Night was so cold lately

A/n: I read this fanfic where Kurama said to Hiei he loved him, and Hiei didn't return the feelings, and everyone treated Hiei like he was evil. This is my spawn of that.

To Love

Night was so cold lately. As soon as the sun started setting, an icy feeling would settle over the town Urishma Yuusuke had grown up in.

He never remembered it being so cold; especially that night.

Yuusuke trudged through the dimly lit streets, analyzing the sidewalk as he moved. His sneakers made little to no sound as he passed the familiar stores. The lights grew dimmer and darker as he drew further from the town. The streetlights were getting spaced further apart, and it was harder to read the bright signs that labeled the neighborhood shops.

He sighed deeply, running his left hand through his hair. He hadn't used any grease that day. Too much to worry about. He smirked at that random thought. It was almost amazing how much his life had changed after he saved that little boy. Not only in activities—that alone was crazier then he ever could've imagined.

But in mind and spirit too… things he wouldn't even have glanced at or cared about were serious parts of his life. And now he was almost wishing it had never happened.

He turned left, towards an almost completely black alleyway. To anyone else, he would look like he was wondering around aimlessly, but he knew exactly where he was headed.

Yuusuke tried to let go of what had been disturbing him for the past day, but he couldn't. He couldn't forget how sad Kurama looked. His bright leafy eyes, still holding one last flicker of hope. That Yuusuke could help him.

He shook his head. Why is he trusting me? He asked himself, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets again. Why is he giving me this burden?

But he knew why. There was really no one else he could turn to. It was even a stretch to tell Yuusuke. And it wasn't like Kurama had just blurted it all out. Yuusuke had to practically pry it out of him, and it had been hard.

Yesterday, Yuusuke had gotten a call from a worried Shori, almost begging Yuusuke to come over and talk to her baby, who wasn't eating or speaking to anyone. Yuusuke had came right over, not knowing what to expect, certainly not what he was told.

He stopped for a few seconds and looked around; examining his surroundings and letting his eyes adjust. He was in the hairline of the forest, the moonlight was fairly bright, but the trees blocked it efficiently. He sighed and started up again; he was almost there.

He knew he shouldn't be mad, but he was. He was almost enraged at what Hiei had done to Kurama… at first, anyway. Now it had chilled and was just a cold anger. It was irrational, basically stupid, but he couldn't help it. Making someone that sad, that miserable, was just wrong.

One more hill, and he'd be there, he needed to talk to Hiei, normally he'd have no idea on how to find him, but Kurama told him where'd Yuusuke'd be able to find him.

He reached the clearing.

Yuusuke didn't see anything at first—the grass was pretty long, and the trees were still shadowing half the clearing. After a few seconds, he spotted the youkai, for some reason, his black cloak behind him seemed to shine in the moonlight. His pale skin seemed to have the same allusion, emphasizing his slender frame. He walked across the field quickly, tired and a little annoyed.

"Hiei!" He yelled, running up to the small fire youkai. Hiei didn't do anything in response, which only fueled his anger more. He remembered once again how sad Kurama had been… Yuusuke was right in front of him now. "Hello? Hiei?" He asked, bending down and trying to look Hiei in the face, but the boy was looking down; staring down at his hands, which lay casually in his lap. His sword was out beside him, gleaming in moonlight eerily.

"Hiei, look at me." He demanded in an agitated voice. When Hiei didn't comply, Yuusuke almost lost total control. "Hiei! Stop being so … ignorant! Kurama cares for you, more then you can even imagine! And you're just blowing him off! You didn't even have the courage to say anything to him when he confessed it to you. He was so worried and hopeful… and you just smashed those hopes in the dirt." Hiei didn't move; it seemed Yuusuke's just voice passed over him.

His voice got deathly quiet. "Why are you doing this to your closest friend? I saw him today. He looks horrible, all pale… he's not eating or talking… and it's because of you."

No response.

Yuusuke grabbed Hiei's shoulders and shook lightly. Hiei's body shook lifelessly, and his head bobbed up and down slightly. Yuusuke let go. "Hiei?" He asked. It was then he realized why his outfit seemed to glow. There were teargems scattered everywhere, particularly in his hands…

"Hiei…" Yuusuke whispered. "Hiei, what are you doing?" He wasn't quite sure what he was asking; he was at a loss for words. For a long time, neither of them spoke, the wind rustled through the leaves and Yuusuke shivered, even with his jacket on, he was cold.

Finally, Hiei asked, "Kurama sent you?"

Yuusuke started to nod, but stopped. "No. No, he told me what happened. I came here on my own." Hiei nodded. "Why are you doing this?" He asked again.

"Doing what?" Hiei asked, sounding tired.

"He loves you, you know." Hiei tightened at that. Another long pause.

"Yuusuke, what would you do," Hiei started. "If that big idiot came to you and confessed his never ending love for you?" Yuusuke didn't have an answer to that. "And then Kurama came to you. And yelled at you for not loving that idiot back."

"That wasn't why I was yelling. I was mad because… you didn't say anything. You left him hanging." Yuusuke said. Hiei sighed deeply. "I mean," Yuusuke continued. "People say the worst thing someone can say is 'no' or 'I don't love you' but I think it's nothing."

Hiei looked up at Yuusuke for the first time that night. His eyes weren't red, but there was something there that could testify that he had just been crying. A fresh pain that looked so depressing… "When Kurama said that to me…. I felt like I had a… a sledgehammer slammed against my chest." Hiei whispered so quietly, Yuusuke had to lean forward to hear it. "Why? Why can't I ever have just … a friend? Why do they always do this?"

"Admit their love?" Yuusuke asked, incredulous. He had to admit Hiei was handsome… no, not handsome. Pretty. He was very, very pretty. But to have every single one of your friends do that to you?

Hiei shook his head, chuckling very softly. "This is a first. Usually they'll just … betray." Hiei said simply. "Or die. For once, I want someone I can just… trust. But, Kurama betrayed that already. I shouldn't have had that high of expectations." He pulled his knees up and closed his eyes.

Yuusuke had never seen anyone look as vulnerable as Hiei did right then. They sat in silence again, and the sad face of Kurama popped back into his head. He sat down on his bottom and sighed. I guess no one's really wrong here. He climbed back onto his knees and got eye level with Hiei.

"You know, I came here, thinking how mean you were for doing this to Kurama." He said soberly. "But I've realized, neither of you are at fault. You just have to tell him. Tell him like you told me."

"Don't speak to me like a child." Hiei's muffled voice floated out harshly. "I know what my responsibilities are."

Yuusuke sighed and stood up. "Fine." He turned and started to walk away slowly. After a second he turned around again, expecting to see an empty spot where Hiei had once been sitting. To his surprise, he was still there.

He looked down, then took a deep breath and said, "You know, you can trust me."

Hiei didn't move, and Yuusuke shook his head and walked away, feeling disappointed. As he walked out of the clearing, he thought he might of imagined it, but they could've sworn he heard a deep voice whispering, "Thank you."