Chapter Seven- Yukina

"Hiei!" Yukina called happily as the fire demon approached her. She was thrilled to see him so she could confront him about why he never told her he was her brother. It had been almost a week since learning the truth as today was Saturday. She had gotten a call that morning from Kazuma that he was going to come up to see her and talk. She had hoped Hiei would come before Kazuma so she would have news for him.

Hiei took a seat beside Yukina on the wraparound porch and simply enjoyed the beauty around them and each other's company in silence for a time before Yukina said, "Kazuma found my brother."

"Has he?" Hiei asked neutrally.

"Yes." She looked at him levelly. "He said you're my brother. Don't deny it," she said as Hiei opened his mouth, clearly about to say he wasn't. "I had my own suspicions when you left for Demon World years ago."

"You had suspicions. Why did you not say anything then?"

"I wanted to hear you say it."

Hiei was silent for a moment. "You know that I've killed and I've stolen as well. I thought you wouldn't be happy to have someone like me for a brother. I was also bound by a promise to never tell you. I was released from it a little over a year ago."

"Why would you agree to such a promise?"

"That was the price for my Jagan implant. I got it to find our mother's stone I had lost as well as the village. When I learned about you, I used my Jagan to try to find you and later to watch over you." He frowned a little. "How did Kuwabara find out?"

"He said Kurama told him and that you threatened Kurama and Yusuke with death if they told me. It's not nice or right to threaten our friends."

"It's not and honestly, I wouldn't have acted on the threat and especially not now." The two siblings sat in silence until mid-afternoon when Hiei announced that he needed to talk to Kurama about other matters, assuring her he wasn't going to kill the fox.

"All right. Kazuma should be here soon, anyway."

Kuwabara sped up the stairs, pleased with his new speed. Kurama's family had complimented him on his demon form and he had accepted them happily before excusing himself, saying he was going to surprise his friend, Yukina. I hope she becomes more than a friend when I leave. Kurama shares my hope. He smiled, lucky that Kurama was so understanding of his preferences and not possessive of Kuwabara.

He slowed his approach as he got to the top. He didn't want to tip off that he was different before he said anything. He headed to the compound gate with his normal speed and saw Yukina sitting on the porch, a tray with a teapot and two cups beside her. She had that same friendly smile that he loved and he returned it as he sat on the tray's other side. "Hey, Yukina."

"Hi, Kazuma," she replied, her smile positively beaming as she poured the tea and passed him a cup.

"You seem really happy today." He took a sip as a thought occurred to him. "Was Hiei here today?"

Yukina nodded. "I told him about you tell me. He was going to deny it but I told him not to."

"Did he explain why he never told you?"

"He gave two reasons. One seemed silly but the other one made sense."

"Yeah?"

"He first said he thought I wouldn't be happy having a criminal for a brother."

"That is silly. It doesn't matter what one's done, they're still family."

"Absolutely. His second reason was when he asked for his Jagan, he was told the price was to never tell me we were siblings."

"Really? Why would he agree to that?"

"I know he did it so he could watch over me and make sure I was safe."

Kuwabara nodded. "I understand that. He was real brave to go through that. Kurama said that kind of surgery is extremely painful." He fidgeted a little as he finished his tea. "Yukina," he said as he put the cup down. "I have a confession to make as well as a surprise."

"What is it?"

"I…overheard you and Keiko talking about me several weeks ago. I didn't mean to, really!"

"Of course you didn't and it does explain why you stopped the romance comments."

Kuwabara felt relieved that Yukina wasn't angry with him and continued. "I do still love you deeply despite the fact that I'm human. You know that Kurama makes potions for demons who want help?"

"Yes. Hiei mentioned it earlier today. It' so nice of him to help others."

"He recently helped a demon who loves a human. He made a potion so the demon could be like Kurama; able to have a human form and a demon form."

"Wow!"

"Kurama also made a similar one for me and I took it last night."

"You have a demon form now?"

Kuwabara nodded and he flickered into his other form. Yukina's eyes went wide as she moved the tray aside and came closer to finger his red hair. "Kazuma, you're beautiful, but why did you take it?"

"I did it for Kurama and for you. I knew if I could be a demon than we could be together."

Yukina gave a sad smile. "Oh, Kazuma. You didn't hear the rest of my talk with Keiko. She thought as you did that if you became a demon, things would be different then. I corrected her by saying that if you had been a demon from the beginning, then things between us would be different."

"From the beginning?" he repeated. "So, that means that you still don't love me?"

"I'm sorry, Kazuma. You may have a demon form, but inside you are still human."

"Of course I'm still human, but I am a demon too. I have the abilities of one, my heart's not beating right now, and I have powers too."

"I don't doubt that, but you're not all demon."

Kuwabara felt angry and frustrated. He drank the potion to have a demon form alongside his human one, thinking Yukina would then love him. It turned out she preferred a full demon as opposed to the hybrid he had become. I had no idea she was a bigot. She won't accept me or love me for what I am now. He looked away from her to control his emotions, unaware of his energy glowing a light red around him.

"Kazuma, your energy. It's strong, stronger than before." He felt her hand on his arm briefly before it pulled back and she exclaimed, "Ouch!"

He looked over, his energy fading away, to see her palm was red as if it had been burned! "How…? You only touched me."

"I know, but it felt like your skin was on fire."

"I think I need to talk to Kurama about this. We'll talk another time and I'm sorry about burning you." He lightly kissed her palm before he sped down the steps, changing forms as he did so. He had suspicions that his fire was connected to his emotions. He had been angry at Yukina and she had gotten burned as a result. I need to run that by Kurama and, if I'm right, then I will need to control my anger.