A/N: I seem to forever be apologizing for slow updates, but trust me, my RL is a bitch. Mea Culpa. Thank you for sticking with me.

Chapter 5: How Things Stand

Hiei lounged in his jail cell, pretending to be completely unconcerned by the arrival of the visitor one of those faceless ogres had just brought in. "Come to gloat, have you?" he asked, tapping his foot as though bored.

Kurama was as calm as ever. "Why would I gloat?" he asked simply.

"You played this thing right; you're free and I'm in jail. Congratulations, by the way, on picking - or should I say, creating - the winning side in that fight."

Kurama shrugged, hunching his shoulders slightly. "I did what I had to do. Yusuke helped me, I would have died if it hadn't been for him. I had to repay him. You know how I hate to be indebted."

Hiei worked hard not to appear startled by any of this. He had had no idea that the human boy had saved Kurama's life; he had very little idea what had happened to Kurama since he walked out of the forest. It had been too painful to watch him with the Jagan eye. Instead, Hiei had thrown himself blindly into his faltering plans, and wound up here. "So, if you didn't come to gloat, what are you here for? I thought we'd said everything that needed to be said."

"I came to get you out."

Hiei raised an eyebrow. "Really? How do you propose to do that? I thought you were done with cheating, stealing, etcetera."

"I am. I made a deal with Koenma."

"With Koenma?" Hiei snorted.

"And it's purely for your benefit, so listen up. You can have your freedom if you agree to help. I already have."

"Help who or what?" Hiei asked, looking away as though disinterested.

"Actually... Yusuke."

Hiei couldn't help but laugh. The sheer, utter irony of it. "I thought you had that area all sewn up."

"Koenma's making into a sort of number-one deputy, Hiei. The poor kid isn't up to it. We were his first case, and let's be honest, you would have beaten him if he hadn't been lucky or yes, maybe if I hadn't interfered. If he's going to go up against other demons he needs someone on his side, someone who can take care of himself and who knows about fighting demons. That's where you and I come in."

"Help a human kid fight demons? Are you nuts, Kurama? We'd be labeled as traitors."

"I wouldn't have thought you'd care so much what people thought of you, Hiei. And anyway, it's not like he's planning on storming the Makai. This is strictly protecting the Living World."

Hiei wanted very badly to voice his opinion of that, but he bit his tongue. He also wanted very badly to get out of jail. So torn between the two urges he sulked for a few moments. Kurama waited patiently. "Why would I want to work with you two," Hiei finally mumbled. "You've betrayed me and the kid was never on my side to begin with."

"Because it gets you out of jail."

"And come to think of it, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Why would Koenma trust me enough to offer me this deal?"

"Well, two reasons. One is that he's truly desperate for help. I'll be honest with you, Hiei, he really doesn't trust you at all. But he does trust me some. That's the second reason." Kurama met Hiei's eyes. "He came to me and offered this deal, and I told him I wouldn't do it unless he offered it to you to."

Hiei stared, and for a moment he was unguarded in front of his former lover. "Why... why would you..."

Kurama didn't look away, but he spoke with difficulty. "Because... because I feel badly, Hiei. I can't believe things ended so badly between us. I know we could never be like that again, not after what's happened, but... I care about you, still. This isn't a matter of guilt or duty or anything like that. I just care and I want you to have your freedom, as much as I can give it to you. And..." Kurama hesitated. "And this way, you wouldn't have to completely leave my life."

"I thought you made it abundantly clear you didn't want me in your life."

"I was trying to make the opposite point, Hiei. I do. I just couldn't follow your plans any longer."

Hiei wasn't sure what to say. There was silence for a moment, and then Kurama said, "What this comes down to, Hiei, is whether you think you can work with me. Can trust me."

Hiei almost shot back a quick retort, but he stopped himself. Just because he was feeling hurt and petty was no reason to act like those things. Best to keep his cool and consider this thing logically.

He could get out of jail. That was the important thing. He would have to work in defense of Living World, which he hated, and he would have to be with Kurama - he wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing yet. Was he hurt so badly that he wanted the fox gone from his life?

"Let me make sure I have it straight," Hiei said slowly. "I agree to help you and this Yusuke kid, on a recurring basis, to do whatever the hell Spirit World wants us to do. In return, I get my freedom. What happens when I'm not helping you two?"

"Koenma will restrict you to Living World, but other than that you'll have your freedom. Unless, of course, you do something illegal again, in which case we both go back to jail."

Hiei blinked. "What? Why you?"

"I must have forgotten to mention that part. Koenma wouldn't do this unless he had some security. If you misbehave I get punished as well because I'm the one who vouched for you." Kurama smiled slightly. "I trust you, Hiei. Do you trust me?"

Hiei stared for a moment. He cocked his head to one side. "Hn,' was all he could think of to say. Kurama waited. And it occurred to Hiei that Kurama would continue to wait, patiently, until Hiei accepted his terms.

"You know me better than anyone in all three worlds, fox," Hiei said softly, allowing a rare smile to slip onto his lips. "I'd better keep you close at hand. Yeah, I trust you. And I accept."

"Excellent." Kurama grinned. "I'll tell Koenma."

"Fox," Hiei called after Kurama's retreating figure. Kurama slowed and looked over his shoulder. "We're partners, you and me, in this because we have to be. But I want you to know, it won't be anything more."

"I know that, Hiei. That's how it should be." Kurama smiled again, and continued on his way.

And so things stood... until the Tournament.