A/N: Sorry this took so long guys. I know the Hayato chapter was hella long. I am trying to improve my writing so this was a little more challenging to compose. I'm also doing the inktober prompts in the form of short chapters for another project that I'll hopefully stick to. Thank you for your patience and for continuing to read.

In the early morning of the day leading to Kurama and Hayato's conversation, Hiei lay awake on soft sheets alone basking in the quiet dark as he examined the day before. He'd taken refuge in Shinpi's designated room in the temple, claiming her bed as his own. He supposed more often than not it was their bed when they were there together. Head pillowed on folded arms, Hiei raised his chin to his thoughts.

But they weren't there together very often, if he were being honest. That's why the air smelled more strongly of her than of him in their shared spaces. Their home didn't retain his scent when he left. A foreign and annoying blossom of doubt came to life in his chest, bringing his hand to the key that rested on his bare chest tied around his neck with a leather cord. He wasn't sure why he was so viscerally aware of his shortcomings as a partner, or even why after two years he thought of them as shortcomings. The entire time they'd known each other he'd had to come and go, this wasn't new. He had never been particularly open about his affections, yet it suddenly felt as though he had a collar squeezing his throat to keep him from speaking up when someone suggested he didn't suffer from the same deep spirals of emotion as everyone else. This was new, frustrating. It was unwelcome and unnecessary. Shinpi generally asked of him what she wanted, it's one of the things he appreciated about her. She wasn't a quiet, meek woman. If any of this had been building up inside her, bothering her, she'd have voiced it.

Right?

Or would she have vented to Kurama or Hayato and convinced herself that it was hopeless to ask him to change?

They all thought him too stubborn, too rigid. He knew it. The joke was common in their group, he was the cold one. The stoic one. Surely she knew that wasn't the truth of his character though. He had shown her, hadn't he? How much she meant to him. Maybe it wasn't enough. Maybe she needed more but was too afraid to ask. Maybe she'd given up on asking him.

He closed his eyes, dragging a palm over his face. No. That wasn't Shinpi. Shinpi would talk to him. He knew that. This anxiety was deeply unsettling, it had come from nowhere. He had no precedent for it.

He needed to corner her into a conversation about their relationship, an idea that would have never occurred to him even just a year before. Part of that discussion needed to revolve around her total lack of self-concern when it came to her well being. It would have to wait, he knew, until he could actually speak to her at length. This was something he wanted to hammer out to completion, no room for doubts or holes for his mind to widen.

Despite them falling asleep together, Shinpi had woken up and left a while before, barely rousing him with a hint of a kiss and a gentle word. He'd registered her absence but didn't fully feel it until he awoke on his own, without her arm strewn over his chest. The bed felt larger without her in it, a luxury suddenly seeming needless. Shinpi made being indoors and sleeping in a room feel natural to him. He knew she was off somewhere in her thoughts, either pacing or writing them out in her journal to work through them. The idea of looking for her occurred to him but he decided against it even though it persisted silently for a few minutes. Shinpi had likely left so he could rest. She needed her time to process, and he could use these hours for himself to the same effect. It wouldn't do him any good to go to her like this, riddled with unfounded confusion.

Instead he should focus on something else until it was time to address these nonsensical emotions.

Examining their joint efforts the day before seemed like a good enough distraction and he hungrily latched onto the memories. Falling into step beside Kurama had come naturally despite how long it had been since their last fight. He'd been stuck to Shinpi's so long he hadn't realized how much he missed working with the fox, nor had he processed how long it had actually been since they'd been partners in crime. Years. Between Shinpi and Mukuro and trouble he hadn't found much time for Kurama or anyone else. The urge to adjust his priorities itched, but he wasn't even sure how to go about it all. There was no stepping back from his dedication to his work. And he didn't really want to sacrifice what time he had with Shinpi. For the first time in his life he longed to have more time on his hands even though he wasn't entirely sure what he'd accomplish with it.

The window shook in it's pane as a tear of wind pushed against the glass with vehemence. Hiei shifted in the bed, uncomfortable with the surplus of room surrounding his body. Sitting up he pressed his shoulders against the headboard and listened to the rage battering against the temple's protective walls. His fingers dug into the comforter, gripping the material. The storm had descended on them out of nowhere. Normally Shinpi warned them about major weather events, she liked everyone to be prepared just in case. He'd been there when she'd forced a large tote of supplies into Yusuke's hands because he'd let it slip that they didn't have an emergency kit in their apartment. Maybe she had known and just hadn't expected for them to be there when it struck. Even she wasn't infallible when it came to her timing.

He relaxed, then scrunched his nose. The wind was truly howling out there, and he cold feel cold seeping through the walls. Already awake with no hope of returning to sleep he relented to his mind's demand to get moving and slipped out of bed. Grabbing his sword from beside Shinpi's where they leaned together against the wall he tied it to his pants. Out in the hall near the front entrance he tugged on his boots. He glanced toward Shinpi's shoes and noticed a small puddle of water under them which wrung a smile from him. Foolish woman. She shouldn't have thrown herself into the swamp water. It made him think about how cold her feet must have been as she raced from Kurama. Had the pain of the chill slowed her down? If they'd fought in the spring would the fight have still tipped in Kurama's favor? Grabbing his cloak, he draped it around his shoulders then fastened it closed. His scarf followed, winding around his neck. With a deep inhale he relished for a moment in the way it smelled of both himself and his woman. She'd worn it so often it was like she'd woven herself into the fibers and left that part for him to enjoy.

Unbidden the image of her outside the brothel struck him, seizing his brain. Her standing there looking mildly ashamed swathed in Kurama's sweater. He shook his head to dispel the thoughts rising and made for the door.

He was awake, he might as well be moving. He'd perform a perimeter check and be sure that the temple wasn't falling apart. He wasn't particularly worried about them being attacked. Genkai's grounds were a known neutral zone. Sure, that hadn't stopped a handful of rogues from breaking that trust but the results were known. Swift retaliation awaited anyone who dared violate the sanctity of the old woman's lands. All were free to roam, to stay, as long as they behaved. Hiei just preferred it if they all stayed far away from the temple proper.

The door nearly flew into the wall when he pulled it open, a surprise gust nearly ripping it from his hand. Hiei yanked it closed behind him with a frown. Where they'd fought over grass and dirt the day before was a thick coat of white. Despite the clouds blanketing the sky, a subdued light filled the lawn where the snow reflected back what little brightness the world still offered. Crimson eyes sweeping, he studied the land from the front landing of the temple. No footsteps broke the surface of the snow, not until he stepped down. A few inches deep, it wet the ankle of his pants. He had time to kill so he took his time trudging around the building, stopping now and then as brutal surges of wind bit at his face and whipped through his hair. Even he had to pull his scarf up to cover his nose and ears.

He found a single light on in one of the rooms and as he mentally mapped out the interior he knew it was the reading room Shinpi loved to hide in. Through the window he saw not one but two shadows and he knew even from a glance the other was Kurama's. Good. Hopefully they were situating whatever the hell was going on with them. Though he doubted it. Kurama likely would cave to Shinpi's whims, as usual, without addressing the route of his frustrations. Also as usual. As long as this ended in them getting along, Hiei didn't care. He moved on.

The snow crunched under his practiced footsteps, not melting anymore so than it would have for anyone else. The truth was that he didn't always radiate the heat Shinpi had come to expect from him. He hailed come from a land of ice and snow and it was just as much apart of his element as fire. It was only when he exuded energy that his temperature spiked, and around Shinpi he was almost always in the throes of some emotion that thawed his usually indifferent blood.

The facts were bare, she made him warmer.

Carried by compulsion Hiei came to stand in the place where yesterday's bout had begun. In his mind's eye he could see Kurama beside him, bantering and teasing despite his underlying tension. The fox's jaw tightened between words, teeth clenched together ever so briefly. His gestures were stiffer, lacking the careless languid taste they held when he was at ease. His though, that's where he lacked any control. The corners were pinched ever so slightly, the brightness they often held dimmed and replaced with a different light. When Kurama regarded Shinpi he didn't just see her as their friend or opponent. He saw her as the lesson she needed to learn. Hiei traced the way long, elegant fingers wove the rope around ready thin wrists, offered so freely in Shinpi's infinite trust of them. The practiced knot that formed to warn her of her situation. The fact Kurama pulled the bonds a little tighter than necessary, likely just to make Shinpi as uncomfortable as she made him.

Hiei wondered if he even knew that's what he was doing.

Probably not.

Because if he did, Kurama wouldn't have done it in front of him. He liked to keep his secrets buried like something dead and rotting even though they were very much so alive and clawing their way to freedom.

Sooner or later they'd break the surface.

What a day that'll be, Hiei's lips lifted just slightly at the mere idea of it.

His hands remembered tugging on the rope to be sure Kurama hadn't let his compassion get the best of him. The rough surface chaffed his palms and he could only imagine what it was doing to Shinpi's skin. It wasn't his concern in the moment, but now that he was thinking on it maybe they should have chosen something gentler. Would it have had the same effect? No, they made the right choice. Any sign of leniency and she'd have failed to accept just how badly she had misstepped. The look in her eye when he spoke to her, reacting to the mirth he'd let show. When trouble wafted around her, Shinpi always tipped her chin up a hair. Those radiant blue eyes of hers shone with determination and excitement. She truly did love a challenge.

Too bad she'd met her match between him and Kurama. The alarm that rang through her form as she threw herself backward, narrowly escaping the fox's first assault told him everything he wanted to hear. She was on her toes, weight shifting with subconscious ease in the face of a threat. Shoulders curved forward a bit as she hunched down, ready to spring or flee. Feet apart, mouth pressed into a line. That cobalt gaze coming through narrowed lids. Nostrils flared as she tracked their scents. Then she was moving again, dancing around their blows with the violent elegance that set her style apart from the rest of them. Kurama fell into rhythm with him, their responding choreography lacked her grace but it met her brutality step for step.

Where he ended Kurama continued and vice versa. Shinpi had him memorized, something he already knew. They practiced together so often, fought side-by-side enough that she could predict his movements. The flip side to that coin was that he knew her too. It was always a new thrill down their spines when they managed to surprise one another. Grow, climb, challenge, change. Their goals were in tandem. Kurama though, he wasn't as easy to pin down. He was creative, vindictive, and as cutthroat as any of them. His ruthlessness didn't discriminate based on ties of friendship. No amount of planning could prepare anyone for the fox's assault because he would puzzle out their knowledge of him sooner or later and when he did he would transform into something worse, better, more than they'd ever dared to scream about in their nightmares.

The three of them were kindred spirits in that way, even if Kurama held the patent on the behavior.

Hiei moved through the snow, watching his surroudings while buried deep in reliving the enticing moments playing through his mind. The way he had to sweep himself away from Shinpi to allow Kurama's forward assault. He probably could have done more. Upped the stakes. The urge had been there to introduce his fire to the fray just to watch Shinpi evade him with all her prowess. He'd held back because something else had immediately grown more interesting than his own desire to destroy her notions of self-ascribed invincibility. The flash of Kurama's whip, thornless but cracking, narrowly missing it's target. The caution coloring cobalt as Shinpi skittered back, defenses high and gaze unrelenting. A thread of indescribable, undeniable tension pulled tight between the two animal youkai. How long had it been since he'd seen Shinpi's back straighten under the weight of a threat barreling down on her? When was the last time he had seen Kurama advance with no remorse?

It was the worst of both of them and he couldn't get enough of it.

The swamp had frozen over, leaving slick patches under the snow where the water had pooled at Shinpi's call. He watched their phantoms in his mind, the replay of this scene tangibly clear.

Kurama's quick-witted idea of trapping Shinpi in a cage of his own making had bought them enough time for Hiei to goad his friend a little. It also had allowed Kurama to recover for a few minutes. The speed of his tree growing, the control he had over it, had been impressive. Even Shinpi hadn't been able to react in time to avoid becoming encased in those demonic branches. They hadn't been able to hold her for long, just as he'd warned. Watching the water bead on the surface of the branches, knowing that Shinpi was inside probably baring her teeth, chin and eyebrows pulled down as her heated rage, it felt dangerous. That flood of knowing adrenaline in response to her furious power even before experiencing whipped through him.

He knew her so well, he could see her next move.

The trick was avoiding it.

The look on Kurama's face when Hiei had told him he'd charge ahead, that Kurama was falling behind had been priceless. Instant fury just add fire demon. And the scornful rage of being struck in the face by Shinpi's water whips. It had filled Hiei's stomach with delight. Shinpi hadn't realized what monster she was creating, but Hiei knew and he wasn't about to warn her. She fell on him and he lost to her on even ground. But Kurama?

Oh.

Kurama.

Kurama did not handle being restrained well.

His pride dwarfed even Shinpi's, and she had no clue. Pinning him to the ground so easily, so completely robbing him of his autonomy had sealed her fate. There was no doubt that he'd break free. Hiei had known Shinpi was going to lose the minute she'd revealed the move. That's why he laughed as he laid on the cold ground.

Hiei moved to the tree line and began to retrace his path from the day before. The snow here was just as undisturbed as the rest. Nothing had paced through the trunks to get a glimpse of the temple. Nothing had come calling in their sleep only to be frightened away.

He'd watched them closely from that moment on. He'd learned years before that while Shinpi always could tell when someone was watching her she couldn't sense it if someone else was being watched. Or if that attention was just to the left of her. Her and Kurama were too wrapped up in each other's attention to notice him also stalking through the trees anyway, his energy cloaked but his excitement bared. Shinpi made the calculated risk of running to the trees. It was the only choice he guessed. The water of the swamp would have been freezing to her by now, her gait was disrupted.

If she'd been in her old body she'd probably have lasted longer.

His tongue slid over his bottom lip as Kurama scaled a tree silently, crouched in the branches looking down on their little wolf. His chest heaved, sweat shining on his temples and face. He mopped at it with one hand, wiping it on his jacket before settling himself. He threw a branch to one side. Shinpi stiffened. He threw on to the other. She didn't move from her protected spot below him.

Hiei alone saw the flash come over those green eyes, the glimmer of gold that disappeared as quickly as it rose. A heartbeat belonging to something he tried to hide. Then he fell on her and Hiei crept closer on feet practiced at keeping stealthy in the treetops. Shinpi cried out. Kurama didn't relent to the sound. If Hiei didn't know better he'd say it only stirred the fox up more. The utterances of his prey below him probably. And of course Shinpi doing her patented 'please wait' move. He always paused because the idea of actually harming her sickened him.

It haunted his worst nightmares.

Kurama didn't hesitate. He never hesitated, Hiei reminded himself. Once the fox had a goal, a target and a way he moved forward relentlessly. This was no different. A shock ran down Hiei's spine at hearing 'I know how hard I hit you'. Part of him still wanted to put a stop to it then, even though he knew Kurama wouldn't maim Shinpi. Defending her felt good, he enjoyed it. He couldn't interrupt. This was more important than him or his feelings. She had to learn.

Kurama had always been a harsh teacher.

Watching the two of them go toe-to-toe was new. Kurama flipping Shinpi to the ground not once but twice. Her slamming him into a tree trunk only to be met with his immediate furious retaliation. Shinpi's back hitting a tree, Kurama's hands controlling her arms. Her brows folding together as her lips parted as confusion swept over her. Trapped, restrained, at his mercy she couldn't seem to believe or understand what happened. Her mouth moved, words spilling out in a last ditch effort to get what she wanted.

Victory.

It wasn't hers to claim. Kurama bested her, refuted her, domineered over her. He held her in place so she couldn't struggle her way to freedom. Hiei sat above them without them even noticing the movement of the branches. Long fingers and a steady palm pressed to Shinpi's neck but she called him on his lack of conviction. A dangerous move. She waxed poetic about the past and didn't even realize she was unraveling the fox at his delicate seams. Hiei felt the moment she broke Kurama, earthy energy spiking wildly and with it the plants exploded outward in response. They converged on the source of his vexation. Shinpi's throat became ensnared, her eyes wide with shrunken pupils and again that itch to intervene caused Hiei's fingers to curl to his palms.

Kurama was dangerous enough in control of himself, this was getting out of hand.

Her voice, soft and pleading tried to call his name but he was too lost in himself to hear her. He yelled, demanding she call for him. There was a desperation in his tone that Hiei picked up on but Shinpi didn't react to. Once he lifted his head though everything ground to an immediate halt. Constricted, Shinpi yielded. Hiei's lips lifted to one side as the heat of victory warmed his stomach. It didn't matter he wasn't the one who had won, it was still his goal that had been reached.

Kurama gathered himself.

Hiei allowed him that moment before announcing himself to dig at his partner's wounded ego. Shinpi pouted, whining. Kurama bantered. The steady ground between them returned as he refused to cave to her demands. Would he leave her there? No, of course he wouldn't. Kurama had a hard time saying no to Shinpi no matter what this display had suggested. When Hiei entered the conversation with humor Kurama looked relieved, like he was glad someone else had arrived. Shinpi however looked annoyed.

Hiei offered her a smile that he knew she wouldn't appreciate given her predicament.

Hayato did what he did best and swooped in to rescue Shinpi, that trademark scowl of his on display as he glowered at the two of them. As if they'd ever actually do serious damage to her. As if she hadn't had a thousand ways to kill them both running through her pretty skull. She could have cut them down with her wind. She could have pulled the air from their lungs or the liquid from the bodies. She had her teeth and her nails and she chose not to use them. It wasn't until she found herself in Kurama's hold that she was even close to being in true danger.

Kurama, after it was all done, looked disgruntled. Hiei let him know he'd been watching. That he'd seen the fox lose control. He'd expected Kurama to tell him that it had all gone to plan. This was meant to rattle Shinpi, to get her to understand that anyone could be a threat to her. She had to take things more seriously. He'd expected Kurama to lie. Instead-

"I don't know what happened. I just kept getting angrier."

Hiei looked up at his friend, saw the frustration in his eyes. The tension of his jaw that also ran through his shoulders. Taking pity on the fox, he decided to give him an out. He offered his explanation, giving Kurama his way out of the truth. There was a moment where the redhead looked ready to dismiss the notion that this was about Shinpi and her habit of appearing in control even when she couldn't possibly be. The expression fizzled, Kurama shaking it loose in a motion that moved his hair. Hiei didn't call him on it.

There was no point.

The feeling remained in Hiei though, that he had rather enjoyed the day. He hadn't spent this much time with Kurama in quite a while. That's why he'd followed Kurama to the reading room while Shinpi and Hayato enjoyed their bath. He could've gone to his room but he found himself drawn to the fox's quiet companionship. In fact, he'd enjoyed basking in it until Kurama revealed that he still wasn't quite himself but asking about Hayato and Shinpi's relationship.

He'd never vocalized his discomfort with it before which had intrigued Hiei. He'd always seen the wariness in Kurama's posture whenever Hayato was around. From the beginning they'd never really spoken to each other. At first, Hiei had assumed Kurama was the same as him and that they didn't trust the raven because he'd allowed Shinpi to come to harm. He'd allowed her to lose her most precious thing. As it turned out, that wasn't the source of Kurama's distaste.

"Perhaps I just don't understand what it means to be so close with someone."

What an interest truth to let slip, Hiei thought. The fox's envy was beginning to show for once. Maybe he'd been reminded of how close the two of them had been, the same as Hiei, maybe that was why. Or maybe Shinpi had done permanent damage to his personality. Either way, it was out there. Kurama was suffering from a lack of understanding of the intimacy Shinpi and Hayato shared. Lack of understanding and a desire for something akin to it.

Kurama was Shinpi's most dedicated friend.

Which made his comments about Hayato ironic, in the fire demon's opinion.

Hiei leapt from the branch he stood on to the roof of the temple. Snow fell off the side of the building as he slid a small distance upon landing. The wind cried out, whipping his cloak around him and nearly peeling his scarf off his face. Frowning he allowed himself another sweep of the grounds from his perch. Eyes moving to the sky he tried to guess how thick the clouds were, how much more they had to dump on the grounds. It was impossible.

Shinpi might know.

When he entered the temple, it was dark and silent. He took his shoes off carefully, removed his outer layers with care and hung them back on their hook to dry out. The snow had soaked into the fabric. He moved through the halls like a shadow. First he opened the bedroom door and saw Shinpi curled in their bed, arms wound around the pillow he'd been sleeping on. He allowed himself to sneak into the space to press a ghost of a kiss to her temple. He pulled the blanket over her shoulders to keep her warm and then left. The reading room was dark and empty. Kurama must have gone to his own room finally.

He hoped they'd worked their tension out.

Hiei stood in the deep snow, up to his knees out here in the far stretches of the property. There were the usual demon outliers this far, none of them approached him. Shinpi had wanted to do a sweep of the grounds herself she'd said. Her shift in mood bothered him.

A brutal winter, Kurama said. It wasn't like Shinpi to get upset over weather patterns though. Annoyed, sure, but the look on her face…

Even Hayato had been bothered to see it. Hiei frowned, glaring around him. This was just another reason to speak to her. She wasn't acting like herself and it ate at him. Was there something she wasn't telling him? Why wouldn't she?

Did this circle back to what she said to Matsuma? That he didn't worry?

He was mid-step when her energy hit him so hard he froze. It didn't just come to him, it slammed through his entire being. For a moment his lungs didn't work. The sirens in his brain screamed. Danger, danger, danger. Everything around him had stopped, frozen in time. The wind ceased howling. The snow refused to fall. Blood turning cold in his veins he managed to catch his breath, lower his foot. Then he turned on heel and ran as fast as he could to get back to the temple.

Shinpi never displayed her energy so flagrantly.

Never.

She was trying too hard to fly under the radar. She wanted to find the demon who killed her family. Who poisoned Makai with the inhibitor. She didn't want them to find her first. She was so careful.

Something had happened, he knew it as he raced. She was hurt. She was fighting for her life. That was the only reason for her power to coil so tightly, to rush so far. She was looking for him.

He pushed harder.

Why had he gone so far out of the way?

His heart sank to his feet as her lash of energy evaporated. He'd never moved so fast, he thought. Never. His legs burned. His lungs couldn't keep up. If she was fighting for her life and now there was nothing did that mean…Had she lost? He forced the Jagan open in an attempt to beat himself to the scene. He just needed to see her alive. His bandana held in his fist he scoured the area.

Had she lost?

Had she lo-

His brain stopped the panicked chant as he slid to a stop at her side, slush formed under his feet. He couldn't help it. There was no reeling in his energy right then, he was too anxious, too full of adrenaline. Shinpi was in one piece. Her hand fell away from her face and there was no blood. No other footsteps or any presence of a weapon.

"What the hell was that?" He demanded, breathing heavily as he tried to contain himself. "I was nearly to the mountains when I felt that outburst."

Shinpi blinked at him, her eyes entire body loosening up. Curving forward slightly she shook her head and studied him softly. "Of course, you were out here too. I hadn't realized."

When he turned to the raven for an explanation he received nothing. Hayato was staring at Shinpi as though she'd threatened to slit her own throat. There was fear there. Concern. It chewed at Hiei's already unstable nerves. His hands shook a little. Once he noticed he was being watched he tried to settle himself but his eyes were still dark. Still pinched at the corners. A sick feeling flooded Hiei's stomach, churning bile when he turned to watch his partner.

Bags had formed under eyes, her skin pale. She wasn't reacting to the cold and he didn't trust that. The wind had started again, the snow fell. Shinpi sighed and rubbed at her face. Tired, she told him. Jumping at shadows.

Why?

That morning she'd seemed full of energy. What had just happened?

"This wasn't an accident. You stopped the wind for miles." He spoke carefully, feeling her precariously balanced though between what he couldn't say.

"An overreaction." No shit, he thought. There were only a handful of scenarios where that wouldn't be an overreaction. She swayed on her feet a little and he wondered if it was just that she'd overexerted herself as she claimed or if it was something more. What could make her so cautious?

"What were you trying to do?" He closed the distance between them, bowing his head to hers to speak quietly instead of fighting the raging winds. The snow melted around their feet. "Shinpi, what is going on in that of yours?"

"The wrong theory." Her confession came with embarrassment. "I thought someone was watching us…"

He heard the rest of her words, but he could barely process them. She thought someone was watching them? Impossible. He'd been covering all the ground he could since the morning and had found nothing unusual. Who could possibly be out here? Maybe Koenma on his over-sized television? It didn't make sense. He pulled her close so he could hold her, pressing his cheek to her head the way she held him so often when he was upset. Over her crown he caught Hayato's attention, matching the raven's concern. If her exhaustion had gotten to the point of causing this severeness of a paranoia then it had to be addressed.

There was no more time for beating around the topic. He would talk to her today and he would make her listen to him. This was her health, her well-being on the line. He was not going to allow her to destroy herself no matter her goal or task.

At least he had the group to rely on. Kurama and Hayato would support him in this. Yusuke and Kuwabara too. If they didn't he'd just beat them until they got the message.

Her lips, frigid and dry, pressed to his. This was the key to bringing her to her senses it seemed. Her body thawed, that damned shivering taking over her form. He was relieved to see her quivering, not that he'd dare say that aloud. It comforted him because it was Shinpi. Hiding his confused concern behind a calm, warm smile he ordered her to go inside. He promised to look over the grounds.

Just in case he'd missed something.

Just in case they'd all missed something actually. Shinpi admitted she'd found no one. Hayato hadn't seen anything either. That only fueled his anxiety but he didn't tell her that. He almost hoped he did find someone worth worrying about. It would be better than thinking that she was truly losing her mind. He didn't want to argue with her about this.

She was going to fight him on it. He knew it. She was stubborn and set in her ways and she didn't want to do this search anyway but her own. Which was unfortunate because her way wasn't working, apparently. They'd figure it out, he knew it, but it would take some time. He brushed his hand over her jacket, staying close for the moment. "Shinpi, if something is going on you can tell me. Even if it's just a theory. Even if you haven't put it all together yet."

Her smile came to him honest and he was relieved to see it that he forget to be worried for a few minutes. She kissed him again, with more feeling. He almost reached for her waist but Hayato already looked ready to regurgitate his breakfast at their displays of softness as it was. He put Hayato in charge of making sure she slept because she would probably listen to him.

Shinpi sat her desk in her borrowed room, poured over an ancient tome and a journal in a blue sweater that dwarfed her frame. Her eyes scanned the page before she scribbled out a few notes. Then she took a highlighter and ran it over a single word in the note. Her eyes narrowed on the page before she flipped back toward the beginning to reread something written who knew how long ago. Chewing on her lip she studied her handwriting, looked up to the wall and stared as she worked out her thoughts.

"You're supposed to be sleeping."

The journal hit the desk as she startled at the sound of his voice as Hiei watched. He'd been standing by the door for the better part of five minutes watching her without her noticing him. Unimpressed he stared at her dully, arms crossed over his chest. Shinpi put a hand over her heart and let out a stabilizing breath.

"I napped. You can ask Hayato, he was here. He slept too." She explained.

Hiei nodded and entered the room, closing the door behind him.

"You need more sleep." He pressed.

"I'm feeling much better." She assured him. "I'm sorry again for outside, darling. It must have been-"

"I thought you were looking for me. I thought you were dying." He cut her off, watching her mouth fall open. "You scared the shit out of me, Shinpi. You said it was because you were tired. A nap isn't going to fix that level of exhaustion so maybe you need to tell me the truth."

"Hiei." She turned in her chair, shaking her head gently. Her hair swayed in her ponytail. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to put you through that."

"What were you thinking?" He came to her desk and looked over the pens, highlighters, journal and short stack of books. His fingers traced over the page she'd been studying in her notebook. Then he pulled his hand back. "Shinpi, what is going on with you?"

She sighed, planting her elbow on the desk so she could rub her eyes with one hand. Then she loosely held her forehead, eyes down. "It's just been a weird winter."

Hiei rolled his head back and swallowed down his words. He wanted to raise his voice but he bit it back. It wasn't a helpful thing to do right now. Instead he shook his head. "Shinpi, I don't want this to turn into a fight."

"Then don't start one." She warned him, lowering her hand. "It was one slip up, Hiei. Why are you acting like this?"

He stared at her and reconsidered yelling. Again he dismissed the idea. His face apparently betrayed him though because she pulled back until she was sitting straight. He walked away from her to sit on the bed, cradling his head in his hands. He didn't know how to approach this without it driving them apart. She was so fucking stubborn. And so was he.

What was he even going to do? Ask her to quit? Impossible.

She'd rather leave him.

The unbidden thought made that sick, swirling sensation grow heavy in his stomach again. Swallowing the taste of bile he tried to word his thoughts.

"Hiei?" Her voice called, concerned. He heard her chair move but he didn't look up. This feeling was disgusting, awful. Unnecessary.

"Why am I acting like this?" He repeated the question, digesting it. He didn't look at her. "Ever since we got back from our vacation, it's become increasingly clear to me that you don't understand. I don't have to come back you know."

He lifted his face so he could look at her. His words made her skin pale, her eyes wide. He watched her swallow and he realized how it sounded, wincing.

"I mean, I only really come back for you." He corrected softly. "I look forward to seeing you every day I'm away. If I could be here more, I would. I need you to understand how much you mean to me, Shinpi. Because right now I don't think you do. I really don't."

"That's not true." She offered quietly, searching his face.

"It is." He pressed. "You told Matsuma that I don't worry about you. That I don't care."

"That was to protect you, Hiei. And me, by the way. I didn't want to deal with explaining that you beat a man half to death." Shinpi explained. "I know you care. You wouldn't do things like dance with me and go places if you didn't."

"How much?" He demanded, tone tired.

"How much?" She furrowed her brow.

"Yes, how much do I care for you." He nodded once. "I want you to tell me."

Her mouth opened and then closed as she floundered. Her head shook just a little. He closed his eyes.

"It's a hard thing to describe." Shinpi defended. "How can I quantify that? It's not a fair question."

"Shinpi, if something happens to you I don't know what I'd do. I don't. Earlier, when you had your little outburst," he gestured to the wall as he forget to keep himself calm, "I thought you were reaching for me. I thought you needed my help and then it all stopped and I thought I was too late. I wanted to vomit. I have only ever felt that way once before, so helpless and trapped and knowing someone who means something to me was going to die."

"I didn't mean-"

"You didn't tell me about the others heckling you about working with Matsuma." He continued hotly. "You never mentioned that you spent weeks away from them because Yusuke is a moron."

"I figured you'd find it boring information. I try to keep my letters to you succinct." She lowered her voice, sinking into her shoulders. "You only have a day or two between missions lately, darling. You don't have time to wade through my personal dramas. And there's reason for you to."

Hiei pulled back, scanning her. "How do you know that?"

"Know what? That you'd find it boring? Because you constantly say that sort of stuff is boring." She shrugged.

"How do you know I have such a short time between missions?" He stared, unblinking.

Her cheeks burned red and she couldn't hide it. Rolling her lips she hesitated in answering, then winced while she did so. "I worry about you, Hiei. You're gone so long and anything could happen to you so sometimes I write to Mukuro to get updates on you so that I can at least know you're alive."

His eyebrows rose on his forehead, hiding under his bandana.

"What do you want me to do?" She demanded of him. "I don't have a Jagan, Hiei. I can't just check on you whenever I want. I'm not even allowed to cross back into Makai officially because of this damn arrangement with Enma. I just need to know you're okay. I have to know."

"I'm glad she lets you know. I'm just surprised. I wasn't aware you two were speaking on a regular basis. She never mentioned it." Hiei wrinkled his nose.

"She's the only one I can count on to keep you safe." Shinpi allowed quietly. "I worry about you being out there. This drug, it's powerful and it's growing stronger. It's spreading. Six months ago it wasn't with sight of Alaric's borders and now you're fighting every other week to keep the camps at bay. If you get dosed Hiei…"

"I know." He assured her. "I know what will happen. But it won't. I won't let it, Shinpi."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my fallout with Yusuke. It only last a few weeks and of course he's right, I just. I'm so tired of hearing it honestly. I know this arrangement is shit. I do. I hate it more than anyone else. But it's necessary for now." She gestured to her books and her pens. Hiei followed her hand's movement.

"I want you to tell me more about your life. I don't like that when I come back I feel like I'm months behind on knowing you." He explained, tired. "And I'd like it if you stopped making comments about me not caring about you. It makes me think that's you actually feel. It's a shitty feeling, caring so deeply and having someone suggest you're emotionless."

"That's fair, Hiei. I'm sorry. I hadn't realized I was making you feel that way." Shinpi nodded solemnly. "I won't do that anymore."

"Thank you." He felt better knowing that. Then he prepared himself for the real battle. "You need to take more breaks from your work."

Shinpi stared at him and it slowly shifted into her shaking her head, looking away as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Shinpi, I know this is important. It is. We need to find the demon responsible for all of this." Probably best if he started this on her side. He was invested in this search too after all. "But you're wearing yourself thin. You're exhausted, you're having bouts of paranoia. What happened earlier wasn't a rational person's response to a surprise snow storm and I think you know that."

She ground her teeth and said nothing.

This was the dicey part. He had to tread carefully because she hadn't reacted well when he'd said it earlier. She was being evasive. He had to corner her a little and that was never good for either of them. But he had to get her talking to him.

"It was just you, Hiei. Like I said. I must have just been too tired to realize you were the one watching me." She explained with a half-smile. "It's dumb I know that."

"I wasn't watching you." Hiei clarified, curious. "I never said I was. I was out there but I had no reason to keep an eye on you until you threw your weight around so heavily."

Shinpi's expression faded, her eyes losing focus for a moment. Then she shook her head to dispel her thoughts. Her hand reached to nape and she fingers the hairs their with a frown.

"This happened yesterday too." She breathed, thinking. "When Hayato and I were talking I felt like you were watching me. My nape prickled. My shoulder hurt for no reason. I thought it was just because you were annoyed with me. When I was outside I felt it again. The hair on the back of my neck stood up."

"It was cold." Hiei hedged.

"I know what I feel." She argued quietly. Then she swallowed. "It doesn't make sense though. You were there, Hiei. You looked. I looked. Hayato looked. None of us found anything or anyone for miles."

He nodded in agreement. "Because there was no one there."

Her lips pursed and she took a deep breath before closing her eyes to deliver her next words. "You said I could tell you my theories even if they weren't really flesh out. Are you willing to take this with a grain of salt without getting upset over it? Or too worried? Because it's a theory, nothing confirmed."

"I'm suspicious." Hiei warned. "But I will try."

"What if it was another Jagan user?" Shinpi asked quietly. "It just started so I don't know for sure. I haven't felt it until we got here. But another Jagan would explain why I feel like I'm being watched despite no one being present."

"Paranoia from severe exhaustion would explain it too." Hiei sighed. Then he relented with a shrug. "It's possible I suppose. I'm not the only one out there. But why now? Who would want to watch you all of the sudden?"

"I don't know." She allowed, then perked up. "But, I have a guess. Hiro knew about my family line. He knew Kuya had children. If he was being puppetted by this mastermind, then chances are he would have reported this information."

"But why now?" Hiei wondered.

"There have only been a few major events in the last month that I can think of. I met with Koenma shortly before you arrived. There was a major snowstorm that night that snowed Kurama and I in. You came home," Hiei touched his key at her words, warmed that she called it home so carelessly, "and then the bust. Those are the biggest things that happened other than us coming here."

"That doesn't add up though. Those are all common events for you. If they were going to trigger something it should have happened before now." He crossed his legs, rubbing his hand over the lower half of his face. When he looked back to her she was pursing her lips. "I'm not discounting this theory. I'm just trying to figure it out. We need more information."

"I think someone knows who I am and they are trying to figure out how to get to me." She declared quietly. "And I think maybe they're an elemental. That's why the storm bothered me so badly. The night Kurama came over and got trapped with me, it wasn't supposed to snow. And I was supposed to be alone."

Hiei stared at her, then his eyebrows came down and he sneered at the mere idea. "You think someone is trying to separate you from the group."

"It's what I would do." She nodded. "I think someone knew I was supposed to be alone and they set the storm into motion. Kurama showed up unannounced, even I didn't know he was coming over. By then it was too late to stop it. A storm that big and heavy, it takes a lot of energy to get started and once it's begun it's nearly impossible to stop."

"How close do you need to be to start a storm?" He got up and walked to her, leaning against her desk to look down into her eyes.

"Me? Fairly close. I'm often the center point. During the war I was able to give myself about a half-kilometer, but only by expending a lot of my focus and energy. It would deplete me for a day or two, that's why we had to win all of our battles as fast as possible. On the ground I can go for days straight but the elements require more from me." Shinpi gazed up at him.

"But you've directed storm before. You dropped a tornado on us." He reminded. "It's possible to set one in motion and then move it outward, isn't it?"

"Yes, of course."

He nodded. "The two are probably related. If there's a Jagan user watching all of the sudden, it's probably to pinpoint your location. This elemental, if that's what this is, messed up once. That's a lot of power wasted. I'd be annoyed. It could be that they recruited help so their next hit lands."

"I can't wait for spring." She lamented.

"It's definitely a theory." Hiei continued. "It's a worrisome one at that. If this is the case I don't like the idea of you being alone so often."

"It can't be helped. Everyone has lives, including me. You're going to have to leave when Mukuro sends for you. I need Hayato out there gathering intel. The only thing I can do is take more precautions. The house is warded, I'm careful with displays of power. We'll wait it out."

"I don't want you facing this alone." He warned her. "If someone is watching you, trying to get to you, then they aren't going to respect your plans Shinpi. You have to promise me that you'll reach out for help."

His palm cupped her cheek, thumb moving over her skin delicately. He couldn't peel his attention away from her face. Just the thought of someone out there making a move to hurt her, it enraged him.

"I promise darling. I learned my lesson yesterday. I'll call for help." She brought his hand to her mouth to kiss his knuckles, then his palm. "I can't stomach having you so angry with me again."

"Hn." He pulled his hand back so he could hook a finger in the neck of her sweater. "This isn't yours."

"It's Kurama's. He's allowing me to borrow it." She shrugged. "You don't like it?"

"I like it very much, actually. Something about seeing you in these sweaters is speaking to me lately." He allowed a grin to unfurl slowly, heating his expression with something other than anger. His fingers moved to hold her chin lightly so he could be sure she grasped his intent. "I'm not done convincing you to take more breaks but I think it's time we called an intermission, princess."

"Hiei!" She cried his name in surprise, hands on his shoulders as he fluidly and quickly pulled her from her chair to set her on the desk itself. Her pens scattered, some hitting the floor. He captured her mouth before she could fuss at him for upsetting her work station, hands smoothing up her exposed legs until he found the hem of her sleep shorts hiding underneath the knitted material of her borrowed covering.

"Say my name again." He muttered moving his mouth down her jaw to her neck, which earned him a soft moan. His hands moved to her stomach, one taking her hip and the other continuing upward. His teeth grazed her throat as he cupped her breast. With his nose so close to the neckline of the sweater he could smell Shinpi, the laundry detergent and a third scent that birthed a strange, new instinct in him. The mere idea of Shinpi smelling like Kurama tugged at a primal idea and he grinned against her neck, hands moving down to her shorts to tug at them.

She shifted awkwardly, allowing him to remove them. Hiei tossed his shirt to the side, stripping it off in fluid motion before diving back in to kiss her hungrily. When her hands moved to grip the hem of the sweater he stopped her.

"Leave it on." He demanded, hands moving to undo his belt. "I want you to wear it."

"If you insist." Shinpi swallowed, raking her eyes over his exposed torso. Her fingers traced the scar running across his stomach, watching the muscles quiver under her touch. It made her grin before running her tongue over her teeth.

"Keep looking at me like that and we're going to have a problem." He warned her, placing his hands above her knees to widen the space between her legs. His fingertips pressed into the yielding flesh of her thighs.

"What problem would that be?" She breathed the question against his jaw, pulling back to nip at his bottom lip.

"For starters we're probably going to break this desk again." He commented with a smirk. "Secondly, I'm not going to be able to contain myself. That could get dangerous."

"Should I call for help?" She tipped her head back, hands running through his hand, down his neck, over his chest to his hips to tug him closer to her until he stood between her knees.

"The only name you better call out is mine." He growled kissing her roughly, he pulled back just barely to look into her eyes and then he gave up pretenses and fell into her completely.

Later that night, after Kurama's training session but before his conversation with Hayato he found himself desperately in need of water and a snack. When Kurama entered the kitchen Hiei was already there, scrounging. He kept himself quiet as he made his way to the sink. He was sure he'd mopped most of the sweat off his face but he hadn't changed his clothes and he didn't really care to endure Hiei's judgment on the obvious proof of his efforts. That tell-tale scrutiny, eyes slightly narrowed and small sneer lifting Hiei's lips. He'd seen it before, particular in regards to Kuwabara, and he didn't want to deal with it. To his relief Hiei seemed fully occupied with his task.

Hiei moved about the kitchen with purpose, gathering a plate of food out of the remnants of their last two meals. His words cut throught he silence, slamming into Kurama's already diminished energy. "Shinpi told me you don't want to train with her."

Kurama inhaled slowly, eyes closing as he gathered himself to face down another barrage of 'why nots'. He should have expected she'd enlist Hiei to break him down. Looking up from the sink where he had filled a glass of water he eyed his friend with expectant frustration for what was to come. The fire demon's back remained to him as he worked on arranging his food picking and choosing carefully from the scraps.

"Hiei, I am tired please do-" Kurama began to dissuade him, already done with the conversation.

"I think you're making the right choice." Hiei announced, speaking over him to cut him off. Kurama blinked. "I don't think it's a good idea for you two train together right now."

"Can I ask why?" Green eyes studied Hiei with fervent curiosity.

"I watched her crawl under your skin." Came the response. "What I like about training with Shinpi is that she's willing to dig into my wounds a little. She's not afraid of pointing out and challenging my weaknesses and I need that. I enjoy it. It makes me stronger and it keeps us both sharp. She doesn't always realize though that that's not what everyone wants or needs. Sometimes she digs too deep. Even I get frustrated occasionally. I just don't think that's what you need right now."

When Hiei turned around it was to be greeted by genuine surprise on Kurama's face, his water held idly in his grip though he made no move to drink it.

"What makes you think that's the reason I don't want to train with her?" Kurama asked carefully but sincerely.

That wasn't the real reason, and Hiei knew it, but it was a component so he explained, "We both know you're not at your best Kurama. You can't hide the fact you're out of shape."

Fuck you came to mind, but out loud Kurama offered, "I appreciate your candid input on my abilities, Hiei."

"That." Hiei pointed at him and his sour expression. "That is exactly why I don't think the two of you should be training together."

Kurama made a face.

"You can't take her criticism. You can't even stand hearing it." He went on, gesturing loosely. "And that's fine. You've always been like this. So I understand that this is something you want to do alone."

Kurama's expression readily challenged that idea. It was obvious from the way he stood that he expected something underhanded or biting from the fire demon.

"But," Hiei began and watched green eyes roll, "if you ever feel like you need an opponent or a punching bag that has some actual resistance to it, I'm here. It could be how it used to be and we could work together. The other day made me realize it might be nice to spend the time together more often. Maybe."

"Hiei are you saying you miss us training and working together?" Kurama asked more than a little astounded. Not just at the fact that Hiei was practically being open about it, but that Hiei was dealing with the feelings at all. The last few years they hadn't spent very much quality time together, not since Shinpi had come into their lives.

It was actually nice to hear that he was missed, Kurama thought, because before Shinpi had shown up it had been over a year since he'd last seen Hiei. He'd hoped at the time they'd get to reconnect like friends do, but then everything happened so much and so fast it was impossible to find the time to dedicate to such things.

"I might vaguely miss sharing those experiences with you." Hiei admitted with reservation. "Might."

"I think it might be nice to take you up on your offer sometime." Kurama offered a patient smile. "I enjoyed the other day too. It was like riding a bike."

"Don't make this weird." Hiei pulled a face and then rolled his eyes toward his food. "Do you want some?"

"Yes, thank you."