Maze of Grace 
Thayet D'Ragon

Eep...to be the first to post after the update...

Ack!! *glares around for Rose* Bara-chan!!! *sigh* All right, all right. So I *finally* re-wrote this to my satisfaction. This was actually my first *ever* fanfic, but I never posted it anywhere or showed it to anyone but Rose, but now she's been naggin' me soooo~ *deep breath* Irewroteitandit'spostedsoleavemealone!!! *sigh* I don't do YYH fics.... 

Yu Yu Hakusho charactors do not belong to me, (though I wouldn't mind owning that green-eyed bishounen. Ooooh. *shivers*) Uh, yeah. But they don't belong to me, so don't sue; I'm not getting any money for writing this, and I'd skip town before you'd ever be able to catch me to make me pay. ^_~ But please, feel free to enjoy the fic. The song was actually done by the group Avalon, Copyright 1997, by Sparrow Records. But it just reminded me of Hiei-san sooo much...

~Thayet 

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"Maze of Grace" 

Hiei jumped through the tall Makai trees, restless in the growing dusk. The onset of nightfall meant some of the dirtier types of youkai would be out soon, creatures that Hiei would rather avoid. He scowled again as he peered into the deepening darkness with his Jagan, searching for the unknown youkai presence in Mukuro's realm. He sighed inaudibly as he picked up the ki again. Mukuro jealously guarded her realm against her neighbors and theiving youkai. 

A sound to his left made the small Jaganeshi whirl sharply, then flit away into a thickening forest. Whispers of sounds caught at his ears, but the ki he had been following flickered and seemed to disappear. Familiar with ki-masking techniques though, Hiei continued in the same direction he had been moving in, waiting for the presence to resurface. 

Sure enough, minutes later he could feel the presence once more, in front and a little to the right of him now. Hiei allowed himself a small smile. Ki-masking wards were often painful to use on ones' self, and were very expensive. While a marginally strong youkai could 'hide' its ki under its own power for a little while, it would resurface like a blaze--letting anyone who waited around long enough know exactly where it was.

Deeper into the forest now, Hiei made sure to watch his step and his back. He was not unfamiliar with the dangers of the Makai's *other* citizens--the various youkai-eating, semi-sentient plants that kept most of the stupider population from becoming too great in number.

Hiei snorted. Like anyone with half a brain couldn't see a moving, toothed bush.

He looked around him again, noticing they were almost to the edge of Mukuro's territory. Come on, just a little bit further, than I can go home and you can quit friggin' running. Hiei scowled at himself. 'Friggin'? Where the hell did *that* come from? I've been hanging around that stupid fox for *way* too long.

The ki stopped again, then disappeared. Hiei suppressed a sigh. "That's it." he complained. "I'm done screwing around with you." Fliting off toward where the youki had disappeard, Hiei prepared himself for battle. He freed his katana from it's sheath and readied his own formidable battle ki.

The Jaganeshi pulled up short when he reached a series of caves. His jagan didn't pick up any loose youki, but soft strains of music barely reached his ears. Hiei shook his head, then decided to enter the lead cave. Letting his Jagan guide him, he ran silently through the dark caves, searching for the dark music that seemed to call to him.

Hiei stopped. Calling...to me? He narrowed his eyes. I'd better be careful. The youki surfaced again, almost directly in front of him. Hiei followed it cautiosly now, no longer straining to hear the soft music. 
Two turns and a narrow passage later, Hiei caught sight of flickering shadows, and soft luminescence. He frowned. It's about time. I-

He cut himself off mid-sentance as a tall figure moved towards him. Stopping short of where the fire demon had hidden himself, the figure placed something on the ground, then ran back into the adjoining cave. Hiei attempted to follow, but the youkai summonded a portal and disappeared itself, leaving Hiei to scowl uselessly at the wall. "Hn. That was pretty rude." he told no one. Checking one last time, he made sure the youkai didn't reappear anywhere within Mukuro's lands. Satisfied, he went back out into the passage to see what had been left.

A small globe, big enough to fit inside the palm of his hand, sat in the corridor. It stayed clear as glass, until he picked it up. In the heat of Hiei's hand, the globe lit with an inner light.

Hiei almost dropped it when it spoke his name.

~Hiei~

Hiei scowled at the globe, but held on fast. As long as the damn thing doesn't blow up.

~This is for you... just a little something from a friend. Show Kurama if you wish, and watch out for him.~

Hiei could hear the smile behind the admonition. He almost tossed the globe over his shoulder, when it began to emit strange sounds. Hiei studied it, curious. A pleasant melody seemed to drift to him, softly spoken words sung to the beat.

Now who could have...

Hiei shook his head. That meddling girl. Why did she... he broke off as he begon to listen to the words. Recognition dawned on his face. How did she know...?
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Kurama entered the park, quiet in the growing dusk. Couples walked hand in hand, arm in arm, heading to their homes, together.

Kurama sighed. Ever since the Urameshi Team had run into an old friend of his, Hiei had been avoiding him. Hiei had stopped outside his house only once since then, but Kurama had been entertaining his guest. Kurama smiled as he thought about that night. Other than Hiei, he felt Thayet was the only other person to understand him. She knew him as Suuichi Minamino and Kurama, minus his being a youko. But he doubted she'd be very surprised if he showed her his alter-form.

He remembered her words from that night, after he had tried to follow Hiei. She had smiled at him with such understanding, he couldn't help but stay with her to find out why. They sat in his garden, under the cloudless, star-lit night.

"You and Hiei are friends, and nothing should ever come between you. I rather doubt if anything *could*." she explained to him. He had looked away from her, trying to search out his own mixed-up feelings, trying to understand what she was trying to say. "It's so much more than friendship, something so deep, it's almost as if you shared a soul. The understanding between you goes so much beyond any other relationship..., it's hard to put into words."

She searched out his eyes. Gray eyes met green. "But you know that, don't you. The feelings you both share, almost as if you've lived countless lives together..." 

In the present, Kurama smiled again. She had known so much, and seemed somewhat sad, but she had told him to seek Hiei out on his own. He knew the fire demon would never come of his own accord; he was too stubborn for that. Kurama wondered how Hiei felt. He had always been able to come and talk to Kurama at any time, and Kurama hoped he was still willing to talk.

Kurama approached the forest behind the park, where he knew Hiei hung out when not at his house. "Hiei?" he called quietly. Kurama clutched his coat tighter around him as the wind picked up. "Hiei?"

Kurama climbed up the short cliffside that led to Hiei's 'home' in the Ningenkai. He could feel the youko's presence inside, but Hiei himself did not answer him. Kurama pushed himself into the passageway that marked the concealed entrance to Hiei's cave.

"Hiei?"

Kurama entered the small cave, suddenly confronted by the smaller, but more intimidating fire demon. Hiei's ruby eyes stared into his emerald green ones.

"What did you tell her?" he asked him softly.

Kurama stared at his friend. "What do you mean?"

"What did you tell her?" Hiei asked him again.

Kurama's sensitive nose picked out the slight scent of jasmine on Hiei, and he understood. "You've met Thayet."

Hiei didn't anwer, still searching Kurama's eyes. Kurama dropped his gaze first, unwilling to compete in a battle of wills he knew he would lose. Hiei backed away, walking to a natural window-like structure to look out across the moving sea of trees.

Kurama studied Hiei's back, curiosity waring with his sense of discretion where it applied to Hiei. Curiosity won.

"What did she say to you?"

Hiei never turned around. "Hn. Stupid fox. Who said she said anything?"

Kurama smiled, waiting. "So? What did she do?"

He had to strain to hear Hiei's next words. "She gave me something."

Kurama sat down on Hiei's pallet. "What, Hiei?"

Hiei turned to glare at Kurama, then turned back to his gazing.

Kurama sighed silently, wondering if he should press further. He was about to leave when he heard a strange, soothing sound coming from Hiei's direction. His eyes widened in shock. Hiei was...singing?!?

Not quite. Kurama listened attentively, but there was music in the background, and a softer, much more feminine voice sang the lyrics. But below that, almost under the range of his human hearing, Kurama could hear Hiei softly humming along. Kurama smiled, listening to the haunting tune coming from the reclusive youko in front of him.

I run
I fall
I walk
I sometimes crawl
I give
I take 
I bend and yet somehow I break 


I get dizzy from all this spinning 'round
I'm determined but wonder where I'm bound
I've learned to follow the sweet familiar sound of your voice 


The straight and narrow twists and turns
I make my way and everyday I live I learn to follow you
You walk me through a maze of grace 


I stand
I sway
I reach for you
I push away
I'm spent
I'm saved 
I disobey yet I behave 


In my personal struggle to break free
The only peace for the puzzle that I need
Is just to follow the sweet familiar lead of your love 


The straight and narrow twists and turns
I make my way and everyday I live I learn to follow you 
You walk me through a maze of grace
I'm lost in you and there I'm found
You're gently guiding 
Every time I turn around it's no surprise
To find my life's a maze of grace 


Hiei waited a moment before turning around, staring at the deep black globe. Thayet had given him the song, but the implications startled the fire demon more than he would admit. Thayet had sounded so sure of herself, and somehow had known how much the stupid fox had meant to him. Hiei had to admit that she had known; Thayet had known just how much Kurama meant to him, a real-life savior to him. Hiei knew he would never forget this gift.

Kurama smiled again, quickly wiping a tear from his eye before Hiei turned around. He knew the song had been given to Hiei by Thayet, no one else could have described the fire demon so well. He paused again as Hiei started speaking.

"Hn. She said I sounded like you, Fox." It was almost an accusation. Kurama raised his brows, waiting.

"What else did she tell you?" he finally asked.

Hiei turned around, glaring at Kurama, tilting his head a little. "She told me to watch out for you." Hiei watched the shock that played over Kurama's face with dark amusement. "Hn. Stupid fox." 
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Yes, I'll admit this story was supposed to be part of some other obscure timeline, that won't come into play unless I ever finish the stupid novel. Shuttup, Rose!!! So no, I don't expect you to know who Thayet is...and no, it's not me, and no, there is no real plot to this story. I heard the song, then started the fic when I was really bored, then made the mistake of showing Rose...*sigh* Don't ask... 
Anyways, go ahead and e-mail any and all flames here- Thayet@Chichiri.com. C&C is also welcome, and won't be laughed at as heartily. Ja ne, minna!




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