Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Never have, never will.

I was sitting on my couch, nursing a cup of hot chocolate, when Kuwabara let himself into my apartment. Raising the steaming mug to my lips, I smiled at Kuwabara. Grinning lazily, he flopped down in the armchair and stretched his legs out in front of him. "Weird combo you've got going there," he observed.

I glanced from my mug to my foot, which I had plunged into a bucket of ice water. "It is rather odd, huh?"

"That's what I said." His gaze flicked around the room and he frowned. "This isn't like you, Shy."

"What isn't?" I asked, slouching back into my seat. I knew what he meant, but didn't feel like admitting it. My apartment was a mess: clothes were scattered everywhere, dishes were piled in the sink, magazines and newspapers were scattered across the counter.

"This place is a pigsty. Seriously," he added as an afterthought. Standing up, he began to collect clothes off the ground and carried them to my bedroom. "Is this because of whatever is going on between you and Hiei? And while we're on the topic, mind telling me what went on between the two of you?"

I swallowed hard, fisting my free hand and taking a gulping sip of my hot chocolate. It scorched my throat and I used the pain as an excuse so that I could take my time before answering. "I broke up with him," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What?" Kuwabara sighed. "You're going to have to talk louder than that, Shy. I couldn't hear a thing you just said."

"I broke up with him," I snapped. There was a loud thud and I twisted around, trying to see what had happened. My movement stirred the water in the bowl, causing pain to flare to life in my foot and ankle. "What did you drop?" I asked, gritting my teeth against the pain.

"A stack of magazines. No bid deal," he answered. He stood up, his head and torso appearing over the counter, and dropped the magazines on the counter. Leaning his forearms against the counter, he peered at me. "Did I hear you right? You were the one to break up with him?"

"Don't make me say it again," I warned. Turning back around, I tapped the fingers of my free hand on my knee and glared at the far wall.

"Why the hell did you do that?"

"I really don't want to talk about this."

"That's too bad, Shy. I'm cleaning your apartment and you are therefore obligated to explain why it is necessary for me to do so." I could hear him moving around behind me, shuffling papers and moving dishes. The noise stopped suddenly and Kuwabara asked, "What's this book?"

I jerked around violently, realizing what he must have found. "It's nothing. Just leave it there." While I hadn't been eager to discuss my breakup with Hiei, I was even less willing to explain that he had been in my apartment and left behind that book.

Shaking his head, Kuwabara frowned at me. "No. Not until you tell me what it is." He picked it up, turning it over and studying it.

"I don't know what it is," I said at last.

"Then why is it here?"

"Hiei dropped it off a few days ago, okay? He told me to read it," I muttered, turning away from him and gripping my mug with both hands.

"So did you?"

"No."

For a second there was silence and I wondered if Kuwabara was actually going to let that go without giving me all kinds of crap. But then he spoke softly, clearly aware that he was pushing it by making me talk about Hiei. "Why wouldn't you read it, Shy? Maybe Hiei is trying to fix whatever's wrong."

I chose not to respond, opting to instead glare at my hot chocolate. Kuwabara began flipping through the pages. I listened to the rustling noise produced and fought tears, telling myself that I wasn't going to cry about Hiei again.

"There's a page marked," Kuwabara said, his voice slightly surprised. I resisted the urge to turn around, forcing myself to remain calm, and leaned forward to put my mug down on the coffee table. Kuwabara finally spoke after what felt like hours. "It describes some kind of ritual."

"So what?" I demanded, suddenly very uneasy. It had been four days since Hiei had left the book at my apartment and I was only just realizing what exactly it could contain. What if Kuwabara was right and the book was Hiei's way of fixing our relationship?

"I think it stops time or something." In the split second before Kuwabara continued, I forgot how to breathe. "I mean, it halts aging."

I jumped up from my seat without thinking, bolting toward Kuwabara and what I hoped would prove to be my future with Hiei. Barely avoiding slipping on the kitchen tiles, I leaned around Kuwabara, trying to read the page. He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. "You left wet footprints all the way here," he informed me. I glanced at the floor and saw that my right foot had indeed left wet marks on the floor.

Shrugging carelessly, I pulled the book toward me and studied it. Kuwabara moved away and returned a second later with a dish towel. "Dry your foot, Shy." I pushed the cloth away, ignoring Kuwabara's protest.

Why hadn't Hiei told me that he had found a way to stop me from growing old? Why bother leaving this book when he could have told me in person?

I shoved away the questions, reminding myself that Kuwabara could have jumped to conclusions. It was entirely possible that he had misinterpreted what the page said. I certainly couldn't make sense of it. The phrasing was complicated, but it did seem to describe a ritual or ceremony.

Kuwabara sighed audibly and bent down. Using gentle pressure to guide my foot off the ground, he wrapped the cloth around my ankle and started drying it.

"Thanks," I murmured, tracing a finger along the rows of words. "But I think you were wrong."

"About what?"

"About this page. I don't think it stops aging."

"Oh?"

"I think it just slows aging down," I said, still trying to work out what I was reading.

"Maybe you should talk to Hiei. He could probably tell you what it means, since he was the one that gave the book and everything." Kuwabara let my foot return to the floor and stood up, tossing the towel down on the counter. "Why would he give you this, Shy?"

"I broke up with him because I'll kill him."

"Want to say that again?"

"If I became his mate, I would kill him." I shifted, turning to face Kuwabara, and smiled sadly. "Being mates means sharing a lifespan. You know that, right? But it's different for humans because we aren't affected by a mating. Hiei would die if I died, but I wouldn't die if he did. So when I die of old age, I'd take him with me."

Kuwabara's eyes widened and I could tell he was thinking of Yukina. I glanced at his shoulder, knowing that a mark was hidden beneath the fabric of his shirt. He swallowed hard and his gave darted to the book on my counter. "Do you think that whatever that ritual does will prevent you from dying of old age?"

"I –" I shook my head and started again. "We can only hope."

I reached across the counter, grabbing my phone off its charger. "Who are you calling?" Kuwabara asked. "Hiei doesn't have an apartment, let alone a phone."

"I'm not calling Hiei. I'm calling Kurama," I answered, dialing the redhead's number. Putting the phone to my ear, I started pacing the kitchen. No one picked up and I cursed, leaving Kurama a quick message before hanging up. "Where else could he be?" I asked, staring at the phone as if it might be able to answer my question.

"You could try his parents'."

I grinned at Kuwabara. "You, my friend, are a genius." My smile faded when I realized that I didn't know his parents' number.

Kuwabara rolled his eyes and told me quickly. I punched the numbers in and returned the phone to my ear. This time a woman picked up. "Minamino residence."

"Hi, this is Shyle Iraheta. I'm friends with your oldest son. Is he at your house at the moment?"

"Yes, he is, dear. Give me a second to get him, alright?"

"Of course. Thanks so much."

I gave Kuwabara a thumbs up and resumed pacing the kitchen. I heard muted voices and noise on the other line and then Kurama voice sounded. "Good morning, Shy. What has you so desperate to talk to me that you needed to call my parents' house?" he asked, laughing good-humoredly.

"Are you busy? I can wait if you need me to."

"No, no. It's fine. What's wrong?" Apparently he had picked up on how agitated I was.

"Um, do you know about the book Hiei gave me?"

"Yes. Do need to speak with him? You'll have to give me some time to contact him. He's in the Makai, but I'm sure he will come rushing back in order to see you." Kurama sounded thrilled and I wondered for the first time if he was blaming himself for our breakup. He'd been the one to tell me the truth. If it hadn't been for him answering my questions at the wedding, I might never have broken up with Hiei.

"Look, Kurama. I need you to explain what it means to me, okay? The book, I mean. Is the page that's marked –" I broke off, swallowing hard before continuing. "Is it a way to stop me from getting older?"

He took his time before answering; probably attempting to gather his thoughts and make sure he didn't say something wrong. I realized that I was putting him in the exact same position as last time, asking him to answer a question that would have a major effect on my relationship with Hiei.

"Not exactly," he said finally. "If you were to do as the ritual instructs, you would still age, but you would do so at the same rate as Hiei. The ritual the book describes is a way of binding one person's lifespan to another's in a manner very similar to that of a mating. If Hiei were to die, so would you, but with the added condition that you age at the pace of a demon."

My immediate gut reaction was to break into a victory dance, but I forced myself to remain calm. I needed to make sure I understood exactly what Kurama was implying before I got overly excited.

"Hiei and I will age at the same rate?"

"You would age in time with Hiei."

"And I would die if he did?"

"Your life would be irrevocably tied to his."

I finally allowed myself a smile, shooting Kuwabara a thrilled look. "Could you contact Hiei for me, Kurama? I really need to see him."

"Yeah, of course. I'll call you once I've talked to him, alright?"

"Sure. Thanks, Kurama. For everything."

"I'll talk to you soon, Shy." I thought that he was about to hang up, but he added, "I hope it works out."

The line went dead and I returned the phone to its charger. Bursting into giggles, I threw my arms around Kuwabara's shoulders. He laughed wholeheartedly and picked me up, spinning me around the kitchen.

The bell over the door tinkled, giving me away. I stood in the doorway of the diner, staring at Hiei. He was seated at one of the tables. His shoulders were hunched forward over the table and he was toying with a fork in an uncharacteristic manner that made me question just what I'd done to him.

Stepping into the restaurant, I walked to the table, resting my hands on the back of the chair across from Hiei. "Do you mind if I take a seat?"

"Hn, go ahead."

I pulled the chair out and sat down, wincing as the chair legs screeched against the floor. "How are you?" I asked. I hadn't realized how nervous I would be when I saw him, but I was suddenly a jittery mess.

He glanced up at me, his lips twisting into a wry smirk. "That was a pointless question." His gaze returned to the fork in his hands and he asked, "You asked me here. Have you come to a decision?"

"Hiei," I began. There was something I had to get out of the way before I told him that I wanted to go through with the ritual. I had to make sure he knew that he didn't have to do this. If he wanted to have a relationship that wasn't so complicated, he could have one. "Hiei, I want you to know that you don't have to bind yourself to me if you don't want to."

His hand clenched around the fork and he looked up, his eyes blazing. "You can stop making excuses."

"What?" I asked disbelievingly. What excuses? I didn't understand what he was talking about.

"If you don't want to be with me, say so. Stop hiding behind these lies."

The fact that he thought I was lying to him raised hundreds of questions I hadn't thought of before. Had I ruined his trust in me by breaking up with him? Would we ever be able to have faith in one another again? Could it be possible that I had ruined any chance we had at being happy together?

"Hiei –"

He shook his head, shoving his chair back and standing up. I dove across the table, reaching out to grab his hand and keep him from leaving. "Let me finish, Hiei." When he remained motionless, I allowed myself to relax ever so slightly. "Please sit."

"Hn." He sank into his seat, but I kept my hold on his wrist. I had no doubt that he could leave if he wanted to, nevertheless I felt better keeping a grip on him, as though holding his wrist gave me some increment of control over the situation.

"I just wanted to make sure you knew that you didn't need to feel obligated to make us work. If you want something easier, I'm okay with that. I get it."

"Don't be stupid, Shyle." When I responded with a frown, he added, "I would not have given you that book out of obligation." I nodded, realizing that I should have known that already, and would have spoken had he not held up his hand to stop me. "Regardless, the ritual described on the page I marked will not in any way change my part in our relationship. It will only affect you."

His words surprised me as that hadn't occurred to me before. "Alright, then I'll do it. If you want me to that is."

He growled unexpectedly and narrowed his eyes. "I don't want you to do it."

I felt as though someone had just sucker punched me. Why had he bothered with all of this then? Why give me hope if he didn't want me to go through with it? I struggled for breath and Hiei cocked his head at me in confusion.

Realization flashed in his eyes and he shook his head. "You misunderstood me. It is not that I don't want you as my mate; it is simply that I do not think binding your lifespan to mine is necessary." He took a deep breath and returned his gaze to the fork that was still clenched in his fist. "Do you understand what it will do to your life? You will have to cut ties with your human friends since they would most definitely notice if you do not grow older. You won't be able to keep your job at the diner for the same reason. And what of your relatives?"

I interrupted before he could continue with his rant. "All of my friends, my truly close friends, know about the Makai and I don't think Keiko and Kuwabara would be overly thrilled if I tried to stop being friends with them over this. And honestly, I don't plan to work at the Yukimura's for the rest of my life. As for my relatives, my parents already know about demons and all that. We aren't really close to the rest of my family so it won't matter if I gradually fade out of their lives."

Smiling, I leaned forward and looked Hiei directly in the eye. "Now who's making excuses?"

He smirked, but it faded after a second. "I simply want to make sure that you know this isn't necessary. I don't require it of you. In fact, I only proposed it because I thought I was going to lose you. Shyle, I will love you no matter what you look like."

My protest that this wasn't about my appearance died on my lips as soon as I understood what he had said. I reminded myself to breathe, overwhelmed by the giddy feeling that was bubbling up inside me.

I was able to see when it dawned on him that he had just admitted to loving me. His eyes widened and then he was standing, moving around the table and pulling me into his arms. He'd never kissed me the way he did in that moment. When he released me, I collapsed against him, unable to support myself.

Pressing my face into his shoulder, I whispered, "I love you, Hiei." He stilled for a fraction of a second before tightening his grip on me, holding me so firmly that I wondered if he would ever let go. "Come home with me," I murmured.

He chuckled and agreed. Together we made our way out to my car, leaving behind a note thanking Yusuke and Keiko for letting us meet in the diner and locking the door. We climbed into the car in companionable silence and I reached across the console to entwine my fingers with Hiei's.

"Did you leave your stuff in the apartment intentionally?" I asked, finally breaking the silence.

"I had hoped that I would be returning there," he answered.

Struck by sudden feeling of shame, I said, "I kind of packed up all your clothes and put them by the door. I guess I wasn't as optimistic as you were."

"Hn, it was different for you. I knew that there were ways to stop you from aging, but you did not. I don't blame you in the slightest for trying to remove me from your life. I am willing to admit that I did not react well to your refusal to become my mate."

I snorted. "No offense or anything, but that may have been the understatement of the year."

"Don't try to be cute," he growled.

"Trust me, I wasn't." I pulled into my parking spot and turned the car off. "Do you really get why I said no?" I asked as we entered the apartment building. "It wasn't because I was afraid of getting old and wrinkly while you stayed young and handsome." I saw him smirk out of the corner of my eye and I made a face. "I didn't say that to inflate your ego."

"I'm aware."

I rolled my eyes and headed for the elevator, but froze when I realized that Hiei hadn't followed me. Turning around, I saw that he was halfway to the stairs. He seemed to sense that I wasn't behind him and glanced around, spotting me at the elevator and staring as though I had twelve heads.

"What are you doing?" he asked, frowning.

"I've, uh, been taking the elevator." I glanced once at the elevator before adding, "But we should use the stairs." I walked toward him quickly and smiled. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I eagerly slipped into the stairwell.

"Anyway," I said, deciding to return to our previous subject. "I want to make sure that you understand why I won't be your mate if I keep aging. If I were to be your mate and continued getting older at a human pace, I would end up killing you."

"I'm aware, Shy."

"Then why did you say what you did early, about loving me no matter what I looked like."

"Because it was true," he said simply. "And it applies to your true fear as well."

"Don't be corny, Hiei," I muttered, interrupting before he could continue. "It doesn't suit you."

"Hn." We exited the stairwell and headed for the apartment. I could start calling it our apartment again. The thought brought a smile to my lips and I unlocked the door excitedly. We slipped inside and Hiei closed the door behind us, sliding the lock home. Hiei followed me to our room, grabbing the bag of his clothes off the floor and bringing it with him.

It wasn't until we climbed into bed nearly twenty minutes later that it hit me. What if Hiei was expecting to make me his mate right away? I sat up, preventing him from wrapping his arm around me.

"Hiei, I won't become your mate tonight. I want to wait until after we go through with this ritual of yours."

"Lie down," Hiei commanded, though his tone was too amused to be truly effective. "I already suspected that you would want to wait."

Smiling, I sank down beside him, cuddling against his chest. "Goodnight, Hiei. I love you."

"Goodnight."

AN: I'm aware that this update took longer than normal and I had meant to warn you that it would, but I forgot. I was visiting Rice University this weekend (it was my favorite college so far) and therefore was kind of too busy to write.

Hiei did two noteworthy things in this chapter. One was admitting that he loved Shyle. Does anyone know what the other was? Tell me your guess in a review and I'll tell you if you're right. I'll give the answer next chapter, which by the way will be the last of the story, excluding the epilogue (which I don't think will be as long as normal chapters, but I could be wrong).

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love hearing what you had to say. Tell me what you thought of this chapter.