Disclaimer: I have no right to anyone or anything in the YYH World.

Ok people, I have a goal. A mission. A dream, if you will. The only story I've posted that's managed to reach triple digits with reviews is Comforting Heat. So I'm hoping (praying too, truth be told) that this story will accomplish the same feat. I haven't bothered to ask this of any of my other stories. But this is a YusukxHiei story and has a certain reputation to live up to. So please drop me a line and tell me how much you love it, hate it, wish it were different, or to simply point out mistakes (thanks again for the heads up Skittles! Seriously.). I'm counting on you guys!

No Matter What

Chapter 6

As Hiei walked up the temple steps, he heard a familiar voice raised in frustration and he smiled, even as his stomach tied in knots. When he entered the temple and traced the source of the voice, he found Yusuke and Genkai in a large, sparse room the older woman used for training. The toushin was upside down, maintaining his balance with his index finger on the tip of a spike while his sensei relentlessly punched his stomach. Hiei leaned against the doorframe and smirked at the scene.

"What are you smirking for, hothead? Think you could do any better?"

Hiei kept his eyes fixed on the challenging gaze of the older woman as he approached. Yusuke had since vacated his position on the spike and was wiping himself down with a towel. Hiei didn't dare look at the half-naked toushin. He stopped a few feet from Genkai, his smirk just a little more crooked.

"I'm not stupid enough to let you do something like that to me. That's not training. You're just getting some sick jollies with your boy here."

Genkai replied with only a smirk while Yusuke's face had become a new, deeper shade of red.

"Hey! What the hell is that supposed to mean! Who asked you anyway!"

Yusuke stomped out of the room leaving Hiei and Genkai alone.

"Yukina is in the garden."

"I know. We've already spoken. She told me I could find Yusuke in here. Do you mind if I interrupt your training session?"

"It seems you already have."

"Hmph." Hiei started to follow after Yusuke and just as he was about to leave the room, he called out to Genkai. "I'll return him in one piece so you may continue your….training."

Hiei followed Yusuke's scent and found him sitting under a tree, clean shirt on and water bottle in hand. He stopped several feet away and looked down at his friend, suddenly reminded of that night Yusuke fell asleep in his arms.

Yusuke eventually looked up and met the crimson eyes with a lopsided smile. He was glad to see the fire demon. Even though he had decided that he wouldn't think about Hiei anymore because they were just friends and that was all they were meant to be and concentrate on his relationship with Keiko, he still felt the need to satisfy his curiosity about one thing. If I can just find out about that night….

"So what brings you here?"

"I came to visit Yukina."

"Oh. Heh, of course." Yusuke took a sip from his water bottle while he berated himself. Stupid! Why do I feel disappointed? Of course he came to see his sister! He swallowed his mouthful of water hard and looked back up at his friend.

"Listen…about what I said at the reunion."

"Yes?"

"I said some pretty stupid things and I just wanted to apologize…….and thank you for not killing me in my sleep."

"That's what friends are for, Detective. Now if you'll excuse me, I have matters to attend to and things to kill."

Yusuke watched the fire demon disappear in a blur of black, an emptiness beginning to form in his chest. Why do I feel like I just lost something?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hiei had no idea where he was going, other than away from Yusuke. He could still see the smiling, embarrassed face and hear the casual, almost self-deprecating voice as Yusuke equated his feelings to nothing more than drunken nonsense.

He had been fearful that those words had been nothing more than alcohol-induced, but he clung to the hope that the toushin was being honest. Now, he had no hope. Yusuke didn't feel anything for him other than that of a friend. Hiei cringed as he felt a sharp pain within his chest.

Hiei raced through forests and plains and cities and mountain ranges until he finally had worn himself out enough that neither his mind nor his body would function any longer. He came upon a cave nestled within the rocky terrain where he currently found himself and there he lay down and closed his eyes.

As he drifted into the blackness of sleep, grateful for the escape, an image floated in his mind's eye causing him to visibly tense and curl into himself. Yusuke was beckoning to him and those amber eyes were glittering with mischief.

"C'mon, Hiei, show me whatcha got!"

Hiei backed away from his friend. For the first time since he'd met the toushin, he didn't want to be around him. It was too painful. But no matter how many steps back he took, he never gained any ground.

"No, Yusuke. Go away."

Then that smile appeared. That lopsided devil-may-care grin and that's when Hiei knew what his fate would be.

"I'll never be free of you, will I? I simply can't outrun you."

And in his mind, Hiei raced for Yusuke and they danced as only they knew how. Hiei's body relaxed and his face lost its pinched look as he fell into his dream wholeheartedly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The day couldn't have been more perfect. A bright sunny day with blue skies and singing birds and smiling faces. All their family and friends gathered at Genkai's temple to witness the marriage of Kuwabara and Yukina. Yusuke served as best man while Botan was the maid of honor. Yukina had even managed to convince Hiei to give her away, but lost the argument when it came to his katana.

"I'm going to keep it just in case." Worried crimson eyes met his glinting ones and he couldn't suppress the smirk. "I can still hope you change your mind. Then I can kill him."

Yukina merely giggled and hugged her brother fiercely. She knew this was hard for him, and she appreciated his restraint. The ceremony went smoothly with no eviscerations but plenty of smiles and tears. The reception was held in one of the many courtyards surrounding the temple with flowers draping everything and lanterns lending everything a soft glow. Halfway through the celebration, Yukina and Kuwabara stood side by side, offering their thanks to their guests.

"We, uh, just wanted to thank everyone for being here today. And a special thank you to Genkai for letting us use the temple. We know it's a bit out of the way but we really couldn't think of having our wedding anywhere else but here. I want to thank my friends for keeping me alive and my sister for keeping me in line. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be here today."

Knowing smiles and chuckles were exchanged and glasses were raised. Then Yukina spoke up, her pale cheeks becoming rosy as she addressed everyone.

"I would just like to add one small thing. In the spirit of the day, we'd like to offer our personal congratulations to Yusuke and Keiko who were just recently engaged. So raise your glasses and toast to the happiness of the next bride and groom-to-be!"

Cheers and smiles and gasps were heard from all present as they raised their glasses, toasting the beaming and blushing couple. All but one seemed elated at Yukina's news, and that certain someone did not go unnoticed by Yusuke.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yusuke smiled when he finally located the reclusive fire demon. He knew Hiei would find some nice dark perch away from the festivities but close enough to keep an eye on everything. He's like a deadly guardian angel.

With this amusing, yet comforting thought, Yusuke slipped away from the party and made his way over to the tree. He leaned against it, arms crossed, head bowed and he spoke in a quiet tone, but he knew the tree's occupant could hear him loud and clear.

"May I join you?"

"It seems you already have."

"C'mon, Hiei."

"Fine."

In the blink of an eye, Yusuke materialized next to Hiei on the large branch midway up the large oak tree. They sat there, staring at each other in silence as the gaiety of the celebration below never quite reached their height. The silent exchange was broken when Hiei turned away to look down upon the party.

Yusuke rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling guilty and uncomfortable and not knowing why. Why do I feel the need to apologize? We never….there was never anything between us.

"Hiei…I wanted to…..I mean, I feel the need to……"

"Do you love her, Yusuke?"

Yusuke blinked his shock away and looked down at the party.

"Of course I do." But somehow…I realize this now….I love you too, Hiei.

"Then there's no need for you to say anything." Hiei turned to face Yusuke who almost looked like he was in pain. He reached out and guided Yusuke's face to meet his own and their lips lightly brushed together as Hiei spoke. "This is a joyous day. Smile, be happy and go enjoy yourself."

"Hiei?"

The fire demon lost the gentleness in his voice, but his face still showed the melancholy thoughts of his heart.

"Go, Yusuke. Live your life within the light as it was meant to be. Leave the shadows to me."

And just like that, Hiei disappeared. Yusuke's heart was pounding within his ears, and he was having trouble taking a full breath as it felt like a thousand pounds was resting on his chest. His hands dug into the branch and he couldn't seem to tear his eyes from the spot that only a moment ago was occupied. I have to find him. He needs to know he's a part of the light too. I should grab him and…and….

"There you are! Yusuke, what are you doing up in that tree?"

"K-Keiko?" Still in shock and trying to get his mind working again, Yusuke jumped down to join his fiancée. "How did you know I was here?"

The happy girl linked her arm with Yusuke's and began to lead him back to the party.

"Hiei told me. Now come on, I want to dance with my fiancée."

Yusuke didn't feel the kiss Keiko placed on his cheek or understand half of what was being said to him for the rest of the evening. He managed to smile and participate in the festivities, but some part of him was taken up with thoughts of warm, soft lips within the shadows.

To be continued….