All charas copyright Togashi Yoshihiro and all respective owners. Standard disclaimers apply.
This is a YYH, angsty, non-yaoi Hiei adventure fic. Enjoy....

Heart of Fire

by Ri-chan
 
 

Chapter One
Concessions
 

        I couldn't bring myself to look in her eyes, at the love brimming there, threatening to overflow, and swallow me whole. Dimly, I could hear the priest chanting his strange, foreign phrases, the happy murmur of the crowd, her soft voice rising through the air in reply to the age-old question. A lump rose in my throat as I fought down the pain swelling in my breast, at what I could not comprehend, or even begin to accept.
        I tore my gaze away and stared at the floor, fearing my pain would betray me. Rage, shame, and a thousand other hydras rose clamoring in my heart. Bitterly I thought, was I such a monster that I could not even feel happy for her?! I had forced on myself a cold impenetratable mask, that at other times came to me so naturally....I had come here, to watch the only tie with my past be given to another. I had tried to stand back, to give her the happiness that she wanted, what in my deepest of hearts, even though I denied, knew must be.
        But why did I feel such loss as I never had felt before?
        She'd come to me that morning, radiant and heartbreakingly beautiful.
        "Ohayo, Hiei-kun!"
        "Hnn."
        I gave her the barest of nods, acknowledging her presence in the only way I knew how. Oh, she'd known I was her brother, for so long. The time before I'd gone back to Makai for the tournament, the knowledge shining in those eyes, the same hue as mine, had caused such turmoil within me that I'd feared to affirm it out loud. If only she'd looked closer!
        She smiled, understanding as always, and we walked together under the stark, leafless branches of the trees, sketched against the weak winter sky. Like ghosts, we stood in the swirling snow. Brush of cold flakes against my cheek.
        "Hiei-kun, I....I thought I'd come here to tell you something...I...."
        I cut her short, brutally, ruthlessly, nearly hating myself for it.
        "Say it."
        Keenly, I felt the depth of her nervousness, of her being, even as we stood apart in the snow, like strangers; I watched her from the periphery of my vision, struggling with the right words to tell me what I -- already knew, with sudden, painful clarity. I hardened my gaze on the trees ahead, refusing, praying not to believe it, not even daring to turn and face her. How pale she had looked!
        For long moments the silence stretched, like ice over the black waters of a pond.
        "I'm going to marry him."
        I'd begun running even before the last syllable had died on her lips. Her piteous cry pursued me, echoing through the trees as I ran, raggedly gasping for the breath that wouldn't come.
        "Hiei .... Please....don't leave me...."
 

        The memory faded in the sudden applause in the church.
        Numbly, I watched them surge forward to congratulate the happy couple, crying in the noisy ningen way that I detested, pushing against me, ignoring the hard, inhuman feel of the body beneath this tailored suit. Caught in the crush of human bodies, I was borne forward, nearly to the edge of the aisle where they were walking, arm in arm, out of the church. Yukina turned her head, and for the barest fraction of a second her clear, beautiful eyes met mine.
        I had the sudden urge to flee, to escape the suffocating throng. I felt the bile rise, and choking, I whirled, seeking to slip away. But her voice caught and held me to the spot.
        "Hiei..."

        Kuwabara beamed with unselfconscious pride, his hand on Yukina's waist as they made their way down the aisle, congratulated right and left by glad cries. He ducked the flowers, streamers and rice showered on them by the enthusiastic well-wishers like so many fluttering butterflies. Beside him Yukina laughed, a joyous little sound.
        He smiled down at her with a tender rush of feeling, and she smiled back, her wine-hued eyes dancing and so alive, so beautiful, lips slightly parted in laughter. -- I love you so much, you know that? --On a sudden wild impulse, both of them caught up in the moment, they ran down the rest of the aisle, giggling foolishly. He let her pull him along, loving the feel of her small warm hand firmly pressed into his.
        They burst out into the sunlight, past the dark polished wood of the church doors. His heart seemed about to burst with joy. Stumbling, nearly falling, he came to a halt, pulling Yukina back against him as a slight figure clothed in black pushed his way past, making as though to escape.
        "Hiei..!"
        Yukina's voice rose above the clamor, clear, unwavering, but uncertain.
        The short, boyish youth turned. For an instant Kuwabara saw a flicker of pain in that cold ruby gaze. Then it was gone, so swiftly that Kuwabara wondered if he'd imagined it, or seen it at all.
        Hiei fixed him with a silent, unfathomable stare, and despite himself he felt a rush of jealousy, and surprisingly enough, pity.  They stood, eyes locked in combat, neither willing to be the first to mouth the necessary politenesses, as though they were concessions. He felt Yukina squeeze his hand, and he sensed the panic rising in the tenseness of her body.
        As heartbeats passed, mouth dry, Kuwabara stared at the little demon he'd so misunderstood over the years. As Hiei glared back at him, defiance and contempt burning in that chilling gaze, the knowledge, the confirment of his earlier suspicions dawned on him like a sudden shock of cold light, leaving him drained and weak. Why had he even doubted...?!?
        "Are you going to stand there all day like a gaping dolt, Kuwabara? Or aren't you going to let me kiss the bride?"
        Yusuke stood grinning before him, impeccable in a suit that fit perfectly on his lean, broad-shouldered frame, one arm flung over Hiei's shoulder. He must have seen the relief in Kuwabara's eyes, heard as he expelled his breath in a long sigh. The tableau broken, Hiei scowled up at the leader of the Reikai Tantei in the familiar insufferable glare, that, for once, Kuwabara was nearly glad to see.
        "Course I will, Urameshi." Kuwabara shared a mutual grin with his friend as Yusuke stepped forward to kiss Yukina affectionately on the cheek.
 
 
 

*end* (for now *giggle*) ri-chan
 
 
 

Chapter Two