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Disclaimer: Sue me. Please? I’ve been trying to get rid of these college textbooks for months… Notes: At the end ^_^ Feedback: It’s FINISHED!!!!! FIN-ISHED!!!!! FINITO!!!!! Let me know if you like the ending :-p Warnings: shounen ai, het, “alternate” pairing. *…* emphasis /…/ thought - Epilogue - Oathbound It was a beautiful day. The weather was warm, but not uncomfortable. It was, as one would say, the perfect day to be outside. But Hiei wasn’t, and neither was his companion. As it was, he’d let the birds fluttering out the window catch his attention while she contemplated her next advance. “Ha!” Mukuro barked triumphantly, moving one of her pieces forward. She drummed her fingernails on the table. “My jackals have your hounds at bay, Hiei.” “Hounds at bay are dangerous,” Hiei replied, studying the positions of the pieces, trying to determine his next move. He didn’t get a chance to make it. As he was reaching for one of his pieces, one of Mukuro’s servants entered the lounge. “Forgive me for interrupting, my Lady,” she began, dropping a low curtsy. Mukuro waved a hand and gently pushed the game aside. “Not a problem at all. Speak.” The servant held out to envelopes. “These arrived today. The first is addressed to both of you, the other to Sir Hiei.” “Must be our pen-pals,” Mukuro commented with a chuckle. She took both envelopes and handed Hiei his, dismissing the servant as she did so. Hiei glanced at his envelope, and didn’t even need to look at the insignia it had been sealed with. He recognized the handwriting immediately as Yusuke’s. “Which would you like to open first?” Hiei waved a hand. “The one for both of us, so you won’t have to wait for me.” They scooted their chairs around the table so they could seat side-by-side. They would both be able to read the message without difficulty. Mukuro broke the tiger seal with a sharp twist of her wrists and laid the thick paper on the table. To two of my dearest friends, The Lady Mukuro and her Consort Hiei are cordially invited to the wedding of Urameshi Yusuke and Yukimura Keiko, taking place on the third Sunday of next month at the Palace of the Setting Sun, in Toranin. It will be, in actuality, a second ceremony. The first will have taken place in Ningenkai the day before. Gifts are not required, though eagerly solicited. Above all, we ask that you please accept out invitation, and we hope to see you on one of the happiest days of our lives. Sincerely, Yusuke and Keiko Mukuro chuckled again. “Obviously, Keiko let Yusuke write the note…‘eagerly solicited’…” “It does sound like something he’d write,” Hiei admitted, but he smiled. Mukuro folded the letter and sighed longingly. “They’re fortunate, to have found one another in such a vast Universe as ours. I wonder what it would feel like, to have a mate for life…” She sighed again. “Hiei, let’s make a deal. If neither of us is married in a thousand years, let’s marry each other.” Hiei gave her a regretful smile. “I would, but I can’t. I have…a prior obligation.” “Oh? And that would be…?” “I’m already engaged.” She poked him. “You didn’t tell me,” she admonished. When he didn’t say anything else, she poked him again. “So?” “So what?” “So who is it?” “Ah…” He grinned wryly and sat back in the chair. “I can’t tell you that.” “And why not?” She sounded amused. “Because it won’t happen for awhile, yet, and we want to keep it a secret.” “I see…” She still sounded curious, but one thing he liked about Mukuro was that when he declared a topic closed, she acknowledged it as closed. “But you *will* invite me to the ceremony, won’t you? Yukina will probably be your Maid of Honor, but *someone* has to give you away…” Hiei raised an eyebrow. “Why are you stamping the bridal terms on *me*…?” Mukuro tried to look innocent. “Oh, I just assumed… Am I invited or aren’t I?” “Of course you’re invited.” He aimed his gaze at the sealed envelope in his hands. He was eager to read the letter, but the contents might… “I believe it’s time I made a surprise visit to the kitchens,” Mukuro announced, rising from the table. “It’s been awhile since I commented on Kiena’s neatness – or lack thereof. Shall we postpone our game until I return?” Another thing he liked about Mukuro was that she knew when he wanted to be alone. “We shall,” he replied. “I won’t even move the pieces; I’ll even leave myself trapped.” “Very well.” She shot him a look over her shoulder. “But, just for the record, I have the positions of our pieces memorized.”
“I’m sure.”
He waved to her before she disappeared around the corner.
He made sure he was alone, and then broke the tiger seal on the envelope.
He unfolded the thick letter and was greeted with more of Yusuke’s
handwriting. To my Honor Bound, I hope you don’t misunderstand my inviting you to Keiko’s and my wedding. I didn’t do it to announce that what we had is over. I did it because I wanted you to see that I consider my vows to *both* of you too important – too meaningful – to not go through with either of them. By inviting you to my first wedding, I want to reinforce that I love you and Keiko equally, but first I have to fulfill my vows to her, until her death, so you can witness the love and loyalty that belongs to you, too – even if you and I have to wait a little longer. Things are going much better for Keiko and I now. Kuwabara had contacted her while I was away, and when she relayed the story of how badly off we were, he – did you know that he runs a clinic now? – told her not to worry, and that he would secure a place for me. I work as a receptionist now. Yeah, me, a receptionist. I know you’ll find that highly amusing, so stop grinning – right now. I managed to beat around the bush during some communications with Destin and the rest of my Council. I got some information as far as the treaty with Tenrai went. Apparently, Maru and the rest of Tenrai’s Council are convinced that our last meeting ended on a happy note, and we all signed a contract. I don’t know if you’ve seen Mukuro’s copy, but… Hiei, my signature was even *on it*. I asked Destin to ask them how their Dueling was going, and I nearly fell off the couch when I received the reply to *that*. As far as Maru and the others are concerned, there *was never* any Duel of any sort. So now, of course, Destin is starting to wonder if I’m taking something other than aspirin. Whatever Enbui – or Triton – did to that place, none of them remember *anything* about the Duel, the ritual, or the way we disagreed. It’s like the entire thing was just a dream… At any rate, as soon as we get a chance to talk in person, I’d like to know how you’re doing. Are you and Mukuro still walking lightly around each other, or have whatever differences you’ve had been settled? You’re not still calling people “-sama”, are you? Because if you are… Well, I didn’t bring that sword back from the Hall of Engagement, but I’m sure I could find a bamboo stick somewhere. So…I hope to see you at the wedding. If I have my way, it won’t be the last wedding we’ll attend together. Although…given the circumstances by which we were given to one another…would it be safe to assume that I will be wearing the pants in our relationship? …Or will we even need pants…? I’m sorry, I had to say it. Love you, miss you, and all those other mushy phrases that degenerate my masculinity… Yours, The One Engaged /Pants will be optional,/ Hiei thought with a smirk. He leaned farther back and put his feet up on the table so he could rest the letter on his thighs. /I understand you completely, though. I love you and miss you – along with all those other mushy things that I’d never say in public./ He would be at Yusuke’s wedding, and he’d give his friend – his lover – the support he would need during the important event, and would continue to for as long as Yusuke and Keiko remained bonded. Demon life-spans were long, and eight or nine decades wouldn’t be that long of a wait. And knowing what the prize for his patience would be… It was worth the wait. “Definitely worth the wait,” Hiei murmured, and fingered the gift Yusuke had given him the day they’d parted. A Rose Signet ring, on the third finger of his left hand.
~ finis ~
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