A/N: lol, looks like I've got a lot more people rooting for Hiei than for Yusuke. Poor Yusuke… :P But thanks!!! for the reviews! That's the most I've gotten for a chapter in this fic so far. You all rock!

Kittyfoxy: Aww, good luck on your exams! I'm gonna miss you too. Hope you'll write me when they're done!

Gemenice: Heh, I'm glad to hear it. Believe it or not, since I haven't reread this in so long I'm looking forward to seeing the end of the story as much as you guys are. :P

BlueUtopiah: I'm grinning so widely right now (my roommate probably thinks I'm crazy). All these compliments make me so happy! And I agree about Hiei- he should definitely have said all this last summer. Shrug… but that's just Hiei for you.

FantasyFanatic1: Thank you so much! hugs! Hiei and Kurama are adorable together, though personally I'm more into Yus/Kur right now. (don't worry, I won't let that affect the end of my story.) School work hasn't gotten too bad yet- hopefully I'm going to finish this story before it does.

Ladyasile: aww, thanks! And the drama just keeps coming, trust me…

Dragon77: I hope this is soon enough for you. Thanks for reviewing!!

Happydemonhobo: aww… sorry I made you cry! (though I'm glad to inspire strong emotions with my writing.) Don't worry, I'll stop torturing them after another two chapters… at least, in this story.

KyoHana: lol, yeah, most of my readers seem to be more Hi/Kur fans. Glad to please you guys!

Anyways, this is the set-up chap for the end of the fic. Hope you guys like it!!

Bleeding Hearts

Chapter 11

By Yami no Kokoro

Kurama's POV

"Why does this have to be so complicated?"

It's been two days since Monday, and I have been able to think of nothing but the pair of black haired beauties that had left me so angrily. Kuwabara came by to check up on me only half an hour ago, and now we sit in a small cafe as he tries to console me, not even understanding my grief.

He sighs at my comment.

"Well, you like Urameshi, right?" I nod slowly, sipping my iced tea.

"Yes. . . but Hiei-"

"Well, forget about the shrimp. He went back to demon world, right? So there's no real choice left to make."

I look down at my glass, carefully avoiding my friend's eyes.

"But there's no way I could ever give my whole heart to Yusuke when I still have feelings for Hiei." Sometimes I wish that I had someone else to talk about these things with. Kuwabara was likely to simply side with Yusuke out of spite for Hiei. Knowing that I'm speaking to one of Hiei's least favorite people in this world made it very difficult to discuss what had happened when I'd asked him to return to the Makai.

From the corner of my vision the carrot-top shrugs.

"Yeah, ok. But I'm pretty sure right now Urameshi could use whatever you're willing to give him. I've seen him around school these past two days, I think 'cause of threats against letting him pass or something, and he's been like a depressed zombie person. He wouldn't even fight me when I challenged him, just glared and went to his next class."

"Not speaking to you?" I question softly, recalling the ex-tentei's anger towards Kuwabara at my house two days before.

"Pretty much. Once he sneered and asked how you and the shrimp were doing, but that was it."

I bite my lip and nod silently, eyes again focused on the amber liquid in my glass.

"I'm sorry I got you involved in this, Kuwabara."

"Hey, no biggie." My friend's nasal voice is too bright, and I can tell he's trying extra hard to be happy for my sake. "It's not like 'Mr.-I'm-So-Great-Spirit-Detective' and I ever really get along. Anyways, you've been moping over those two for way too long. You've gotta lighten up a little - do something fun."

I glance up, raising my cup to my lips.

"Like what?"

"Like. . . hey, my junior prom is next week."

I nearly choke on the iced tea as I try to swallow, and watch in amusement as Kuwabara's eyes turn freakishly wide and he waves his hands before him as though trying to ward off any bad implications of the words.

"No, eww. I mean, not like that! I'm going with Yukina!" A soft laugh escapes my lips as I set down the glass.

"I could take offense to that comment, you know." The beady eyes get bigger still.

"No, I didn't mean 'eww' but, well, eugh. No, I didn't-" Though it's nearly impossible to restrain my laughter I somehow manage, holding up my own hands to halt his stuttering.

"It's alright, Kuwabara. I understand what you meant, and trust me, I'm not disappointed." He slowly lowers his waving arms.

"Oh. . . ok. Good. Well, anyway, I'm going to the prom with Yukina, but I know she'd be happy if you came along. Maybe you could meet some other guy, and get your mind off those two for a while."

I smirk, unable to resist the urge to attempt to make those eyes even larger.

"Or a girl." I add thoughtfully. It works.

"What?!" He squeaks, black eyes nearly popping out of his skull.

"Well, I'm technically bi, though I prefer men." I hide my grin behind the cup as the boy nearly bolts out of the booth right then.

"Wha . . . so . . . you just take anything?"

I cast him an even look, my amusement quickly fading.

"Well, I do have my standards." Slowly, my friend calms from his shock, and I try not to mentally berate him for being so bigoted. He is trying, after all. After a moment he seems calm enough, and I add,

"Anyway, if it's your school's prom then I can't go. The last thing that I want is to run into Yusuke at a big party." The carrot-top shakes his head, taking a gulp from his own soda.

"Urameshi won't be coming. He's definitely not one for dances and he'd never go alone. Trust me, he won't be finding any dates any time soon."

For the first time I actually consider the idea. My own junior and senior proms I'd already missed. Last spring I was busy lusting after Hiei and he most certainly wouldn't go to a school dance, and this year I simply hadn't felt like going, and had been forced to turn down all of the numerous girls that asked me. I'd been fine with the idea at the time, in the depths of my depression, but now I'm actually beginning to regret having missed such a supposedly important event.

Maybe going would get my mind off of my problems for a while.

"Are you sure Yukina won't mind?" Kuwabara shrugs.

"No way, she loves you, Kurama. For the longest time she used to say that you might as well be her brother." I smile softly. So she knew, both of my relationship with Hiei and her own. My friend scratches his head. "I'm not exactly sure why… anyway, she'd be happy to have you come. So will you be there?"

After only a second's hesitation I nod.

Yusuke's POV

"No way, Keiko." I lean back against my headboard, glaring at the brunette girl who's watching me hopefully from the foot of the bed. She brushes a strand of short brown hair out of her eyes and frowns.

"Yusuke, I don't understand why you're so against the idea. Tai's going to be out of town and we always said that we'd go to our proms together."

"That's when we were dating, Kei, back in Junior High."

Where had that crazy idea even come from? I just broke up with the one guy I'd ever really wanted. The last thing I feel like doing is partying. Tilting my head to one side, I smirk, attempting to change the subject.

"Anyways, how is good old Tai?" My friend makes a face at me, rolling her eyes.

"Come on, Yusuke. Quit trying to play the jealous ex, it doesn't suit you."

But it's easier that way. It's easier to play the part of the tough ex-boyfriend to Keiko than to deal with being the lovesick loser who wasn't good enough for Kurama. Damn it, even in my head I sound pathetic.

I thought it would be easier if I left him, but how could it be when I know now that I'd just let Hiei win?

"Come on, Yusuke. It's not like I want to go to the prom alone."

"Then don't go. It's not that important anyway, it's just junior prom."

Her eyes widen and she shakes her head in disbelief.

"Yusuke, junior prom is almost as extravagant as the senior prom nowadays, and everyone's going to be there. I can't just not show up. Look, it's not like you have anything better to do; you're just going to be sitting around, moping. I'm not Kurama, and I'm not planning on being your date. But we can go as friends, can't we? We can still have a good time. What do you think? Can you please give it a shot?"

I blink at her stupidly for a moment, trying to figure out why exactly that sounded so familiar. Then it comes to me.

Kurama, against the wall, trying to force back his tears as I pull away. His rosy bangs fall into gorgeous green eyes as he stares up at me in shock and wonder. Yeah, maybe kissing him was a little too bold, but it's not like I can't tell he enjoyed it.

"I'm sorry I brought that up before, and I'm sorry if it freaked you out. But Kurama, I'm not Hiei."

And then only moments later.

"So what do you think? Can you give me a shot?"

Gods, I'm acting exactly how Kurama did when Hiei left him. Had his heart ached this much, the same way mine does now? Am I going to wait around for seven months in a state of depression because the one I love would rather be elsewhere?

No way. I might not be able to move on, but the least I can do is not sit around and sulk for the rest of my life.

Maybe if I go to this stupid prom I'll be able to get my mind off of the rose I'd lost… at least for one night.

Kurama's POV

There's two more days until the prom, and I'm beginning to have second thoughts about playing third wheel to Kuwabara and Yukina. If we hadn't already paid then I'd say I wasn't going. It's not that I think I won't find ways to spend my time- plenty of people have always been attracted to my ningen form.

No, the problem is that I'm not sure I want to find anyone, or if anyone would even begin to measure up once I've been with Hiei and Yusuke.

Hiei . . . I love him more than he could even begin to imagine, and he changed my life from the moment he stepped into it when I was barely fourteen years old. He attacked me, thinking me an enemy, and by some lucky chance I managed to beat him. I'd thought about leaving the unconscious demon there, but something about him compelled me to bring him home and nurse him back to health. I think I loved him a little ever since then.

And Yusuke . . . when anyone else in this world would have brought me in to Koenma immediately for the crime I'd committed he managed to trust me, to believe that deep down, this demon had a spark of good, a hope of redemption. The second time we met he even put his life in the hands of the Mirror of Forlorn Hope to save my own. My most trusted companion ever since, had I not already been harboring my secret love for the koorime I'm sure I would have fallen for him in an instant.

I don't think I can ever have a complete life without both of them in it.

Now, another precious piece of me seems to have disappeared as well. My powers have somehow abandoned me, not only in the garden of my heart but in all other aspects as well. The power one can release is connected directly to his emotions, and as depressed and confused as I am right now I don't know if I'd be able to so much as make a bean sprout.

Nothing can possibly get better if I do what I had before, and stay home wishing that things were different. I wanted Yusuke to leave me and he did, and I asked Hiei to go so now he's gone.

All that is left for me to do it to try and mend my bleeding heart before I drown in my own sorrows.

TBC

A/N: Wow… I can't believe the end of the story has come upon us so quickly… it's almost the end of an era… :P Just one more chapter to go! I hope you guys are excited!