Hiei could not avoid a little smile when he thought back about what had happened.

That time it had not been a sorrowful departure, it was not an emotional break-up. It had been a rather rational decision - His personal decision. He was not suffering like he imagined he would.

He might come to miss his silvery lover after a little while, but in fact the initial feeling was of enthusiasm. He could not deny he was enjoying the sweet taste of freedom that filled the prospective of living on his own for a while.

True is sometimes he missed the hard but adventurous life he had in his past, after he left the band of thieves that raised him, and before he joined Urameshi's Team. It was a lonely, dangerous life, but damit! He was a Fire youkai, a Demon! He missed the danger, the kilings, and the many raids!

He hated being softened into a couch potato, after he had started his relationship withKurama, but for love he had never mentioned it to his partner. But now he decided he needed conjugal vacations.

The sensation he felt as he walked down the path through that part of the Makai forest was intense.  He felt carefree, with no worries whatsoever. He had nowhere to go, and no burdens to carry along.

Hiei headed straight to a place he knew, out of Gandara's borders, in Makai's wasteland. A region far off Yomi's rules and regulations, which had always been known to be the hide-out of vicious mercenaries and killers. Hiei had been to such place again and again in his former bandit life. It was a place where every kind of Makai scum could be hired for every purpose and by any price.

Kurama would have a heart attack if he saw him stepping into such a shack. It was a  shabby tavern, a hut build out of adobe, rocks, wood, and every material available. From afar it seemed more a pile of garbage than a dwelling place. Nevertheless it was inside that hut that the cream of Makai's freelance adventurers and assassins could be found.

Kurama had become over-protective to the extreme since they moved to the Makai. He was a little more reasonable and balanced in the past, before... Well... Before... That...

Hiei hated to recall the time he had been kidnapped, raped and imprisoned. But it was that episode that triggered Kurama's exaggerated caring attitude towards him.

But the youko needed to give him a break once in a while. He was a class S youkai, he could take care of himself! Or at least he could be allowed to live without a 7 feet-tall youko acting the baby-sitter on his heels.

He loved Kurama. But some time apart would do them good.

And in case he came back to find Kurama in Yomi's bed, turning his former lover's dreams into reality... Well, then... Then it would be the end.

He crossed the entrance and stepped in boldly. It was all dark and confusing, and the presence of many different types of youkai filled the tight bar room with moving shadows, noises and smells of every possible type. Aware of his own power and of the sharp katana he carried hidden under his cloak, Hiei found way in between the boozers and braggarts easily. Small and dressed in black, he was not noticed, walking in through that foul-smelling bunch withut being annoyed at all.

He only needed to sit down somewhere and wait. Like it always happened in a place like that, either adventure or trouble would soon come his way.

He followed decisively to the long counter, and perched one of the stools, observing the bottles and flasks dissordely exposed on the shelves.

Caos, danger, dirt, stench, dust... It felt great! Kurama was right - He was not a very domestic kind of youkai. Adventure and danger pumped in his blood. He missed the thrill, he missed a fight, he missed killing one youkai, or two, or three hundred of them!

That place might seem a little rough, but it was exactly what he needed.

The different dialects and the roars and growls were heard here and there, together with whispered half-secrets.

Hiei signalled to the bartender for something to drink. Any strong stuff. He never understood why Kurama was so mindful of not letting him drink while they were in the Ningenkai - Probably afraid of his drunken reactions in the human world... But Hiei knew how to hold his liquor. He was used to it, although he must confess he preferred coke to sake.

There was no coke in the Makai, so...

Thankfully Gandara's currency was acceppted thoughout the Makai.  He reached for some coinns in his pockets, and he could not help but imagine Kurama would need to provide for the family in his absence. He bet the youko would end up selling scions of youkai-eating plants in Gandara's Market, or making Kinno work an extra shift selling cucumbers.

It would be a good change for Kurama. He needed some different spice added to his monotonous life of baby-sitting grown Fire Youkai who needed not be watched over.

Hiei was mindful of his own thoughts, savoring the heavy drink, when he heard a growl next to him and turned to see.

It was an ugly bad-smelling fellow with a twangy voice who faced Hiei with a very affected defiance.

Hiei grimaced at the foul breath that came out of that ghoul's mouth.

"I don't like you." the strange youkai announced.

Hiei frowned. But Kurama had been imprinting on him the need for better manners so  badly since they had started their relationship, that Hiei breathed in deeper and decided to count to ten.

"Sorry." He answered back calmly, going back to his drink.

Another youkai, a taller one with horns, a big and twisted aquiline nose and long fangs, took the lead, poking at Hiei's shoulder.

"I don't like you either!"

Hiei looked down his nose at that idiot, but did not say anything.

"You just watch yourself!" The big-nosed guy continued, menacingly. "We're wanted youkai. I'm Death sentenced in 12 different Kingdoms!"

Hiei gave the pair of knuckleheads an ironic sideways grin.

"I'll be careful." He added, thinking those two were such a scum they were not worth the effort. After all, all he wanted was to take some drinks and recall his past...

"You'll be dead!"
 
The youkai tried to attack Hiei, but the small Fire Youkai dodged that beast's clumsy blow so fast he could not be seen. Only the quick, silvery blur of his blade being brandished in a direct, powerful attack was divised in the dark. Then everybody around heard a hoarse, painful cry, and a sticky thud as somehing dropped against the floor.

It was a chopped off arm, whose fingers were still twitching as if trying to hold out to something.

The youkai cried louder when he realized his own severed limb fell to the floor, but his cry became a high gurgling sound because his throat was slashed by another blow of Hiei's katana.
 
Hiei jumped one step behind, his katana being waved in a long, slow move, as he faced all the demons around, ready to show them he meant business. He wanted to be left alone to drink, and if needed he would kill everyone inside to stand for his right to do it!

The dead youkai's friend's circled him, and a commotion grew around the scene. Hiei just snorted and showed them a comtemptuous little smile, playfully tossing his katana from one hand to the other, and making his stand. His smile widened. He enjoyed killing idiotic ruffians like those any time. It was very fun! He missed that thrill! He was not the kind of guy who would pick up a fight, but once inside - It felt too great to give it up before the end!

However, none of them dared to defy him. It was an unspoken rule in that underworld. Each one must deal and clean his own crap... Hiei had been the winner in that dispute, therefore, no one would belly him. Soon a clearing was formed at the middle of that crowded bar room where Hiei stood alone and undefeated.

The dead demon's body was dragged out of the way, put at a corner for further disposal. The deceased's friend, instead of avenging his dead buddy, just disappeared in the shadows, unwilling to confront Hiei.

Little by little the rumouring crowd went back to normal, and Hiei found it better to sit at a table in a corner. Keeping his back against a wall he could relax a little better in order to enjoy his drink.

He hoped no thugs wanted any more confusion.

He sunk into the shadows and kept on drinking, taking eventual glimpses at the crowd, who looked up at him n a discreet but surprised way. They were amazed at his deadly nimbleness. A quiet and powerful strange warrior was always welcomed in that shabby tavern. It was good marketing for the tavern-keeper business.

He knew he had made an impression, and he could not deny he enjoyed being the focus of attention. Whenever he was with Kurama, his gorgeous, taller partner always attracted all the spotlight for himself.

It was then a cloaked fugure approached the table, extending out his right hand as if to show he was unarmed. A hood covered his head, concealing his face, and even as the stranger spoke, it was a soft but undefined tone of voice.

"May we talk?"

Hiei looked up at the guy with a bad-tempered disposition and lots of suspicion.

"Why?"

"Am I mistaken, or were you one of the Makai Tournament semi-finalists?"

Hiei breathed deeper, involuntarily proud of being recognized.

"You are righht. Why do you ask?"

"I have a business proposal. Are you for hire?"

Hiei did not answer it immediately. He drank the rest of his sake and knocked the rustic cup back on the table-top. He lowered his eyes and kept a focused expression, thinking on his alternatives.

Maybe if he kept just strolling around the Makai doing nothing he would end up going back to Kurama after having spent too many lonely nights... Perhaps he needed a real commitment, like a mission or a job in a war to be blocked from going back home sooner than he intended.

Cold nights would be hard to go through on his own... In a war, being part of an army, or hired to kill some youkai would help deviating his mind and relieve the missing feeling he would sonn face after some more days away from Kurama.

Not to mention he must keep up with his determination in teaching the youko a lesson - He could not surrender and let Kurama win that round again. He could not go after the youko like a trained puppy... Oh, no...

Besides, Hiei imagined it would be very good to Kurama to spend some time alone with Kinno and the kids. Kurama might hate it in the beginning, but in fact the longer Hiei stayed away, the better it would be for them. It would help strenghtening the family ties.

Hiei invited the stranger to sit down, with a very sober gesture, aware he must not seem too interested on his proposal.

"It depends. What's the job?"

His response seemed to arouse the cloaked stranger's interest further yet. He looked around, carefully, and leaned forward, murmuring back to Hiei.

"My name is Naguri. I represent an oppressed tribe from the South. My People's leader sent me here with the task of hiring fast, deadly warriors who might freed us form a greedy Lord's rule."

The cloaked figure leaned a little closer, and it was then, Hiei saw his face, revealed by the fluttering light of the candle placed on the center of the table. He was a very young youkai, with big yellowish eyes with long pupil's, like snake's eyes. His skin was very pale, like alabaster, and yet he inspired extreme courage and determination in his expression.

"Where is it?" Hiei asked, still indifferent.

The youkai found a rolled parchment from under his cloak, and unfolded it on the table. Hiei looked down curiously at the map. In fact, it was a very distant region of the Makai. Far away enough from Gandara to prevent him from ending his conjugal vacations too soon.

Naguri started to show directions following the inked lines on the map with a long, slender index finger, whispering explanations and directions.

"We are surrounded by enemy villages. Tribes who had been our allies for ages and now are rebelling against our rule. We have fought bravely, but as our enemies have hired mercenaries, we decided we must do the same."

What's the pay?"

"You name your price. I have seen your nimbleness and your power. You are deadly, and your art of war is unsuspected. No one would think there is such a fierce killer under your boyish appearance."

Hiei furrowed his brow, taking it as an insult at first, but then getting the chance to see he meant it with a fair and best intention.
 
"Who's hiring?"

"Our Sovereign's name is Usuki. A very strog and respected leader from the South."

"I've never heard the name."

"Names are not important. You are a mercenary and it is the pay that matters. We can assure you a high pay, if you come fight on our side. You will get to negotiate it directly with our leader, and you will be free to leave in case you find it unnacceptable."

Hiei's eyes continued to examine the regions drawn on the map, and he drummed his bandaged fingers on the table. It was a very thoughtless thing to accept such a proposal on the spur of the moment. But in fact, he had nothing else to do. Even if it were dangerous, the worse that could happen is that he might need to kill youkai - and it was exactly what he wanted. He could be buying a pig in a poke, but Hiei was sure in this case, it would soon be just another dead pig on his way.

"Hn... Tell me more about it"
 
 
 

To be Continued...