Time to Pretend

It was an amazing testament to Yusuke's developing demonic powers that he sensed Hiei before he saw him. A grin broke out on his face, and he paused under the tree the little fire demon was perched in.

"Hey, Hiei." The half demon said casually.

The spiky haired demon jumped down from the tree and gave Yusuke a shrewd look. "Finally using your superior senses, I see." He said coolly.

Yusuke shrugged. "Can't ignore them forever."

"Not that you weren't trying." Hiei fell into step with the former detective as he headed up the street. He took note of the grocery bags his friend was loaded down with and raised an eyebrow. "A little light shopping?"

Another shrug. "Keiko needed some stuff."

"From husband to errand boy." Hiei sneered. "How the mighty have fallen."

"I could say the same of you." Yusuke returned. "Or does it not count since you aren't married to Mukuro?" The shorter demon rolled his eyes but said nothing. "How long have you been back anyway?" Yusuke continued.

"A few hours."

"So you haven't seen Kurama yet?"

Hiei shook his head. "He's working, and I find his home dull when he's not there."

"Then I have something to say to you."

Hiei said nothing, but tilted his head indicating he was listening.

"I had a very interesting conversation with Kurama last week." Yusuke said. "I went to him to ask about my options once I have nothing left in this world."

Red eyes widened. "Hn."

"He told me that you had made an offer for my future."

"The fox always has talked too much."

Now Yusuke's eyes widened. "You're not going to deny it?"

"Why should I? I wouldn't have suggested it if I weren't serious. I don't play games, Yusuke. If I want something I find a way to get it."

The half demon snorted. "Yeah, it just takes you years to admit you want it." Everyone knew how long their three eyed friend had danced around Kurama's pursuit of him before he gave in. "Why me?"

"If you are looking for me to relieve you of your insecurities, then you are looking in the wrong place. My reasons are my own, and I am sure Kurama coddled you enough for the both of us."

Yusuke couldn't help but snicker at that. "Kurama doesn't coddle people, Hiei. You know that as well as anyone. But yeah, he told me a few reasons why he was okay with this. Someday I'd still like to hear your reasoning, since it was your idea and all. For the life of me I can't think of what I did to earn the notice of the great and terrible Hiei."

"Then you're more of an idiot than I thought you were. I do hope you rectify that soon. If I wanted to spend the rest of my life with a moron, I'd be having this conversation with Kuwabara."

Before Yusuke could answer, Hiei had flitted out of sight. The mazoku shook his head and headed to the little apartment he shared with Keiko.

His wife (and here he cringed a little at the thought) looked up when he entered. "Where have you been?" she demanded.

Yusuke gave her a blank look. "Didn't you send me out for groceries?"

"Yeah, an hour ago."

A shrug was his response. "I ran into Hiei on the way back, so we talked for a bit. I need to stay in touch with my demon friends more than ever now that I am one, you know."

Keiko sighed. "I know. Sometimes I just wish…"

Yusuke knew what she wished. "Yeah well…the worlds don't work like that."

"Do you ever think we'd be happier if there was only one world, Yusuke? Or if we still thought there was only one?"

"You weren't satisfied with me back then either." Yusuke said quietly. He walked into their kitchen to put away the groceries. Sometimes all he wanted was for Keiko to get it. To just realize that even though they lived in Ningenkai, things were never going to be the same no matter how hard she tried to make them so. He found himself wishing for cool green eyes and bandaged hands, but there was no time for that. "I'm headed to work, Keiko!" he called, and was out the door before she could reply.

Kurama grinned as he let himself into his apartment; he could feel that Hiei was there. The little fire demon had his head in the refrigerator and his lips wrapped around a piece of chicken that he had warmed with his powers.

"Hungry, Hiei?" the redhead deadpanned.

In less than a second, Hiei had eaten the rest of the chicken, and pressed Kurama up against the wall of the kitchen. "Always." He replied huskily.

Kurama laughed. "I missed you too." He said. The two of them shared a deep kiss against the wall. Hiei dug his fingers into Kurama's hair and breathed in the scent of him. The air in the Makai made him feel at home, but his kitsune's unique scent made him feel safe.

Wasting no more time, the two demons made their way up to the bedroom to finish their reunion.

It was later, when they were lying naked and entwined in the bed, that Hiei brought up the subject of their eventual third.

"You told Yusuke." He said.

Kurama nodded. "You didn't say I shouldn't, and honestly I think he needed the reassurance that he wasn't going to be completely abandoned. You spoke with him today?"

Hiei inclined his head. "The fool doesn't understand yet."

"I tried to tell him a little of it when we spoke, but I get the feeling that he is confused as to why you would make such an offer in the first place."

"And you couldn't have just told him?"

"Who am I to try and fathom the reason behind your decisions, Hiei?"

The fire demon snorted. "Oh please. That's one of your favorite pastimes. You just want to hear me say them aloud to assuage your voracious curiosity."

Kurama laughed. "You know me well. And it's good to see that being with me has enhanced your vocabulary so prolifically."

"Oh shut up." Hiei snapped with no real fire. He sighed. "I…admire him." He reluctantly admitted. "That and I don't think he deserves to rot here in the Ningenkai alone. He's better off with us."

"Plus you think he's cute."

Hiei scowled. "I do not."

"But you must. Otherwise you wouldn't have extended the offer quite so far."

"Shut up."

Kurama smiled indulgently. "That means I'm right. It's okay, Hiei, you can admit that you like him; I'm not going to be jealous. Obviously I like him too."

"Obviously. I wonder who he's doing this more for. You or me?"

"I'd wager he's doing it more for himself. Think about it, Hiei. Imagine being alone for as long as he'll probably live. Whether he was here or in the Makai it would make little difference. Loneliness is loneliness."

"You do not have to tell me that." Hiei murmured.

The kitsune pulled his lover closer. "Of course not. You know, I think this is going to work out well: the three of us."

"Hn. Where are we going to live?" Hiei wanted to know.

Kurama thought about that. "I refuse to stay in Mukuro's territory."

"Yomi's is out too."

"Yes, that is probably for the best. Hmm…Yusuke does have territory of his own. We could settle down there if he were willing. We do have many decades to think about this though."

"Don't be so sure. You can smell the unhappiness pouring off of him." Hiei said. "His marriage to the little human girl might not last long."

Kurama didn't reply to that. He detangled himself from the other demon and stood up.

Hiei followed the smooth line of the fox's body as Kurama stretched and began to get dressed. "Where are you going?" he demanded.

"I suddenly have a craving for some ramen."

Business was slow for Yusuke's ramen stand. So far, he had served two old ladies and a middle aged man and his son. Now he was sitting in the chair he kept on hand with his elbow resting on the counter, chin in hand, and eyes unfocused.

"Nice to see you're so attentive to your customers." A soft voice said near his ear.

Yusuke yelped and jumped back to see Kurama leaning across the counter with a mischievous look in his eyes. Hiei stood behind him looking bored, as usual.

"And here I was thinking your senses had improved." The fire demon muttered.

"It don't count if I was spaced out." Yusuke shot back. "What are you guys doing here? I thought you woulda been busy 'reuniting'." He formed air quotes for that last.

Kurama chuckled. "We already did that. One needs to eat to have the energy for such things, and what better way to get said energy than to patronize the facilities of one of our dearest friends."

Yusuke blinked at the redhead and then looked over at Hiei. "How do you stand him?"

Hiei snorted. "Selective hearing."

"Right. So what can I get the two of you?"

The kitsune took the liberty of ordering for Hiei and himself, and then took a seat. "How are things, Yusuke?" he asked as his friend cooked.

Yusuke shrugged. "Same old, same old. Keiko wishes I wasn't a demon."

"Ah. Well there isn't really much you can do about that."

"I know. Doesn't stop her from bringing it up all the damned time."

Hiei shot his lover a triumphant look which Kurama politely ignored. "Are you happy?" he asked.

The former detective sighed. "You want the truth, or what I've been trying to convince myself?"

"Whichever you wish to tell me."

Brown eyes met green and then darted away. "No." he murmured. "I'm not. I thought that coming back here and marrying Keiko like I always planned to would make things alright all of a sudden. But things are worse than they ever were now. We hardly talk about anything other than work or chores, and I hate it. I want to ask her if she realizes that I'm going to stay young while she gets old and dies, but I'm afraid she doesn't."

"That is quite a conundrum." Kurama replied. "You will have to tell her eventually, Yusuke. Otherwise she will just be forced to find the hard way, and she might resent you for it."

"I know. I know." Yusuke replied. He poured the ramen into two bowls and set them in front of his friends. "Can we talk about something else, please?"

"Like what?" Kurama wanted to know.

Yusuke shrugged. "Like who's going to be on top in this little threesome of ours. I nominate myself."

Hiei snorted. "That is not how it is going to work."

The redhead smiled. "All in due time, my friend. All in due time."