Quitting the Team, Chapter 1
Kuwabara Kazuma trudged along the sidewalk, kicking a pebble as he went. Today was a bad day, and not because the evil that was the school system still existed, nor because of homework.
According to the others, he could never do a solo fight. He was too weak to do so, and might get killed in the process. Yusuke was strong enough to take on a giant ogre and kill it with his Rei gun. Hiei and Kurama were definitely strong enough to take on a crowd.
He sighed deeply and kicked the pebble once more before it tumbled onto the road. What use did he have to the team? Honestly, the Reikai Tantei was a team of three, with one backup.
�Yo, Kuwabara, stay behind and watch for any more demons okay? I�m going in with Hiei while Kurama distracts the main boss.�
�Tell me, how does it feel to be in a constant haze of stupidity?�
�I am sorry Kuwabara, but this enemy is beyond the power levels of you or Yusuke.�
�Fool.�
�Sorry, we need you for backup.�
Kuwabara Kazuma, the great back up fighter who never fought.
How humiliating.
The teen was now standing in front of the apartment that he shared with Shizuru, his sister. In a daze of how he got there on autopilot, he shrugged and went in, collapsing on his bed.
�Baby brother, why are you home so soon?� Shizuru herself stood in the doorway; one hand perched on her hip. �Its only one in the afternoon.�
Kuwabara didn�t move.
�Fine, I don�t care. Make sure you eat something for dinner. I�m going shopping with Keiko.�
He grunted and rolled over, not wanting to talk to anyone right now, thereby missing the look of concern that crossed her face. Kazuma was not one to miss out on social events, or ignore her like this. Usually, he would grace with an answer alike to �go ahead and waste more money buying stupid clothes.�
Sighing, she left the apartment.
He didn�t move the entire time his sister was gone, falling into a restless sleep soon after she left.
Shizuru stood, puzzled in Kazuma�s doorway. In her hand was a shopping bag filled to the brim with clothing articles, forgotten for the moment. It was five o�clock, and he would be either eating her out of house and home, or crashing the Urameshi or Minamono home. Both of his friends were used to it.
Instead, she found him asleep, and by the looks of it, he had done nothing for three hours.
Shizuru dumped her goods in her own room before picking up the telephone. She pondered who to call first, choosing to call Yusuke, and dialed the number. After three rings, Yusuke�s voice came over the phone. �Yusuke here.�
�You know, people say something more polite than �Yusuke here.��
�Feh. Why you calling Shizuru?�
�It�s about my brother.�
�Did he get in trouble again?� He snickered.
Shizuru sighed again. �No, I would prefer if he was. Today he has been acting strange.�
A snort. �So?�
�He looks depressed, never made any smart aleck comments at all, and slept while I was at the mall. He didn�t eat anything, as far I could see.�
Shocked into silence, Yusuke uttered a sound akin to a strangled cry. �Woah, that is weird.�
�Tell me about it. Is there anything that happened today, like an argument or something.�
�Well, he and Hiei always argue on a daily basis. Now that I think about it, Kuwabara seemed a little down, and ended the argument first without our help.� He made a �hmm� sound and let out a frustrated sigh. �Let me call Kurama, and I�ll call you back.�
�Thanks.�
�No problem.�
Click. She hung up and sloppily dropped the phone on its cradle.
A moment later, Kazuma meandered into the room, rubbing his eyes sleepily. �Hey sis.�
�Tired?� She asked.
He merely nodded.
�Hungry?� She asked, frowning when he shook his head no and plopped onto the couch, turning on the television.
Striding over to the television, she pressed the power button, standing in front of it. �Okay, something is up.�
Kazuma�s eyes were lifeless as he stared hard at her. �I don�t want to talk about it.�
�Yes, you are. Today, little brother, you have been acting unusual. I think you are depressed.�
�So what if I am?� He shrugged his shoulders.
She (once again) sighed, and sat next to him on the couch. �Talk to me. Just talk, and I�ll listen.� At his silence, she glowered at him. �For once in my life, I am worried about you.�
That seemed to get through his thick skull. He only stared at her before slouching against the couch. �No one cares about me.�
Shizuru eyed her brother carefully. Never before had he sounded so depressed. �I care about you, and so does the team, and don�t forget Yukina.�
�Fine. I�ll talk. Urameshi and Kurama and the shrimp can handle cases by themselves and always put me as back up. I�m a stupid kid who can�t fight to save his life.� He gave her a look, then turned away from his sister�s shocked face.
�I � I had no idea. Kazuma, look at me.� When he ignore her, she placed her hands on his shoulders and forced him to look her in the eyes. �You will tell me why you�re depressed.�
He shoved her hands away. �I told you.�
�Details, brother. I want the nitty gritty.�
He grunted and didn�t say anything, staring at a hole in the wall. �I told you the details.�
Shizuru leaned back against the couch as well, considering his words. If it was his friends causing this depression� it was time a little heart to heart discussion�.
The phone rang.
She got up from the couch and tossed the remote somewhere in Kazuma�s direction, picking up the nearby phone. �Moshi Moshi, Kuwabara Shizuru speaking.�
�Hey Shizuru, this is Yusuke. I just spoke with Kurama.�
�Assemble your friends and come here. I need to speak with you all.� Her tone was all business, and slightly cold.
�Gotcha. I�ll be there ten, fifteen minutes, tops.� He hung up.
Shizuru waited ten minutes before there was a loud knock at the door, followed by two more. A loud cursing�Yusuke�s�protested against something. She got up and opened the door. Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke stood there.
�Hello Shizuru,� Kurama greeted warmly.
�Come into the living room.� Shizuru said, stepping aside to make room for the three and closing the door behind her. Pulling a pack of cigarettes from her back pocket and lighting it. She was a bit nervous.
Entering the living room, Kuwabara was glaring at all three and sitting away from them. She smirked, amused. �Okay, sit. I have to talk you regarding my brother here.�
�Have you found out why?� Kurama asked, seated cross-legged on the floor.
�Yes, that�s why I called you here.� She turned to look at Kazuma. �You want to talk, or should I?�
The aforementioned teen shrugged. �I�ll talk.� Turning his attention to the team, he noted that all of them were seated in usual positions; Hiei in the corner window, Kurama now leaning against the wall in a casual position, and Yusuke sprawled on the floor. �You don�t need me anymore on the team. It�s always �stay back,� or �you can�t do it today,� or �we need you for backup.� He glared maliciously at Hiei, who stared back nonchalantly. �And shrimpy isn�t any help either.�
�But�� Yusuke interrupted.
�Shut up, and let me talk.� Yusuke jerked back, falling silent. �In the last year, out of the million cases toddler had us on, I only fought in ten.�
Silence. Shizuru continued puffing on her cigarette; Kurama was thinking; Yusuke was trading a meaningful glance with Hiei, who twitched a miniscule degree. It was Hiei who spoke up surprisingly.
�You feel left out?� He asked, his arms folded in front of his chest.
�Pretty much.�
�I�m sorry, Kuwabara. I should have seen the signs.�
�Me too. As observant as I am, it is no excuse.� He paused and glanced at Hiei, who didn�t move a muscle. He flashed one of those �do it now or you�ll pay� glares at the fire demon, smirking as Hiei mumbled out an apology.
Yusuke was disappointed, sad, and angry all at once and it showed. He sighed and leveled a look at his friend. �If all you wish is to be included on more of the action, you could have just told us. I�ll even back off and let you fight some of the big guys. Believe or not, we need you on the team you idiot.�
�I�m quitting.�
Silence so thick that you could hear a pin drop descended upon the group. Everyone�including Hiei�was shocked.
Yusuke bolted up right, standing ramrod straight. �I am not going to stand by and let you destroy yourself. Heck, even going to school is better than moping. You disappoint me, baka. All those speeches about honor and saving people�ugh. You go back on your honor code too easily.� Flames of fire danced in the captain�s eyes.
�For once, I agree.� Hiei also stood, looking annoyed. �If anything, Yukina will miss you. You make her happy, you baka, and if you make her cry, you will answer to me.�
Kuwabara stared, open mouthed, well aware that Hiei had effectively given him his blessing upon their relationship. Kurama came up to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. A hint of a knowing smile was on his lips, directed mainly to the fire demon. Startled, Kuwabara gazed intently at each of them and saw the sincerity in their eyes. Shizuru was still sitting there, smoking away, and smirking.
�Well little brother. If I didn�t know any better, I would say you are a fool to reject your friends.�
Kuwabara hesitated a moment longer before laughing out loud�a long, loud laugh. A heavy weight tumbled off his shoulders as he realized just how much of an idiot he really was.
The laughter fit was contagious. Every one of them were soon laughing too, for what they didn�t know; Hiei just sat there, bewildered before settling the neutral mask over his face. Eventually Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Shizuru stopped laughing.
�What an idiot I was,� Kuwabara said, smiling at all of his friends. Kurama, who was now lying on the floor as well, smiled back at him.
�So, do you accept our offer?� He asked.
��Course. I�d be an idiot not too.� He leaned down and clapped Kurama heartily on the back. �Thanks.�
�Your welcome,� he replied.
�And Urameshi, thanks. I needed it.�
Yusuke winked. �Ah, no prob. Just being a friend.�
Kuwabara then focused on the fire demon sitting there quietly. �Hey Hiei, thanks for getting off my back about Yukina.�
Surprise flitted across the fire demon�s face before he curtly nodded, ignoring the hearty laughter of his companions. He blinked in a confused manner when Kuwabara got up from his seat, walked over him, and extended his right arm in a handshake gesture.
�What do you say to a temporary truce?�
For the third time that afternoon, there was stunned silence.
Blink. Blink. His mind was on autopilot as Hiei shook the ningen�s hand, snatching it away from the teen�s strong grip after a few long seconds. Kuwabara only grinned at him and patted Hiei on the head in a brotherly fashion.
�Get. Your. Hand. Off. My. Head.� Hiei ground out, and vanished to a different corner, sitting in a relaxed position, sending death glares to the other occupants of the room.
�Some things never change,� Kurama said, smiling fondly.
�Yep. Just a normal day for the Spirit Detectives. Just watch, Botan will call with some new case.�
As if on cue, the communicator beeped loudly several times before Yusuke fished it out of his pocket. Opening the lid, he traded a knowing glance with the kitsune. �Yo. What is it, Botan.�
�A new case.�
Yusuke only snorted, chuckling loudly at Botan�s indignant look. �Jeez Botan, chill.�
Kuwabara came up behind Kurama and Yusuke, while Hiei stayed where he was. �Two demon�s have escaped through the barrier that separates the demon and living world. Both are accomplished criminals�.�