by Rhionae
 
 

Sequel to Raindrops and Feet
 

How could Hiei-san have done this?  Yukina stared after him for a moment before a low moan caught her attention.

"Kazuma-san!"  She pressed her hands against the flowing tide of blood, concentrating on healing the twin wounds on either
side of his torso.  Delicately probing, she found that Hiei’s thrust had left clear-cut edges which would be relatively easy to bind
together, and heal.  He had missed the heart, but he had come close - so very close! - nicking the aorta, causing the fountain of
blood which was pouring from her beloved’s chest.

Carefully, she bound the severed blood vessels, easing Kazuma into a gentle sleep.  She observed his sleeping face closely.
Yes, he would be all right, now.  She felt a touch on her shoulder, and looked up to see a worried Keiko.  Beyond her Yuusuke
was alternating between gazing in concern at Kazuma and scowling out the window.

"He’ll be okay?" He asked quickly, as she stroked her fiancee’s brow.

"Hai," she replied quietly.  "The katana missed his heart.  He’ll be just fine when he wakes up."  She turned her red eyes
towards him, as he sighed in relief.  "Yuusuke-san, what happened?" She pleaded.  "Do you know why Hiei-san did this?"

Yuusuke winced.  "Well…"

"I know they had their quarrels… but they were still friends!"

He sweatdropped.  "Ummm…"

"Yuusuke!" Keiko ordered crisply.  "Stop stalling and tell us what happened!"

"It’s because of me, isn’t it?" Red eyes darkened, as she came to her conclusion, then glistened with unshed tears.  "I know it
is!  What did I do wrong?"

Keiko hugged her shoulders, while Yuusuke looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"You haven’t done anything wrong, Yukina-chan," Keiko soothed.  "Has she, Yuusuke?" Her voice took on a sharper edge.

"No…"  He sighed, squaring his shoulders.  He opened his mouth and -

"Kurama!  You can tell them why Hiei lost it, right?"

The slender redhead was standing in the doorway behind them, soaking wet and breathing heavily.  A dejected look was on his
face.

"I lost him," he panted.  "He was just too fast for me.  Will Kuwabara be all right?"

"Hai, Kurama-san, he just needs to rest."  She directed her despairing gaze at the youko.  "Please tell me, Kurama-san, they
were fighting over me, weren’t they?"

Kurama’s serious green gaze caught her own; he paused to catch his breath, considering.

"Hai, Yukina," he told her at last.  "They were arguing over you.  But - " he continued hastily as she smothered a sob, hands
covering her mouth. "But Kuwabara didn’t know that it was you they were talking about."

Yukina blinked.  "I don’t understand.  Why didn’t he know?"

Kurama gazed at her steadily.  "Because Hiei was talking about his sister."

She gasped.  His sister!  She was his sister!  And he was her brother!  But why didn’t he tell her?  Didn’t he like her?  Was that
why he had hurt - no, tried to kill - Kazuma?  To hurrt her?  No!  She couldn’t believe that! He had been horrified when he had
seen her standing there. He would never hurt her!  But he had, by not telling her the truth…

She shook her head, confused.  "But… why did he…?" She trailed off, uncertain as to whether or not she really wanted to hear
the answer.

"Kuwabara didn’t know that it was you," Kurama repeated gently.  "He was drunk, and he said something he shouldn’t have.
Hiei was just trying to protect you… but his instincts carried him a little too far…"

She stared into his emerald eyes for a moment, before making her decision.   Kazuma would be all right without her now.  But
her brother…  Hiei would not come back on his own, she knew.  So she had to go to him.

She checked Kazuma once more before standing up.  "I have to see him," she told the others.  "I have to know."

Kurama nodded, and stood aside.  She left the room, and set about finding her brother.

She had always had a bond with her twin.  It was that bond which had caused her to seek him out in the first place - for without
him, she was incomplete.  She had hoped that Hiei was her brother the first time they had met… but he had never said a word
to her about it.  Why hadn’t he?  Did he simply not care?  No, she knew that wasn’t true - else why would he have looked at
her with such despair in his eyes…?  He tried to hide his emotions from the world, but he couldn’t hide them from her, not
completely.  Nor could he hide his presence - not that he was trying very hard at the moment.  It was his speed that had forced
Kurama to give up the chase through the rain.

Hiei was fast - but so was she!  She ran where her heart led her, ran as she had never run before, until she caught sight of a
dark form, huddled on the muddy ground.   Heart racing, she slowly approached.

"Hiei-san?"

He didn’t move.

"Hiei-san, Kazuma-san will be okay; you didn’t kill him."

He seemed to relax a bit.

She reached out to touch his shoulders; he slowly raised his frightened eyes to meet hers.

"I’m sorry, Yukina-san," he choked out.  "I didn’t mean to…"

"It’s all right, Oniisan," she smiled at him.

His eyes widened in shock.

"How can you say it’s all right?" he burst out.  "I almost killed your fiancee!  How can you possibly accept me…?"  He trailed
off, despair in his eyes, turning away from her.

She hugged him.

He froze.

"You didn’t kill him, Oniisan," she told him forcefully.  "And you are my brother.  Unless," she hesitated.  "Unless, you don’t
want me for a sister."

He stared at her, taken aback for a moment, before shaking his head violently.  "You’re the best sister anyone could ever have!
And the kindest and the gentlest and the sweetest…"

She laughed, delighted.  "And you’re the best brother I could ever have!"

Slowly, the corners of his mouth turned upwards.  Soon he joined her in joyful laughter.

"Now everything is perfect!" she exclaimed.

Beside her, she could sense her twin’s complete agreement.
 
 
 

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