IMPORTANT: By request, I've written a fluffy ending to this one. This chapter has that ending under the bar. There is also a SECOND ending, which is angsty but certainly more true to my style and the characterization in this fic in my opinion (but that doesn't matter) So, for the fluffy ending, continue below after reaching the line. For the alternate angsty ending, stop there and move on to the "next chapter." If you find yourself confused, you didn't read this blurb.

ShizukanaShi: Here you are! Hope you like it! I'd already written the original ending, but since you requested something happier I hope this makes the cut!

Disclaimer: This fandom in no way belongs to me, that'd be cool but it doesn't so yeah.

This isn't love. This is torture.

The tenderness was killing him.

At first, it had only been the hesitation. The slight reluctance in the way the other moved toward him. Then there was the softness of it all, as if suddenly he had become a fragile thing, breakable by the violence that they had made their trademark and calling card. But it wasn't long before the difference was so enormous that it could no longer be ignored, that it was what now defined their encounters. It held him like a bear trap: one foot in, one foot out, but no way to escape without help. Help that was not forthcoming.

The wound it caused was bleeding him dry, leaving little patience, but just as sparse resistance. The metaphor, he found, was hollow: Yusuke hadn't so much as scratched him in days. His skin had been left a pearly white, only adding visual proof to the degree of caution he was being treated with, an aggravating contrast. Something primal in him itched for pain in their searches for pleasure. His mind hated how the meaning of sex had changed.

He had tried to turn it around: once. It had been an impulsive thing done out of frustration, the way he tore his nails down the detective's neck, drawing a stream of blood that made both of their bodies dark and sticky in no time flat. Yusuke, of course, didn't seem to mind, looking only mildly irked at the wound but Hiei had reacted adversely. It wasn't what he expected. His retaliation backfired completely as he was bombarded with memories, images of the detective shot up and on his back in the cave near the edge of town. It made his breath catch in his throat. In that moment, he remembered his helplessness.

He didn't pull anything like that again, knowing that it would only make their meetings harder, though he doubted it could be much worse than it already was. Not that he didn't enjoy it, in his own twisted way, but things certainly weren't the same. Not with the manner that Yusuke now held him, as if he needed holding, as if the nights they had spent mating like bloodthirsty animals had been naught but a dream. He hated that more than anything.

Yet, he wouldn't let it stop. Each night, without fail, he'd find himself outside of that run-down apartment just waiting to be let in. It didn't matter how much he disliked it, how much he wanted to hit the detective for the way he was being treated, scream at him because this hurt so much more than any love bite or unlubricated push that he had ever given him before.

This was pity. And they both knew it.

It was like this that Hiei discovered how much he hated facing the detective while they were tangled up together: the teen insisted on being face to face as often as possible. He didn't speak to him during sex, not anymore, just held his hands away from his face when he tried to shield his eyes, letting their noses bump against each other as he whispered his name in a tone that made the fire demon want to rip out his tongue. It was all he could do not to bury his face in the detective's neck out of sheer shame and embarrassment, but clinging to him was no better. Instead, he tried his best to keep his face uncaring, but it was only a matter of time before he was brought past the point of holding his façade. In moments like these, Hiei wondered if he had ever trembled so much because of another person. He wondered if he ever would again.

As soon as it was over, he'd try to flee, try to run as fast as he could to some sort of lonely safety. This was where the second greatest change occurred, the one that frightened him the most. Since his impromptu confession, the dreadful day, Yusuke had decided it best to keep him imprisoned. Arms would wrap around him from behind, warm breath on the back of his neck, effectively halting any motions he'd intended. He fought against it the first few times, going so far as to spit and shout at the other for treating him like some sort of child, but it hadn't deterred him any. No, Yusuke's face had only hardened, his eyebrows forming a stiff line as he made a conscious decision before forcing the other back onto the mattress and pleading with him gently to stay. It took a few tries, but even the fire demon could see that if he didn't give in quickly all physical contact with the other would surely be withdrawn.

The bastard.

So he'd lie there, face as blank as he could possibly hold it until the detective fell into an easy slumber. Only then would he have an opportunity to slip away, to collect the clothes which Yusuke seemed to somehow be able to hide in between their removal and their business, and to crawl quietly out the window.

Except that the longer it went on, the harder it seemed to be able to leave.

Then came that morning, the dawn of a day when he realized that he did not in fact manage to escape, that comfort had in some way or another won out over the emotional strain, that he was waking up in the bed that he and the detective had shared the night before. Arms were still woven around him, a leg thrown over him as well, and that's when he realized it was all or nothing. It had to stop.

Yet it was not him who ended it.

He should have seen it as an omen when he was not chained to the detective immediately after they had finished. It was worse, even, that he took solace in the reprieve, noting the difference but not seeing it for what it was. He basked for a moment, taking the time to breathe, to feel as if his body was his own again. But then he opened his eyes and saw that something was not right. Then he knew he should have run when he had the chance.

Yusuke was staring at him, a peculiar look painting his face. It caught the fire demon off guard. He sat up, noticing that the detective was not only refraining from touching him, but that he had put some distance between them. The teen looked like he was waiting for something, but Hiei's mind had slowed to a near halt, unsure of what was about to happen. It was when he realized this that the detective began to speak, his mouth feeling suddenly dry.

"There's something I need to tell you."

Hiei sat perfectly still, his body as stony as Adonis. His eyes narrowed imperceptibly, but Yusuke could pick up on the shift that had occurred, the way he was being scrutinized. It wasn't a fair move: he had put Hiei through so much change in their relationship, that this was pure selfishness. Yet still, it needed to be done. If Hiei had been anything like himself recently, he would have seen what Yusuke needed. What he was denying himself. How he was going just as insane as he was driving the fire demon, but for completely different reasons.

"This isn't something I can do anymore."

The reaction was delayed, Hiei not processing the words as quickly as Yusuke had expected. He watched as they sunk in, watched as the demon contemplated his options, face as blank as the stone he was impersonating. Without giving him enough time to make any decisions, the detective continued, faltering as words he had not thought to plan out made their way past numb lips.

"I'm going to have to leave." He received an inquisitive glare at this, or what he could only assume was inquisitive. It seemed like the other was willing to hear him out, even if only a little, so he continued. "I think we felt the same way, after we found ourselves here. Neither of us belong, in this world."

Just like that, Hiei knew what he meant. The teen was talking about the final battle, the one with Sensui, the one that had opened his eyes to how Yusuke was different. Apparently, the detective felt similarly.

Hiei had woken up to the disillusionment of the human world, cursing his friends for not leaving him behind. It was only in his recent fascination with the detective that he had been distracted from the blood curdling rage that came with his displacement, with the fact that once again he had been forcibly removed from his home. Looking at the half breed, he could see that Yusuke held the same longing for Makai that he did.

"I need to go, Hiei. I need to find out what's there, waiting for me." He looked up at the other, breaking the fire demon's train of thought with a look that was both piercing and apologetic. "I know it's not fair of me, but you of all people should get that."

.

Ending 1: Happy

Hiei felt as if he had been slapped, the reality of what was happening finally taking. He had won Yusuke. He had confessed his feelings for him. He was being left. His fist clenched at his side, the urge to summon the dragon to swallow the detective whole becoming more and more present as his mind sung of betrayal.

It shouldn't have been so difficult, after all this time. Being abandoned was what came naturally

The detective sensed that any patience he had been granted was near its last thread and he reached out, a hand closing over the youkai's forearm tightly. It was almost a threatening grip, the look in his eyes holding the same intent that spoke, stay. Listen. Out of pure respect, Hiei did.

"I've got this kingdom that's just waiting to be overthrown. And I know that you've been contacted; Kurama told me. So I reckon it's about high time that we went home, and I think I've got a way for us to do it."

Hiei wanted to glare at him, to kick him in the face for daring to drag him into the other's selfish decision but couldn't help the spark of something that lit up inside of him at the mention of returning to Makai. He hadn't decided yet, at least not fully, on whether to take up the bandaged king on the offer to aid Alaric, but it seemed he wouldn't have to. The decision had been made for him.

He pulled his arm away roughly, the detective's grip having slackened by the end of his short monologue. Looking away, he grit his teeth, a sense of dread pooling in his stomach at the backhanded rejection he had just been served.

"You're right. I have better things to do with my time then waste it with these humans."

It came out acidic, his tongue burning with the effort it took just to speak. He wondered if it would be easier once he was alone, or if realization would lead to a much deeper sorrow than he allowed now. With a last bit of animosity, he let his eyes rise to the dark haired teen, finding himself shocked by the grin that the other wore. Before he could bark at him, the youkai found himself silenced by the glint of mischief in the other's eyes.

"Plus, think of how great it'll be to play enemies while we're lovers. The bad guys won't know what hit them."

He blinked. There wasn't time to process the words before lips were on his, crushing them with force that the fire demon hadn't experienced for far too long. He didn't even try to fight it, pushing back into the detective with as much passion as he could muster while his brain still tried to catch up. When they parted, Hiei was out of breath and Yusuke couldn't help but grin like a fool.

"Though, being demons in demon world, I think we'll have to go back to tearing each other apart in bed. Think we can manage it?" And suddenly the boy was on top of him, grinding into the thin sheet that separated them like they hadn't just finished embracing, reveling in the surprise painted on Hiei's face. It only lasted a moment: the fire demon's brain had mercifully decided there was no more need for a slowed panic. He put on his best bored expression, raising a warded eyebrow as if the detective had mentioned something he held a sarcastic interest in.

"I don't know why you've insisted on being so damn gentle with me all this time. I was beginning to get bored of it." The deadpan had returned, and Yusuke could only smirk as he laid down in top of the other, burying his head in the fire demon's neck as he pinned him in place bodily. Hiei let him, not knowing exactly what had prompted the obvious show of affection but entirely unwilling to question it.

"You know me, I'm stupid. I thought that just because our feelings changed meant we did too." At this Hiei turned to look at him, trying to pull his face away for a better view but finding a light blush brushing the detective's ears as he glared intently into red eyes. "Don't look so smug or I'll leave your ass behind."

Hiei laughed. Genuinely, out of the blue laughter that Yusuke had only heard once before and wished from then on would never end. It was just like them, confessions without the right words, torture because of idiotic communication, resolution in the most difficult way possible. Nothing done the proper way, everything roundabout. Emotions were not their easiest allies.

They stayed like that for a moment, holding each other with mutual tenderness before wrestling for dominance and taking back what they had given up over the past weeks as if they hadn't touched in years.

It was too soon that they parted, going separate ways in favor of kings who promised them greatness, their motives spectrally different. But there were always nights, nights when one would venture out into the dark, seeking the comfort of the other and howling like animals in heat, locked around their partners.

Curious as to where this was originally intended to go? See the next chapter! Not sure if you can handle BSR levels of Angst? Stop here! Either way, Leave me nice words!