From: Mina Lightstar

To: Hiei & Yusuke

Subject: Re: Your Cheesy Lines

Look, I thought we went through this at length before I even had the full outline written up.  I specifically said, "no cheesy lines".  If anything like this happens in "Snow Squall", so help me, God, I will take both of you to the wall. 

You've been warned,

~M.

From: Hiei & Yusuke

To: Mina Lightstar

Subject: Re: Re: Your Cheesy Lines

You're obviously confused.  I thought I had made myself clear during chapter three of "White Blindness"; I am the brains behind this operation, and I'll spew out as many cheesy lines as I see fit, thank you.  Don't make me do the Jello Thing again. 

Boom shanka,

~Hiei

Disclaimer: Sue me.  Please?  I've been trying to get rid of these college textbooks for months...

Notes: Notes and citations follow the fic.

Feedback: Hai!  Flame me if you want - see if I care.

Warnings: shounen ai, het, "alternate" pairing, lemon.

*...* emphasis

/.../ thought

- Part Six -

To Touch a Miracle

      "Yusuke!  Yusuke!"

      He heard Tavram's voice well before the fist started beating against his door.  Yusuke sprang from his chair, abandoning dinner, and leapt to admit his friend.  Tavram was sopping wet; the rains hadn't stopped since the early evening, and it seemed as though they wouldn't until morning.

      "What's going on?" he demanded.  "Why the panic?"

      Tavram rubbed his nose and took a deep breath before he began.  "The Guard has been summoned, Yusuke.  They...they thought I should be the one to tell you..."

      His heart skipped a beat, but he waited - however impatiently - for Tavram to go on.

      "The High Priest did...whatever it is he does...and...Hiei..."

      Hiei?  "What about him?"

      "Yusuke...I know he's practically family to you, but..." Tavram winced as he made the announcement.  "The temple has discovered that Hiei is not a virgin."

      This time, Yusuke's heart stopped.  "What?" he breathed.

      "Apparently he's been having an affair with some unknown townsman."  His friend looked immensely reluctant to be delivering the news, but he didn't stumble through his speech.  "They're after him.  The Guard has been summoned to..."

      "...To kill him."  Yusuke felt numb.

      Tavram nodded.  "I'm sorry, Yusuke... I know how you feel about him--"

      /No, you don't, my friend... No, you don't..../

      "--but the penalty for such an act is death.  Celibacy is expected among the Chosen.  Hiei knew that when he became one."

      /I know... Oh, Triton, I know.../

      Tavram swallowed.  "Yusuke...you have to go, too.  One of the other soldiers actually suggested that *you* were Hiei's lover... I argued on your behalf, you know.  I know he's like family to you, but--"

      "I'm coming," Yusuke interrupted, moving away from the door to make a quick run around his house.  He took a moment to put on a cloak and grab Blood Soaked, and then joined his friend out in the rain.  "Any idea where he went?"

      "No clue at all.  He..." Tavram swallowed again.  "When they confronted him, he...he attacked them and fled."

      /Oh, gods.../ "We'll split up, then.  We should all be able to cover more ground."

      "Done."  Tavram gave him a two-fingered salute and moved to start down an alley.  "And, Yusuke," he called over his shoulder, "be careful."  And then he was gone.

      Yusuke wasted no time.  He wrapped his cloak tighter around himself and took off into the night, trying to remember all of the places where Hiei might be.  /Please, gods, let me be the one to find him first... Where would he...?  Maybe.../

      "The alley behind the inn in the Outer City," Yusuke muttered to himself.  It was really the farthest one could get from the temple, and besides...it had been where he and Hiei had first laid eyes on each other, all those years ago... /This is all my fault... Because he and I.../

      He grunted in frustration and quickened his pace, tearing through the streets as quickly as he could.  It seemed as though the townspeople had decided to remain indoors for the night.  /Just as well./

      But when he reached his destination, he found that he hadn't been the only soldier with an idea of Hiei's whereabouts.  One of the others - perhaps Rangor, by the looks of things - was already there...and so was Hiei.  And...

      Yusuke gasped.  "Hiei, don't!"

      But Hiei did.  As the soldier - it *was* Rangor - turned in the act of drawing his sword at the sound of Yusuke's voice, Hiei raised his right hand.  Yusuke shook his head wildly as the ball of light began to form, and then Hiei swung his hand downward.  Yusuke turned away and covered his eyes, knowing what was coming.  He'd seen Hiei call lightning before.  He didn't have to see to know what it would look like.  The golden, jagged streak of magical electricity would move quicker than the eye could see, seeking out its target to travel through to the ground...

      When the heat faded, Yusuke turned back to view the damage.  Rangor's body was very still now, tendrils of smoke rising from both his skin and his clothes... /Oh, gods.../ He hoped that the spell, despite its unusual color, would be dismissed as an element of the storm.  He looked farther past Rangor's smoking corpse.  Hiei was leaning against the wall of the alley, staring at his hands.

      Yusuke ran to him.  "Hiei!"  Hiei didn't answer at first.  Yusuke stood in front of him, very close to him, and for a moment wondered if perhaps Hiei would attack him, too.  "...Hiei?"

      "Yusuke...I've... Before tonight, I've never...I've never used magic as a weapon before..."

      Yusuke looked down, and noticed that Hiei's right hand was shaking.  He grasped it with his left and squeezed it tight.  "He's dead."

      "I know..." Hiei nodded.  "But he was going to kill me, and I didn't want..." He stopped to swallow.  "...I didn't want to die without seeing you again."

      Yusuke tightened his grip on Hiei's hand.  "How did this happen?  How?"

      "I tried to avoid it..." Hiei lowered his head.  "You know how, every year, the High Priest selects two Chosen to see which is worthy enough to study under him...to learn how to Speak with the gods?"

      Yusuke gaped.  "He picked you?"

      "He did... I tried to refuse, but there was no one else with the potential."  Hiei enclosed Yusuke's hand in both of his and held it close to his heart.  "I hoped he wouldn't be able to tell...but... When the High Priest Scanned me to feel my abilities...he just...knew.  I committed one of the ultimate sins, Yusuke..."

      "And it's all my fault," Yusuke choked out.  He rested his forehead on Hiei's shoulder.  "It's because of me that this is happening..."

      "No.  Yusuke...I brought this upon myself.  I was the one who seduced you, remember?"  Hiei turned his head to kiss Yusuke's ear, and then whisper in it.  "I knew the consequences...but I knew I loved you enough to chance it."

      Yusuke wrapped his free arm around his shorter lover.  "Is it so wrong, what we have together?  Would Triton truly be so enraged because one of his Chosen found love?"

      "It is not Triton to whom we must answer," Hiei replied quietly.  "Though I suspect I will be given a chance to do so after I pass through Reikai.  ...Yusuke, tonight alone I have been accused - and rightly so - of having intimate relations despite my status, I have fled from justice, attacked several priests and guards, and I have just killed one of the Honor Guard.  Just the first is reason enough for them to kill me."

      "No--"

      "They don't know that you're my lover, do they?"

      "...No."

      "Good."

      Yusuke drew away and seized Hiei's arm, still gripping Blood Soaked in his right hand.  "This...this isn't fair."  It sounded childish, perhaps, but it was the only sentence that would come.  "Life's just...not fair!"

      Hiei gave him a sad smile.  "I found that out when it granted me the potential to be a Chosen, and then gave me you."

      "Hiei--"

      "There!  There they are!"

      /No.../ They turned their heads toward the voice, and Yusuke's heart sank when he saw the crowd gathering at the mouth of the alley.  As he'd feared, Hiei's lightning spell had probably announced their location.

      "Yusuke!" one of his comrades called.  "Well done!"

      "Stay back!" he shouted immediately.  "It's safer over there!"

      One of the others took a step forward.  "But--"

      "I said, stay *back*!"

      "Are you sure--?"

      Tavram moved to bar their way.  "He said to stay back!"

      /Thank you, my friend.../

      "Yusuke."

      He turned his head back to Hiei.  "...Please don't say it."

      "Do it, Yusuke."  Hiei bit his lip.  "Don't drag yourself to Hell with me... Please..."

      "No."

      "You're still safe.  They don't know we're involved... Please keep it that way, for your own sake."

      "I won't--"

      "Yusuke, if you love me...don't die for me."

      "I..." He glanced back at the rest of the Honor Guard.  Tavram appeared to be having a hard time keeping them still.  "I..." He glanced back at Hiei.  "But, I..." He felt his right arm moving, and realized that Hiei had moved his sword to position the tip over his heart.  Yusuke shook his head.

      "...And if you love me...please make it quick."

      "What the hell is he waiting for?" he heard one of the soldiers wonder, and several others echoed him with similar remarks.

      He ignored them all.  He felt the tears well up in his eyes, and noticed that Hiei's eyes were watery, as well.  His grip on his hilt tightened further yet as he prepared to do something he swore he'd never do.

      He took a deep breath, Hiei mouthed, "I love you" and closed his eyes...

      ...And then Yusuke drove Blood Soaked into his lover's heart.

      They fell together; Yusuke dropped to his knees and pulled Hiei into his arms even as the shorter demon coughed and sputtered blood during his last dying breaths.  Yusuke ignored the sounds, just as he ignored the abundance of red blood that spilled from the wound as he removed his sword.  He tossed the weapon aside and wrapped his arms around his lover's corpse, burying his face in Hiei's wet hair.  He burst into tears as he heard the footsteps coming closer, and soon the other members of the Honor Guard surrounded him.  No one spoke directly to him, but the murmurs and whispers began immediately.

      "...Must have been hard for him..."

      "...I don't think I could have done that..."

      "...Why didn't Hiei attack him...?"

      "...They were like brothers, you know..."

      /No... We weren't brothers... We were more... We were so much more.../

~*~

      His head hurt at first.  It ached; his brain was pounding against his skull, as though trying to escape his head.  But a few minutes after awakening, the throbbing began to fade, and then he realized that his head was pillowed in someone's lap.  He felt gentle fingers running through his hair.  They scratched behind his ears, rubbed his temples soothingly, and pet his hair like he was a cat.  Almost unconsciously, he shifted a little, pushed his head against the hands.  He inhaled deeply, and the scent of roses filled his nostrils.

      The owner of the hands chuckled.  "You're like a huge cat, Yusuke."

      He opened his eyes and found himself looking up at Hiei.  "My head hurts," he muttered.

      "My poor kitten," Hiei chided affectionately, stroking Yusuke's cheek.

      "I'm no kitten," he protested faintly.  "*You're* the tiny one."

      "Point taken."  The fire demon started kneading his skull.

      Yusuke closed his eyes again, enjoying the massage.  For someone so strong in battle, Hiei had a surprisingly gentle touch.

      "So...does that mean I'm your kitten?"

      The question caught him off-guard, but he recovered quickly.  "...Sure.  If you want to be."

      "...Your head is well?"

      "Yeah."  Yusuke touched his temple.  There was no evidence of any injury.  "It's a miracle I'm alive..."

      "You've touched a miracle?"

      He thought that sounded a rather odd, but answered as best he could.  "I suppose.  It's a wonder anyone would have been walking around near the Garden at that hour.  I might have been killed if they'd..." He swallowed.  "I hate this place, Hiei.  I can't wait to get out of here."

      "I can't say I blame you, Yusuke..."

      Yusuke rested in Hiei's lap for a few moments more, and then sat up.  He remained still for a second, making sure he wouldn't be too dizzy to stand.  He got to his feet, shook his head a little, and then gazed at his surroundings.  They were in the Garden, and it was still nightfall.  He walked to the edge and stared up at the sky.  He could see the shadowed form of the Hall suspended in the air above them.

      "Are you going to fly away?" Hiei asked.

      Yusuke turned around and blinked.  "No..."

      "Oh."  Strangely, Hiei looked relieved.  "I thought...you were getting ready to leave on your shooting star..."

      "Without you?"

      Hiei shrugged.

      "Hey..." Yusuke softened his gaze, "didn't I promise to take you with me?"

      Hiei shrugged again.  "You might change your mind..."

      "Why would I do that?"

      "Keiko."  Hiei paused before going on.  "What would Keiko say if she found out that we..."

      Yusuke frowned.  He was still confused - unbelievably so - but he still knew that he... "Hiei, I can't break a vow, but I can't change how I feel, either.  You and Keiko...you're both important to me.  Very important..." He beckoned the fire demon closer.  "Come?"

      Hiei picked himself up from the ground.  He took a moment to brush dust from his breeches, and then joined Yusuke at the edge of the Garden.  Yusuke pulled him into a hug that he eagerly returned.

      "When I leave," Yusuke vowed again, "you'll be coming with me."

      Hiei nuzzled the area over Yusuke's heart.  "What was it like...to touch a miracle?"

      Yusuke thought about it.  "Actually..." He held Hiei's head to his breast and bent his own to lip the strands of Hiei's soft black hair.  "Actually...it feels kind of...like this..."

      "...Oh?" Hiei breathed.  He snuggled deeper into Yusuke's embrace.  "Then I think I've touched a miracle, too..."

~*~

      His head ached.  It hurt; it pounded against his skull, as though trying to escape his head.  His cheeks hurt, his stomach hurt, his back and shoulders hurt... Hell, *all* of him hurt... He was sore from head to toe, but was no longer on the cold ground outside the temple.  He was lying in bed - his own, he believed.  He tried moving his right arm, and the limb twitched in response.

      "Yusuke?"

      He groaned in response and tried twice to open his eyes.  The first time, the lids were too heavy.  But the second time, he succeeded.  To his relief, the curtains of the room were drawn and only a single candle burned.  He wasn't sure if he was ready to face any bright light, yet.

      "Yusuke," he heard a familiar voice breathe in relief, "thank the gods..."

      He turned his head to stare over at the person kneeling next to the bed.  "Hiei," he sighed, "you're okay."

      "You idiot," the demon whispered.  "*You* were the one in danger..."

      "How do you feel, Lord Yusuke?"

      Yusuke shifted his gaze to the other individual in the room.  "Ruka?"

      "Your injuries aren't too severe, thank the gods," the councilman went on, leaning back in the chair by the bed.  "We've had one of the best healers look at you, and he says you should recover in a few days."

      Yusuke tested his arm again, and this time was able to lift it to his head and touch his temple.  "...What happened to me?"

      "Cutpurses, it seems," Ruka spat in disgust.  "Dressed in black, wearing masks... I cannot believe that some people actually had the nerve to attack a guest of the Temple."

      "Cutpurses?" Yusuke echoed.  "I was robbed?"  They must have been disappointed; Yusuke hadn't brought any money with him when he'd left his chambers the night before.

      "They didn't get a chance to rob you, my Lord," Ruka assured him.  "Thankfully, someone was out and about last night, also, and he was kind enough to intervene."  The councilman's gaze appeared to soften.  "You've been unconscious for nearly a day, my Lord, and you are quite lucky.  You could have been very seriously injured."

      /I know... It all happened so fast.../ He glanced at Hiei, and noted the way the fire demon was staring at him.  It was obvious - to Yusuke, anyway - that he wanted to talk privately.  He yawned and let his arm fall back onto the mattress.  "...I'm exhausted," he muttered.

      "To be expected," Ruka replied with a nod.  "It would be best for you to rest."  He stood from his chair and gave Yusuke a small bow.  "If you desire anything to make yourself more comfortable, please don't hesitate to summon a servant.  I hope you recover soon."  He gave Yusuke a warm smile, and then turned and left the room.

      When the door shut behind him, Yusuke struggled to sit up, and found that he could.  And once he was leaning against the headboard, some of his dizziness faded.  "That hurt like a bitch," he said, pressing a hand to his forehead.  "Just how many of them were there...?"

      "They did it, Yusuke," Hiei hissed.  "They tried to get rid of you."

      Yusuke blinked.  "The Council?"

      "Yes and no.  The Duelists did it.  Black costumes or no, I could tell."

      "But...they're pacifists, aren't they?"

      "They're also radicals, and you're a threat to their tradition.  There are now less than three days until it's time to try and enter the Hall of Engagement... It's not surprising that they would resort to desperate measures."

      Yusuke was torn between anger and confusion.  "They tried to murder me?"

      Hiei considered it.  "I don't think they would go that far.  But, they did intend for you to be unable to fight any Duels, or maybe even walk.  If you're unfit to meet the challenge in the Hall, you can't be Engaged," he pointed out.

      They wanted him out of commission so another Duelist could take his place...?  "But then why heal me?"

      Hiei reached out hesitantly to touch his cheek.  Yusuke winced.  "They did not heal you, Yusuke-sama.  The healer made it look that way - for my benefit, I suppose - but no healing was done.  They don't want you to be able to walk..."

      He frowned.  He was beginning to feel better, already.  "I'll be on my feet in twenty minutes or so," he said.

      "I'm sure you will," Hiei replied, "but they don't know that.  You forget how insular these people are.  They know little of the Tournament battles you've won, or how quickly you recover."  He reached into his tunic and produced a tiny bottle.

      "What's that?"

      "Healing salve," Hiei explained.  "*Real* healing salve," he added, dabbing some onto his fingers.  "I can't stand the sight of those bruises on your cheeks..."

      "You keep salve with you?"

      "All the time," Hiei replied as he sat on the edge of the bed.  "Sometimes I...need it."  He gently rubbed the cool ointment into Yusuke's skin.

      "Hiei...who helped me?"

      The fire demon shrugged.  "I'm...not sure.  I'd never seen him before, and it was too dark to see much of him."  Hiei shook his head.  "He was amazing.  He dealt with nearly every attacker on his own.  Those he didn't touch were wise enough to stay away from him."

      "...Did you get to see a glimpse of what he looked like?"

      "He had...red hair," Hiei said, and then nodded.  "Yes...that's it: long, red hair."

      Yusuke blinked.  /Long red hair?  Why did that sound so familiar...?/

When Hiei was finished, he drew the covers away and studied Yusuke thoughtfully.  "Does anything else hurt badly?"

      Yusuke glanced down at himself and realized he'd been dressed into his nightclothes.  "No.  I'll recover soon enough."  He flexed his arms.  "See?  I'm already feeling a lot better."

      "Are you sure?"

      "Yeah... I don't think I could do any back-flips, though.  Those bastards really did a number on me..."

      Hiei lowered his eyes.  "I'm sorry, Yusuke."  He put the bottle on the table.  "It's my fault that you were attacked, you know."

      Yusuke slid back to lie down again.  "Don't start with that.  I'm staying with you because I *want* to.  If anything, it's my fault."  He motioned for Hiei to join him.  If he'd been unconscious for a day, then it was nightfall again.  And if Hiei had been watching over him the whole time, then he probably hadn't slept.

      "No, let me finish...please."  Hiei crawled into bed beside him, lying on his stomach without facing Yusuke.  "I don't know when I'll get another chance to apologize..."

      "For what?" Yusuke demanded.  He thought they had gone through this already...

      "Everything."  Hiei took a deep breath.  "Yusuke...because of me, your negotiations with the Council ended badly, you haven't been able to contact Tenrai, you've broken a promise to Keiko, you've been dragged into the Duel, and then...you were attacked, and I..." He touched one of his wristlets.  "...I could do nothing."

      "Hiei--"

      "And after all the trouble you've gone through for me...in the end it's all for nothing..."

      "Hiei, do--"

      "Because soon... At the end of the week...I die," Hiei uttered.

      "No," Yusuke replied, sliding closer to his friend.  "Don't say that.  I'll find a way to get you out of this place."  How many times had he made that promise...?  But what else could he say?

      "Yusuke...I tried for years to find a way.  I gave up a long time ago... But will you promise me one thing?"

      "What?"

      "When I die, will you please tell Mukuro I'm sorry?  She went through so much trouble to keep me alive, and now I'm just dying again..."

      "Hiei--"

      "Can I tell you something, though?"

      "What?"

      Hiei buried his face in the pillow.  "I don't want to die," he admitted shakily, almost sounding like he wanted to cry.  "Not like this."

      Yusuke's heart clenched, and he reached out to wrap his arms around his friend and hold him close.  "You're not going to die," he swore, his voice cracking.  "I won't let you die.  We're going to get out of here together - I promise."

      Hiei shook his head.  "There's nothing you can do..." He looked up at Yusuke, his eyes glimmering in the moonlight.  "I would have liked to fly away with you, though... On your shooting star..."

      "Hiei..." Yusuke wanted him to stop - to stop talking like that...

      "Thank you, Yusuke," Hiei went on, "for being the kindest Duelist I've been bound to.  I only wish I could have had you from the beginning..." He paused for a moment, and then returned Yusuke's hug.  "You've been the gentlest one...and even though you didn't have to, you stayed with me and fought for me - because I'm your friend... I...I hope Keiko isn't angry with you...because you deserve to be with her and to be happy..."

      "Hiei..." Yusuke could feel a single tear trickling down his cheek, but he didn't care.  "Please...don't die.  Don't leave me."

      The demon gave him a tiny smile, his eyes glistening with his own unshed tears.  "I've always known I liked you, but I never knew how much until you picked up that stick and Dueled for me without even knowing the consequences..."

      "Hiei, I--"

      "I know I'm easy to forget to about...but...could you maybe...remember me after I'm gone?  For a little while?"

      Yusuke shed some more tears.  "You're *not* going to die.  Because I won't let you."  He pulled the demon tighter against him.  "You're Honor Bound and I'm the One Engaged.  That means you're mine, and I'm yours.  And I won't let them take you from me."

      Hiei gave him an unreadable look.  "Can I make a confession?"

      "...What?"

      The unreadable look suddenly fused into an expression that looked...regretful.  "Yusuke...sometimes I wonder...what it would be like if...if you didn't have Keiko..."

      If he didn't have Keiko... If all this had happened and he didn't have Keiko... He and Hiei went well together - Blood Soaked alone could prove that - and he...he cared for Hiei, too.  If his love for Keiko wasn't so strong...

      /But tonight...maybe just for tonight.../ Perhaps for one night...he could forget about prior obligations and just to listen to what his heart wanted...to what Hiei wanted...to what *he* wanted...

      He tilted Hiei's chin up and moved closer so that their lips were nearly touching.  "Would you like to fly away tonight?" he whispered.  "Just for tonight?  We could fly away on my shooting star..."

      "...and visit our own rose garden far, far away," Hiei added, his breath warm on Yusuke's lips.  Then he nodded, tilting his head to the right, parting his lips, and closing his eyes.

      Yusuke did the same, tilting his head to the left and closing the space between them.  Like the night before, in the Garden, the kiss was not initiated to call forth Blood Soaked.  It still, however, harbored the gentle, probing movements of their tongues.  Yusuke explored the smaller mouth as though feeling it for the first time - even though he'd tasted it many times over the last few weeks.  He marveled at how soft the lips were, how oddly nice it felt to tongue the sharp teeth, and how good it felt to entwine his tongue with Hiei's; a Duel of a different kind.  He reached up and gently cupped his friend's cheek before moving below to worm under the tunic.  Hiei's hand moved to explore the front of Yusuke's bedclothes, finding the buttons and undoing them one by one.

      Tonight would be just for the two of them, Yusuke decided.  There were no Duels, no Keiko, no obligations... There was just the One Engaged and the Honor Bound, consummating their bond.

      Yusuke's hand wandered underneath Hiei's tunic, feeling the muscles of his chest and stomach - strong and hard, despite the fact that Hiei didn't have any of his past powers.  When Hiei had opened all of his buttons, he snuck a hand between the fabric and let it stroke Yusuke's chest.  A moment later, he even threw a leg over Yusuke's hips.  Or perhaps "threw" was the wrong word; the act had been slow and gentle, and somehow it said, "I'm yours" as opposed to, "You're mine."

      Yusuke moved his hand from under Hiei's tunic to touch the side of his thigh, just above his knee.  He continued to dance with the demon's tongue as he slowly began sliding his hand up Hiei's leg.  The fire demon moaned against Yusuke's lips, and Yusuke could feel his own passion flaring as he began to respond to the touches, and he felt Hiei do the same.  Their kiss, however, did not quicken its pace.  Their limbs, on the other hand...

      The hand Yusuke had placed on the demon's leg had reached his bottom.  He squeezed the firm flesh, and finally abandoned Hiei's mouth to kiss his cheek, his ear, his neck, his chin...anything of Hiei his mouth could reach.  His eyes fell on the pale forehead - the closed Jagan - and he couldn't help but kiss it, making a promise to return his friend to normal, no matter what.  He groaned when Hiei's fingers grazed his nipple and tightened his leg around Yusuke's hip.  The action pressed their groins closer together, and Yusuke groaned again, lowering his head to rest in the crook of Hiei's neck.  He showered the soft skin with feather-light kisses as they started grinding their hips together slowly, lazily, rhythmically...

      A few minutes later, Yusuke decided he wanted more.  He rolled over Hiei's form and settled atop him, balancing himself on his forearms and searching blindly for Hiei's mouth.  Hiei's arms locked around his neck and guided him down so that their mouths could join again, the demon's mouth a well of warmth and passion.  Yusuke tasted it deeply, drinking as much of it as he could.  Hiei spread his legs further apart and Yusuke settled comfortably between them, but he didn't remain there for long.  Mere minutes passed before he broke the kiss and sat up, his knees on either side of Hiei's waist.  For a moment, he studied the clothing still covering the demon's body, and then decided that while they were beautiful, there was something more beautiful underneath them.

      He slid his hands along the silken fabric, searching for the unfamiliar fastenings of the tunic.  He found and made quick work of them so he could free Hiei's torso.  He tossed the tunic aside and then moved to shed the breeches and belt.  He straightened again and stared down at the smaller body, seeing all of Hiei for the first time.  His eyes drank in the lithe, supple form, and he decided that the dreams hadn't done the demon any justice.  He was far more incredible in real life.

      Hiei reached up and fingered the open flaps of his nightshirt.  Yusuke lowered himself slightly so Hiei could slide the garment down his arms and then toss it to the floor.  A moment later, Hiei was sliding his fingers into Yusuke's pants, and raised an eyebrow when he had to slide them into underwear, too.

      "Underwear... They're the most ridiculous garments I've ever seen, Yusuke," he whispered admonishingly.

      Yusuke grinned, remembering a dream he'd had weeks ago.  "Then I'll get rid of them," he replied, shrugging out of both pants and undergarments.  He threw them away to join the other pieces of clothing on the floor, and settled down astride Hiei's waist again.  "Better?"

      Hiei nodded, one of his hands wandering up to touch Yusuke's thigh.  "Much..." he sighed, fingers gliding across Yusuke's skin until they grazed his arousal.  He groaned and the demon let his hands stroke his thighs and abdomen.  "You're a very beautiful man, Yusuke," Hiei murmured sincerely.  "...And because I know what you're like on the inside...that just makes you more beautiful."

      Yusuke swallowed a fresh flow of tears and reached down to cup Hiei's face with one hand.  "Hiei, if... If I didn't have Keiko--"

      "I know it," Hiei interjected softly, leaning into Yusuke's palm.  "I know it..." He let his fingers touch the junction of Yusuke's thighs again.

      Yusuke moaned and leaned down, settling his body on Hiei's.  He wrapped his arms around the demon and rested their cheeks together.  "Oh..."

      "You're heavy," Hiei whispered.

      "Too heavy?" Yusuke whispered back, concerned.  He raised himself a little to take some of the weight off his smaller companion.

      Hiei pulled him back down so that they were touching everywhere.  "No... I like the way it feels..."

      Dawn came and brightened into morning, and Yusuke was awake to watch it all.  He lay awake and alert on his side, facing the window, holding a sleeping fire demon in his arms.  He traced little circles in Hiei's hair as he stared at the light sky outside.  How many days did they have...?  /Three...three days.../ Three days to find a way to escape Tenrai.  /But how?  If Hiei couldn't find a way in six years...and if I couldn't find a way in one month...how are we supposed to think of something in three *days*...?/  Or less than three days, rather.  Technically, they had *two* days to find a way out; the third day would be the day that Hiei would have to try and be admitted to the Hall.  And if the Council had had Yusuke attacked in order to keep him out of the way, what else would they try to do to him?  He wasn't safe in Tenrai any longer, that much was certain...

      /Wait.../

      The Council had had him attacked to keep him out of the Duel business...?

      Then... /Maybe.../

      He glanced down at Hiei, taking a moment to smile at his sleeping features before dropping a light kiss on his cheek.  "Hiei, wake up."

      The demon stirred.  "Mm?"  He blinked his sleepy red eyes.  "What is it?"

      "I think I have an idea for how to get out of here," he pronounced.

      Hiei was instantly awake.  "Are you serious?"

      Yusuke nodded.  "It's a long shot...but it just might work."

~*~

      "One pound of waterberries will cost you three silvers, my lord."

      Hiei studied the fruit, trying to look contemplative.  The berries had been freshly picked; they were plump, ripe, and looked juicy - the most important quality, of course, being that they were plump.

      "Three pounds," he said, and counted out nine silvers from the money Yusuke had given him.  He watched the street vendor gather the berries and then held out his basket to carry them in.  When he paid for the fruit, Hiei thanked the merchant and then rearranged them to completely cover the other contents of the basket.

      He stepped away from the counter, starting when someone brushed by him.  He made certain that his cloak was still hiding the white starburst in his hair and the bands on his wrists.  The less people who saw him wandering around the city, the better.  He double-checked to make sure he had everything they needed, and then started on his way back to the temple.

~*~

      The temple was quiet - the calm before the storm, Hiei supposed.  Tomorrow, he was supposed to be taken to the Garden.  It would be the day each native of Tenrai waited for every six and a half years.  He didn't know how the ceremony - if any - would be carried out, but he was fairly certain he didn't want to find out. 

      He threw off the hood of his cloak as he made his way through the halls back to Yusuke's chambers.  One day.  They had one day to formulate their escape plan... They were, to coin a phrase, at the end of their rope.

      He turned a corner and nearly ran into Ruka.  He stopped short before they collided, and the councilman raised an eyebrow.

      "In a hurry, I see."

      Hiei feigned a concerned expression.  "I'd...rather not leave the Lord Yusuke unattended for too long..."

      Ruka's features softened - though Hiei was uncertain if the concern was genuine or not.  "Has his condition improved any?"

      "No..." Hiei lowered his head.  "His head injury... It is difficult for him to remain conscious for long periods of time..."

      "I'm sorry to hear that."  Ruka peeked into the basket.  "Did you buy those for Yusuke?"

      Hiei nodded.  "He asked me for some.  He likes them a lot, and since he can't move around..." He trailed off with a shrug.

      "How unfortunate for the One Engaged, for something like that to happen so close to the ritual..." Ruka reached out.  "May I sample one?"  When Hiei nodded, the councilman picked one of the berries and popped it into his mouth.  "Delicious," he said after finishing it.

      "Freshly picked," Hiei added, just for sake of commenting.

      "So they are."  Ruka moved around him and continued on his way.  "Thank you for the fruit, Hiei.  Let's hope you bring us something even better tomorrow."

      Hiei didn't answer.  He waited until Ruka's footsteps faded, and then quickened his pace to Yusuke's room.

      He knocked five times before opening the door a crack and slipping inside.  He locked the door behind him and faced the "bedridden" Yusuke.  "Ruka delayed me.  Well," he lamented, "Ruka and the merchants who kept trying to sell me jewelry, that is."

      Yusuke sat up and threw the covers aside.  "Don't worry about it.  We have plenty of time.  I think."

      "I don't know," Hiei replied as he set the basket on the table.  "I've never seen the ceremony - if there is one - take place before.  I just happened to walk into Tenrai a couple of days after the previous Honor Bound...died.  I don't know if the ritual takes place in the morning or some other time..."

      "We'll be gone before dawn, anyway," Yusuke stated quietly.  "We'll make sure of that."  He leaned forward.  "Did you manage to find everything?"

      "I did."  Hiei reached over and grabbed a bowl left from breakfast.  He scooped up the berries and within a couple of handfuls, they were all in the bowl.  "It was a little hard to wander around all the back alleys without people wondering what I was doing, but I managed.  Hopefully, those who *did* see me paid me no mind."

      Yusuke stood from the bed and joined him at the table.  "So, does that mean you managed to find a possible route out of here?"

      "I think so.  In all the years I've been here, I've never really been able to spend a great deal of time wandering the city, so..." He took the paper from the basket and handed it to Yusuke, "I picked a route that I thought would be safe."  He reached over and traced the path with his finger.  "It begins soon after leaving the temple grounds, and if we're careful, we can follow the back alleys all the way to an inn in the Outer City."

      Yusuke grinned at him.  "Perfect.  Let's hope we can make it without being spotted."  He lowered the makeshift map and peered into the basket again.  "And the material?"

      "I have it."  Hiei lifted the plain black sheets from the bottom of the basket.  "As long and strong as I could find."  He studied the material and blinked.  "Are we really going to climb out of the window and down the temple with this...?"

      "You bet," Yusuke chuckled, taking the sheets from his hands and giving him the map in return.  "It's the oldest trick in the book, and maybe that means it'll work."

      "Let's hope you're right," Hiei said.  Though truthfully, at this moment he was ready to try anything.

      "Indeed," Yusuke replied, and motioned for Hiei to join him back at the bed.

~*~

      Long after the moon had risen, they were ready.  Yusuke and Hiei had spent the majority of the evening preparing for their escape, in between playing patient and nursemaid during the visits from servants.  They had worked as a team to tie the sheets together, making the knots as tight as they could to ensure that they wouldn't fall to their deaths on the way down.  Thankfully, the guest wing that Yusuke was staying in wasn't too high up; they were five floors above the ground, as opposed to eight.  And, Yusuke decided, they were ready.  He glanced at the long "rope" they now had at their disposal, and patted his pocket, feeling the folded map of the city's back alleys safely tucked within it.  Then he glanced sideways at his companion.

      Hiei was wearing one of the many beautiful tunics he owned, this one black and silver.  Yusuke's outfit matched, as many of their clothes did.  This time, however, they had dressed alike to blend into the night.

      "This is it," Yusuke said.

      Hiei nodded.  "I only hope it works."

      "Desperation is the best motivation," Yusuke recited.  He took a deep breath.  "Let's do it.  If we can get as far away from here as possible, and remain hidden until today is over...maybe..." He finished his sentence as he motioned for Hiei to help him move his dresser, "...maybe the spell that keeps those wristlets on will dissipate."

      Together, they lifted Yusuke's dresser and settled it onto the bed, making the furniture heavier.  The nightstand followed, and then there was no room to put anything else without making a racket.

      "That's the best we can do," Yusuke whispered.

      "It may be all we need," Hiei replied.

      Yusuke tied the sheets around the bedpost as tightly as he was able, double-knotting it, and then double-knotting it again.  When he was finished, Hiei let their makeshift rope tumble out the window and toward the ground.  Yusuke joined him and  studied it.

      "Looks like it's long enough."  And it didn't fall over anyone else's window, either.  They were fortunate.

      "We're lucky," Hiei replied.  "Now how long has it been since you've done any climbing?"

      "Too long," he admitted.  "But let's give it a shot."  He seized the sheet and straddled the windowsill.  "I'll go first."

      "Be careful."

      Yusuke nodded and slowly rearranged himself so that he was braced against the temple wall by his feet, holding the sheet with both hands.  He took another deep breath, and then he started walking down the wall.  He'd debated taking small leaps down the structure, but that might make unnecessary noise, and they didn't need anyone stumbling onto their escape plan.

      It was a long journey.  More than once Yusuke glanced up to see how Hiei was faring.  The demon was doing just fine, but Yusuke still had fears that the wristlets he was wearing might cause his arms to give out at any time.  But that didn't happen.

      Yusuke had to let himself fall the last five feet or so to the ground.  He landed on the soft grass of the temple's courtyard and waited for Hiei.  When the fire demon reached the end of the rope and let himself fall, Yusuke couldn't help himself.  He reached out and caught his friend around the waist.  They let out twin huffs of air from the impact.

      "That wasn't necessary, you know," Hiei offered quietly.

      "I know," Yusuke muttered, "but I wanted to do it."

      "...You can put me down now."

      "I could."

      Hiei gave Yusuke one of his tiny smiles and patted his cheek.  "Keiko," was all he said.

      Yusuke lowered his friend to the ground and sighed softly.  "Hiei...I...I can't betray my vows, but I can't change how I feel, either.  I'm confused, but...you and Keiko are *both* important to me."

      "I know it."  Hiei turned away and motioned for Yusuke to follow him.  "Come, Yusuke-sama--"

      "Please don't start with that," Yusuke pleaded.  "You were doing so well; the only time I heard that stupid suffix was when the servants were around."

      "Ah.  Then...coming, Yusuke?"

      "Now I am."  He reached into his pocket and pulled out the map Hiei had sketched.  "It's time to get the hell out of this place."

~*~

      Maru hid a yawn behind his fist as he and his entourage made their way through the halls of the temple.  He had not slept well during the night.  Never before had the ritual been so stressful to carry out.  He had tried everything in his power to get Yusuke to relinquish his status, but to no avail.  Even their trump card, Chiran, had failed.  Injuring Yusuke badly enough so that he would be bedridden for a week or so was a last effort to restore the Duel to its rightful people: the natives of Tenrai.  Maru had prayed to Triton the evening of the attack, begging for forgiveness for resorting to violence...but there had been no other choice.

      He and the Council halted in front of the guest chambers that Yusuke had occupied for the last month.  He had had several Duelists accompany them, just in case Yusuke decided to try and defend Hiei despite his condition.  But he had made it clear that Yusuke was not to be harmed any further.  Once they fetched Hiei, they would send for Chiran, the Duelist Maru had chosen to be the One Engaged for the ritual.  They had to be at the Garden by sunrise...and hopefully, this would be the last time they would ever have to perform these steps.

      After all...an outsider with the potential to be Honor Bound?  Surely that meant something significant.

      "Knock before going in," he ordered.

      Ruka nodded and did as he was asked.  When no one answered, he tried again.  Still, Hiei did not open the door.  Ruka glanced questioningly over his shoulder, and Maru nodded his permission.  The councilman tried turning the knob on one of the doors, but it wouldn't open.

      "Locked," he spat.

      Maru clenched his fists.  They didn't have time to play childish games.  "Break it down," he ordered the Duelists.

      The men were all too happy to obey.  As one, two of the noblemen rammed into the wooden doors, sending them tumbling to the floor with a loud thud.  Maru peered inside, expecting to see Yusuke injured in bed, with Hiei by his side.  Instead, he saw furniture piled onto the mattress, and a long, black sheet tied to the bedpost that led over to the...

      "They didn't," Maru said.

      Ruka and several other members of the Council floated into the chambers and gathered at the window.

      "They did, your Holiness," Ruka stated, leaning out the window.  "They climbed down the temple and...fled."

      "How...did no one notice them...?"  He pinned his eyes on Ruka.  "You told me Yusuke could not walk yet."

      "He couldn't," Ruka insisted.  "I saw him - he was bedridden.  I'm sure of it."

      "We have to find them," one of the other councilmen pronounced.

      "Have every single sentry and Duelist search for them.  Every.  Single.  One."  Maru felt his fingernails digging into his palms.  "No one is to rest until they are found."

      Ruka was already heading out the door.  "They can't be too far.  If Yusuke thinks he is escaping Tenrai *with* Hiei, he is sorely mistaken."

      He was right, Maru conceded.  The wristlets would forbid Hiei from getting away.  However, Hiei still had to be *found*.

      "Find them," Maru hissed.

~*~

      The back alleys of Tenrai were certainly impressive, Yusuke realized as they made their way through them.  He was surprised there weren't any thieves in the city; the alleys were definitely able to moonlight as a separate town simply for cutpurses.  As it was, he and Hiei only came across a few children playing hide-and-seek every now and then.

      "Maybe we should hide around here," he suggested, "and use that inn as a last resort.  They're likely to come after us, right?  If we have to remain hidden for at least a day... I wonder how they'll react when they find out that their 'spies' couldn't catch two guys climbing down a tower in the middle of the night - oh, damn..." He halted.  "Didn't you tell me that the council can find the One Engaged in record time, if they have to?  Do you think they have those spies lurking around these alleys?"

      It was only after he paused that he realized Hiei hadn't spoken a word during his entire speech.  Concerned, Yusuke looked over his shoulder.  "Hiei?"

      His friend was a few feet behind him, leaning against a wall for support.  One hand was pressed to his stomach, and his chest was heaving with quiet pants.

      "Hiei?"  Yusuke was at his side immediately.  "Are you all right?"

      "I--" He paused to suck in a mouthful of air, "--I don't...I..." His features contorted in pain and he doubled-over.  Yusuke helped him to his knees.

      "What is it?!  What's wrong?!"  Yusuke leaned in further, trying to draw Hiei into a comforting embrace.

      But Hiei shoved him aside and scrambled away, settling on all fours.  Yusuke touched his back reassuringly as he was suddenly violently ill.  He didn't say a word as Hiei emptied the contents of his stomach, and when he was finished, Yusuke guided his friend away so he wouldn't get any on himself.  He rested Hiei against him and tore a strip of his cloak.  He handed it to the demon and Hiei used it to wipe his mouth, but he didn't stop his light panting.

      "The wristlets?" Yusuke asked.  It was the only explanation he could think of.

      Hiei nodded wordlessly and held up one wrist.  The band around it was glowing faintly, just enough to be notable.  Yusuke glanced at the pre-dawn sky.  The sun would rise soon; they had to find someplace where they could hide.

      "Can you walk?"

      Hiei thought about it, and then nodded.

      "Okay."  Yusuke helped him to his feet.  "Then let's go."

      The sensations were akin to the ones he'd felt during the times he'd tried to commit suicide.  He was dizzy, numb; his limbs were hard to move, trying to prevent him from going too far.  His stomach was twisting into painful knots, and he felt like doubling over and expelling the stomach itself.  His skin was hot to the touch, but he was cold - which could only mean that he had a fever.

      Yusuke was the only thing keeping him going - quite literally.  Hiei wasn't sure when it had happened, but somewhere between his retching and the present, he had leaned against Yusuke for support, and the man was half-dragging, half-carrying him along.

      The ground below him was rolling and tumbling, spinning and... He stumbled despite Yusuke's support, and the human's hold tightened.

      "Should we stop for awhile?" Yusuke asked.

      Hiei shook his head, and immediately regretted the action when it made the dizziness intensify.  He squeezed his eyes shut and bit his hand to stifle a cry as the pain began to course through him.

      "We'll stop," Yusuke decided.

      "N--" Hiei began, but stopped short to swallow his hand again as another wave of pain rippled through him, beginning at his heart and spreading out to his limbs.

      Yusuke led him behind a cluster of barrels and they settled onto the hard ground.  Yusuke sat down cross-legged, rested his back against the wall and pulled Hiei into his lap.  Hiei was too eager to comply, burying himself deeper into Yusuke's embrace, unconsciously seeking protection from the pain - even though the agony was coming from within.  He couldn't help but whimper a little when the nausea intensified, the noise sounding suddenly very loud in the pre-dawn silence.  Knowing that there would probably be sentries searching for them, Hiei started gnawing on his fingers again to smother any further vocalizations.

      "Stop that," Yusuke said, and pulled his fingers away.  "Here," he went on, putting a little pressure on the back of Hiei's head, "chew on this, if anything."

      Hiei used his teeth to gather a few folds of Yusuke's coat and stuff it in his mouth.  He bit down fiercely, wrapping his legs tighter around Yusuke's waist - but there was no sexual undertone in the gesture.  He was unaware of when he started shivering, but suddenly Yusuke's cloak was draped over him.  He was...was rolling down a hill of agony, and managing to hit every rock on the way...

      "How do you feel?" Yusuke whispered.

      "I..." He choked out a strangled sob, feeling more pathetic than he had during his entire stay in Tenrai.  "I...hurt..."

      Yusuke's hold strengthened.  "We can't stay here forever," he pointed out.  "We've got to find a place to hide for the day.  Can you move?"

      He tried, he really did...but his body just wouldn't obey.  The slightest tremor sent wave after wave of nauseating pain... Why did it *hurt* so much...?  "I want to roll over and die," he whined.  He wasn't sure if he meant it or not.

      "Fuck," Yusuke spat.  "I knew that you couldn't leave Tenrai with those damn things on, but...I thought that maybe...if we managed to steer clear of the Duelists, we could... They thought of everything, didn't they?" he continued despairingly.  "Has an Honor Bound ever tried to escape the day of the ritual?"

      "...Don't know..." Hiei tried hard not to moan, but a small one came out, anyway.  He clung tighter still to Yusuke.  "Fitting...isn't it...?  ...Won't let me...take my own life...and...won't let me leave...this place..." He was at the mercy of a pair of bracelets; a slave to a horde of religious radicals.  When they wanted him to live, he had no choice but to live.  When they wanted him to be somewhere, he was given every incentive to do as he was told.

      "Would...would it stop hurting if...if you were where you're supposed to be?"

      Where he was supposed...?  The Garden?  "I...don't know..."

      For a few minutes, Yusuke was silent.  Hiei fisted the human's clothing, chewing on the fine coat and mewling in agony with each passing pang of pain.

      "Where is the ritual supposed to take place?" Yusuke asked at last.

      "...Garden," Hiei managed.

      Yusuke was quiet again, and then Hiei felt them moving.  Yusuke was pulling him to his feet.

      "Where...?"

      "We're going to the damn Garden."

      "No..." Hiei tried pushing away, but he had even less strength than the wristlets usually allowed him.

      "Hiei..." Yusuke touched his face, "...you can't see yourself... Do you have any idea how you look?"

      "I won't go," Hiei insisted, and reeled with the force of a new onslaught of pain, falling back into Yusuke's arms.  "I won't die for their stupid Miracle..."

      "Hiei...your skin is practically gray..." Yusuke sounded reluctant, but firm.  "You're in pain, and..."

      "I won't go," Hiei said again.  He didn't understand; Yusuke was the one who had convinced him that they would be able to escape together - that he would be able to escape death... And now, even Yusuke wanted him to...

      "Hiei, I mean it..." Yusuke stopped to swallow.  "I wish you could see your face, so... Hiei, the fucking wristlets are killing you."  He started to turn and head back the way they had come, and tried to pull Hiei with him.  "I'd rather we take our chances with the Hall of Engagement than sit here and watch you..."

      "I won't go," Hiei repeated, trying to shove Yusuke away again.  But each time he refused, the pain came ten-fold.  "I won't go..." His vision was starting to blur... "I...won't go..."

      He fought the gray-out all the way down.

~*~

      Yusuke's body was wire-tense as he moved back through the alleyways.  He was half-expecting a Duelist to leap out from one of the other alleys and ambush them.  If that happened...he would have to start using his reiki.  He had to protect Hiei, but he didn't have Blood Soaked.

      /Hiei.../

      He looked down at the demon he was carrying.  Hiei hadn't roused since his collapse.  His skin was nearly gray, his breath coming in short gasps, and his cheeks so gaunt that Yusuke wanted to cry.  He shifted his gaze to the wristlets.  They were still glowing, faintly, and Yusuke wished for the umpteenth time he knew of a way to get them off.  When Hiei had revealed that the bands forbade him to leave the nation, Yusuke doubted he'd known that trying to stay away from the Garden would have such consequences.

      Fortunately, as they neared the temple, some of the color returned to Hiei's face, and he began to breathe easier.  Somehow, Yusuke wasn't all that surprised.  The Honor Bound were no good to Tenrai if they were dead, and Yusuke doubted that anyone could steel themselves against that kind of pain for more than an hour, at most.

      Part of him was wary as he crept into the back of the courtyard.  There didn't seem to be anyone about.  Though, if everyone was out looking for him and Yusuke...why wouldn't *someone* stay behind to keep an eye on the temple, in case they came back...?  /There is definitely *something* looking out for me,/ he thought.

He thanked whatever gods were listening that the temple was a temple, and not a palace with high walls.  As it was, Yusuke hurried across the courtyard to the gates that led to the Garden.  He pushed them open with his shoulder and closed them with his foot.  He nearly moaned aloud when he realized that he would have to climb that long flight of stairs *while* carrying Hiei.

      /I don't believe this.../ He looked down at Hiei's face again.  He *did* look better...and they were almost at the Garden.  Once they arrived, maybe Hiei would regain consciousness.  And then...then they could stand their ground and fight, if need be.  The so-called "ritual" didn't conduct itself, right?  So there was still hope.

      The climb to the top of the Garden was painfully slow - both literally and figuratively.  Hiei wasn't exactly heavy, but lugging him up a thousand stairs was no small task.  As he climbed, the morning sun came out of hiding and lit the sky.

      Yusuke stopped under the archway to the Garden, both to catch his breath, and to buy some time.  There didn't seem to be anyone in the arena, but still... /If I walk in...what'll happen?/

      He glanced down as Hiei stirred in his arms.  The demon turned his head to rub his cheek against Yusuke's pectoral, and then his garnet eyes blinked open.  Yusuke was about to make a comment about the convenience of Hiei's awakening *after* the climb, but stopped himself.  There were more serious matters at hand.  When they made eye-contact, Yusuke felt Hiei tense.

      "Yusuke..." His voice sounded a little hoarse, and he stopped to swallow.  "...Are we...?"

      "In the Garden," Yusuke said with a nod.  At the look in Hiei's eyes, he swallowed, too.  "No, I haven't given up on you."

      "I didn't think you did," Hiei replied.  "It's just that--"

      "Can you stand?" he asked.  He didn't know how much time they had before someone came.  "We may still have a chance, but we have to be prepared to fight."

      Hiei nodded.  "I think I can."

      So Yusuke set him down.  He wavered for only a moment, and then he was steady.  Yusuke took his hand and entwined their fingers together.  "Ready?"

      Hiei gave his hand a quick squeeze.  "Ready."

      They moved as one, lifting their legs and slowly bringing their feet down on the flower bed.  Yusuke's body went taut as he felt his boot crush the blades of grass beneath his feet, waiting for something - anything - to happen...

      ...Nothing did.

      A moment later, Yusuke relaxed.  "So...I guess that means that the ritual can't work without the High Priest or something, right?"

      "I would think," Hiei replied, "though no one ever spoke of the ritual in any detail to me."

      They took another step, and nothing happened save for the sudden gust of wind that decided to blow.  Yusuke turned to his shorter companion and smiled as the rose petals blew around them.

      "I guess this means we're safe.  Now all we have to do is stay that way."

      Hiei bit his lip.  "Would you like to draw Blood Soaked?"

      Yusuke considered it.  "Maybe that would be a good idea, just in case... But," he added as Hiei touched his cheek, "if push comes to shove, the hell with this stupid Dueling game - I'm using my reiki."

      "Yusuke...I *know* you're powerful, but...do you really think you can stand against every Duelist in this nation...?"

      "You can damn well bet I'm going to try."  He nuzzled the white star in Hiei's hair.  "I won't let their stupid tradition kill you."

      "But...you might die."

      "At least I'll go down fighting."

      Hiei closed his eyes.  "Yusuke...don't drag yourself to Hell with me...please..."

      "We're not going to Hell.  Not yet."

Before Hiei could reply, Yusuke seized his face in a gentle grip and closed the distance between them.  The kiss was quick and professional, hardly a trace of passion, as they had more important things to think about.

      Yusuke brandished Blood Soaked and they moved quickly to the middle of the Garden.  There, they would have ample warning of any Duelists, and they weren't far enough to be trapped.  Yusuke had his eyes locked on the entrance to the flower bed when Hiei tugged sharply on his sleeve.

      "What?"

      "Yusuke...the Hall... It's gone."

      "Huh?"  Yusuke turned around and looked up at where the floating Hall of Engagement should have been.  Hiei was right; it wasn't there.  "But...how?"

      "It's gone..." Hiei shook his head once, sharply.  "What does that mean?"

      "Waiting to be picked up?" a familiar voice asked.

      Yusuke and Hiei spun back around at once.  /Figures.../

      "You know, Yusuke," Chiran went on, "for someone who didn't want anything to do with the Duel..." He trailed off and shook his head.  "Did you think you would be able to get away with this?"  He took a step forward.  "Did you think you would be able to take our nation's Miracle behind our backs?"

      Yusuke tightened his grip on Blood Soaked's hilt.  "I *don't* want anything to do with the Duel.  We're only here because--" He tossed his head, "I don't have to answer to you.  Get away from us."

      Chiran chuckled.  "Oh, Yusuke...surely you know me better than that, by now."  The straw-haired demon drew his own sword, and starting closing the distance between them, one slow step at a time.

      Yusuke shifted Blood Soaked to his left hand and raised his right, pointing his index finger at the demon.  "I mean it.  I'm through playing this Dueling game.  If you want to fight, I'll be happy to oblige you, but we'll be playing by *my* rules."

      Chiran halted several feet away.  His features contorted in both confusion and apprehension as his gaze centered on Yusuke's finger.

      "Yusuke," Hiei whispered without taking his eyes away from the other demon, "if Chiran is here, some of the others can't be far behind..."

      "There's a difference between killing in cold blood and killing in self-defense," he muttered back.

      "I know that, but that isn't the point.  The point is--"

      Hiei fell silent as their world darkened, as though the sun, having risen only minutes before, had decided it would rather set once again.  Yusuke glanced around, noting that Chiran and Hiei were doing the same.  The Garden was shadowed, but when he looked up... /Oh, gods.../

      They were staring up at the Hall of Engagement - or to be precise, the *bottom* of the Hall.  The structure had moved, was now directly over them, and...lowering?!  Yusuke absently noted that if the fortress were to descend...it would settle onto the Garden perfectly - with *them* under it.

      Hiei was gaping.  "Yusuke...it..."

      "It's never moved before!" Chiran exclaimed.  "Never!"

      Yusuke tore his eyes from the structure and grabbed Hiei's arm.  "Come on!  If that thing decides to plop down, it'll flatten us!"

      Chiran was the first to dash away, his long legs carrying him swiftly through the arch and down the stairs.  Yusuke started to follow, but Hiei jerked him back.  He looked over his shoulder.  Hiei was rooted to the spot, and the wristlets were shining.

      "What the hell are you waiting for?!"

      When Hiei looked up at him, his eyes were wide and a little frightened.  "I can't move," he said, clawing at the bands around his wrists.

      /No...nonono.../ Yusuke tried tugging him - lifting him, even - but it was as though Hiei had gained a thousand pounds.  He glanced up at the descending fortress.  They didn't have much time.  He stepped back and raised Blood Soaked.  "Hiei...what's more important to you: a hand, or your life?"

      Hiei held up his right hand without a word.  Yusuke made a few token slashes to make sure he had his aim right, and then he swung the blade down, intending to slice through both Hiei's wrist and the band around it.

      Metal met metal with a sharp twang, there was a quick, golden spark...but the wristlet didn't come off.

      "Shit," Yusuke cursed.  "Shit!"

      Hiei glanced at the sky.  "Go, Yusuke.  Go!"

      "No."  What kind of coward would...?  "I promised not to leave you behind, remember?"  He took the hand Hiei had raised and laced their fingers together.  He glanced at the sword in his other hand.  "Maybe Blood Soaked could--"

      "Against a floating fortress?  Yusuke, don't be a fool!  Go!  Now!"  Hiei tried shoving him, but Yusuke refused to budge, securing himself as surely as the wristlets had Hiei.

      "I'm not leaving.  Either we both go, or we both stay."

      "Yusuke..." There was a desperate edge to Hiei's voice, now.  "Yusuke...if you care for me...don't die for me."

      Yusuke swallowed over the lump in his throat.  "Hiei...if you care for me, don't make me leave you."  He came closer and hugged Hiei using only one arm; his hand held Blood Soaked and his other was holding Hiei's.  /I'd die for you...just like I'd die for Keiko... Because I...I.../

      "I'm sorry, Yusuke," Hiei whispered against his neck.

      "I'm sorry, too."  /Sorry I couldn't protect you; sorry I couldn't get you out of here like I promised; sorry I'm cheating you, because Keiko and I...but you and me.../

      They looked up together; the Hall was so close, Yusuke could jump with an arm outstretched and touch the bottom.  Then, in one sharp movement, whatever force that had been making the Hall descend slowly gave out.  Yusuke and Hiei huddled together and lowered their heads as the structure came plummeting down.

      Yusuke didn't feel anything, but he was certain both he and Hiei screamed as the immense fortress crashed upon them.

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