of love but words of command, telling Kenrin's brain which memories to hold on to and which to let go, which to rewrite and which to discard altogether. Kenrin sat placidly in his arms.

Several minutes later Kurama stood and left the park. Hiei watched Kenrin for a moment. The young man sat smiling softly on the bench, eyes still closed, without a care in the world. Hiei had seen this kind of sleep before, and he knew it would wear off. He flitted after Kurama.

Kurama went straight to his house, and then straight to his room. He did not open the window, or even unlock it, so Hiei kept his ki masked, knowing that he would be an unwelcome visitor. Kurama looked lost for a moment, and Hiei ached to go inside and comfort him, even if it was only as a friend. But he didn't. There was something between himself and Kurama that wasn't friendship, and as out of touch with the various tones of relationships as Hiei was, he still knew that made him less than ideal comfort for Kurama tonight. So he didn't make himself known as Kurama shook himself out of the brief stupor and changed into his pajamas, going to bed even though it was very early for him to be doing so. He settled back against the tree, watching over Kurama as he fell into sleep, and thought.

So. Kenrin was no longer an issue. Immediate crisis adverted. But that didn't mean Hiei would be going back to his old ways. There would be no more resting on his laurels, no more sitting around waiting for the next threat to come. He was going to do something. The past month had caused him to realize how he felt about Kurama, and the best word to sum those feelings up was possessive. He wasn't going to let any more silly ningens walk off with his fox; and if that meant he had to give more of himself, to keep Kurama, so be it. He wasn't scared of something as silly as taking their relationship to its next level...

...and, because that was a bald-faced lie, Hiei found himself the next morning once again forced to rely on the help of someone he had once kidnapped.

(there's supposed to be a line break here, but I can't get to upload any symbols, so use your imagination...)

"Hello, Hiei. Pleasant surprise, as always. Yusuke's not here right now..."

"I came to talk to you."

"To me? It wouldn't be about Kurama, then, would it?"

"He broke up with that stupid ningen."

"Well, that's good... I mean, I'm sorry he's hurting, but it's good for you, right?"

Hiei stared at her blankly. "What do I do now?"

Keiko sighed and sat down. "Well, right now you don't do anything. Anything other than what you usually do, that is. Be his friend." She gave a second sigh at Hiei's perplexed expression. "I know it sounds counterproductive, but you need to give him some time before you try anything. Breakups take time to get over, even if they're little ones, even if he's the one who started it. You have to give him time to let go of his feelings for Kenrin, or you'll do yourself a disservice." She held Hiei's gaze until she got a small nod of agreement from him. "Give him a few weeks at the very least, maybe more like a month."

"And then?"

"Then you tell him."

Another blank stare; another sigh. "You know--like open your mouth and tell him how you feel."

Hiei turned to stare out the window, crossing his arms over his chest, the very picture of stubbornness. "Hn."

"Of course, you could always wait around for the next contender for his affection..."

"And you've told Yusuke exactly how you feel about him, have you? You two are always frank with each other and put your feelings into words when the need arises? You communicate well? I haven't seen that much in evidence over the years."

Keiko flushed. "Alright, fine. Maybe it's not as simple as just telling him. I never thought you would be one to be afraid, though."

Hiei sent her a look that could have leveled half the Dark Tournament, but he didn't say anything. "Okay. So we find a way for you to let him know without just plain and simple saying it. Probably better that way anyway; it's more romantic. You have to show him, not tell him." Keiko tapped her lips, thinking. "You could try just touching him, seeing how he reacts, but I don't think it's the best course of action. Either that or you could--but no, that won't work, you're Hiei. I don't think romantic gestures are your style."

"Demon romance consists of not killing each other," Hiei informed her. "Or, perhaps, killing other people for each other."

Keiko paled. "I was thinking more along the line of roses..."

"Roses are weapons to Kurama."

"Right... but you have to win his human side over, too." Keiko paused to think again, wondering as she did so if she ought to open up a school for teaching demons romance. First Yusuke, now Hiei... "Let's think... what have Kurama's past boyfriends done that he liked? What's he shared with people before?"

To her surprise, Hiei volunteered some information. "This last one liked music."

"Music, that's good." Keiko snapped her fingers. "Kurama does like music, it would show him that you've been paying attention."

"What would show him I've been paying attention? What do you think I'm going to do?"

Keiko shrugged. "There are options. I don't suppose I could get you to write a song for him." Hiei's arm twitched. "Didn't think so. But you can still find a song that expresses how you feel about him, lots of people do that for their partners."

"I am not wading through hordes of ningen music."

"Fine," Keiko said impatiently. "But I thought you wanted to keep him."

"I'm certain there are other ways."

"You could write him a note," Keiko offered. "That can be easier that saying it aloud sometimes, and it can be romantic, too. Or, if you're feeling particularly juvenile, you could always have one of your friends clue him in, but that's entirely unromantic."

"You think I'm going to tell anyone else before I tell him?"

"You told me."

Another Tournament-levelling glare, and Keiko found herself collapsing cross-legged on her bed with yet another sigh. "This is going to take awhile..."