1To He Who Broke My Heart

By: Demon Hiei's Girl (Demon Usagi)

Chapter Eight

Standard Disclaimers Apply

Author's note: Here we are again. It's been awhile. ...well, maybe not "awhile", but longer than I normally update this fic. Hope you missed it.

Botan wrapped her arms around her friend. The brunette girl was now sobbing into the reaper's chest, chest heaving with everything it had. Moments earlier, the deity had flown in through Keiko's window to check up on the younger woman only to see her in a fit of sobs and crying. Not that she was surprised, really, given the situation. She and Yusuke had such a promising future to unfold; why would he risk losing it?

"Don't cry, sweety," Botan whispered soothingly as she rubbed the younger girl's back gently. The blue haired woman didn't sense any life force on the other end of Keiko's bedroom door, so she saw no further reason to continue being silent.

"Why?" Keiko bluntly asked, tears soaking Botan's still filthy blouse. Botan bit her lip. She flat out refused to acknowledge Yusuke's confession about loving the fire youkai.

"Don't worry, Keiko! It's not true!" Botan said quickly, trying to calm the girl down. "You two are the perfect couple! You'll make a rebound! I mean, seriously? Why would Yusuke ever chose Hiei over you? It doesn't make any sense!"

"He...he dumped me..." Keiko stuttered out, dislodging herself from Botan's embrace, realization in her dull, brown eyes. "No...he cheated on me..."

"He was just acting out as the horny little jerk he is!" Botan denied, eyes wide, starting to brim with tears of desperation. "He just wanted a friend with benefits! He loves you!"

"Oh, he told you that, did he?" Keiko muttered, anger now in her voice. She clenched her bedspread in her hand as tightly as she could hold it. The tears were still pouring, but she was furious. He cheated on her! It just hit her! He went behind her back for a fuck buddy because she wouldn't give herself to him prematurely! She tried to do the responsible thing and he was so impatient...so immature...so stupid! She was so stupid! "Ugh!"

Keiko punched uselessly at the soft bed she was seated on. Botan couldn't help but stare.

"Keiko..." she whispered, hesitantly touching the woman's tense shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I'm pissed!" she cursed, standing up and running over to her closet. In a few quick minutes, she started taking off her dirty clothes. Botan quickly averted her eyes as Keiko changed into pants and a sweater that were dirt-free. When Botan turned back around, Keiko was proudly standing in front of her, completely dressed, and newfound determination on her face.

"Keiko, what...?" Botan gaped.

"I'm going to kill him!" Keiko fumed, 'him' being none other than her half assed boyfriend, Yusuke.

Botan suppressed a smile. Keiko was back to normal. "Okay, then. Let's find him."

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Yusuke sighed, his butt finally getting damp. The remainder of the group had stayed on the shore in silence, not knowing what would be appropriate to say in response. Yusuke stood up, dragging Hiei with him, arms still protectively draped around the smaller demon.

"Well?" Yusuke invited calmly. "Any other criticism? Concerns? Complaints? Questions?"

"I have a question." Kuwabara replied, narrowing his eyes.

"Ask away," Yusuke added with a light smirk.

"What the hell is going on?"

The comment was half hearted, and Yusuke knew it. But it still was amusing nonetheless to hear Kuwabara ask the obvious question that was no doubt on everyone's mind.

"So, ladies." Yusuke said, turning towards the girls. "How long have you been spying in the bush? You guys make great secret agents."

"Long enough," Shizuru smirked, rolling her eyes as she lit up the last cigarette in the box she kept in her back pocket. "So, how long has this been going on?"

Yusuke lost his grin as he contemplated the question. "About a year and a half, I suppose."

"Ah." Shizuru scoffed, looking the other way. "So this isn't some new thing. We were just informed late." Shizuru took a drag on her cancer stick as Yukina shifted her weight. The petite Koorime couldn't help but notice her brother's lack of...anything. Comments, movement, breathing... He was still and quiet. A scary combination.

"Well, I'm tired. I'll deal with this mess tomorrow." Yusuke groaned, rubbing his bangs out of his face with his free hand. With the other, he gave the hiyoukai in his arms a tight squeeze. "Come on; let's go."

Hiei's eyes widened briefly as he pushed himself away from the warm embrace. "No, let's not."

Yusuke gaped. "What? Why not?"

Hiei looked down. "Don't you think I've caused enough problems? Why would you want to cause more?"

"Oh come on!" Yusuke said, annoyance in his features. "Botan had no right to hit you! What she did was wrong! It has nothing to do with you!"

"Nothing...?" Hiei mused quietly. Yukina bit her lip. Bad choice of words, Yusuke...

"I mean, she should have hit me, not you. If I would've seen it coming, I would have grabbed her wrist ahead of time, but---"

Ignoring him, Hiei continued, "I'm nothing?"

Yusuke blinked. "Huh?"

"So you're saying anyone here could have been in my place right now?" he retorted as quietly as he could. Yusuke's mouth fell open.

"What are you talking about?"

Hiei looked up at him with a strange mixture of anger and hurt in his eyes. Yusuke felt the anger inside him die with one glance into those crimson orbs...

Hiei sighed, looking back down. "Go fix things with your woman." Shaking his head, the fire demon flitted away too fast for any normal human to see. In such a short amount of time, Hiei was gone from view and senses. Yusuke stared blankly at the empty space where Hiei had been. Fix things with Keiko? How could I after all that we...?

Yusuke scratched his head. "That bastard ain't escaping that easily." With that, the exDetective started to run after his lover.

"That wasn't weird or anything." Shizuru mumbled, throwing the burnt out cigarette onto the ground, stepping on it.

"It's so obvious they love each other. It's such a shame the circumstances had to be this way." Yukina said sadly, looking down. Kuwabara walked up to the demonic girl and threw an arm around her shoulder.

"Fitting, isn't it?" he chuckled to lighten the mood. "My best friend, the closest person to me, is head over heels for your bro, the person closest to you."

Yukina gave the human a small smile, before returning the gesture, turning the embrace into a hug. "Oh, Kazuma, someone will end up unhappy."

Kurama sighed himself. The situation was indeed quite awkward. "Life isn't fair like that, huh?"

Shizuru pulled out Sakyou's old lighter from her pocket, the golden initials catching her interest the memories enveloped her. "Yeah..."

End chapter eight

Author's note: What the hell? This is such a tiny chapter. Grr. The passion just left me there at the end. I'll try to update soon. Feedback is welcome!