Quitting the Team, Chapter 2
Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei were at the Minamono household, enjoying the break. The mission that Koenma had dug up was easy�and the best part? Kuwabara laid claim to the head honcho of the operation, a hefty, ugly ogre with no brains, killing him with the Spirit Sword. And while the team was relaxing, some operatives from King Enma patched up the leak in the barrier.
�Hiei why don�t you have some sake? At least sit on the same couch.� Kurama was unsuccessfully trying to coax the impetus fire demon to join the festivities, but Hiei was stubborn as an ox, not moving from the window seat.
Kuwabara glanced at Hiei, then the phone. He knew that, miracle of miracles, that Genkai had a phone located at the temple, for convenient times (for example, spirit world info meetings.) Snickering, he made his way to the phone, dialed the numbers, and waited patiently, catching Yusuke�s and Kurama�s attention. Mouthing �Yukina,� to them, he nearly missed Genkai�s biting insult.
�Which nitwit is calling?�
Kuwbara chuckled. �Kuwabara.�
�Oh. What do you want?�
�Is Yukina busy?�
Genkai sighed. �No, not right now.�
�Can she come over to Kurama�s house?� he asked, making sure that Hiei heard loud and clear. Even though the fire demon had given his blessing, the human was sure that he was distrustful of his credibility.
Sure enough, Hiei�s eyes darkened a shade, and he scowled before turning his face to the sky. Kuwabara stifled his snicker just in time to catch Genkai�s response.
He could imagine Genkai shrugging. �Why not? At least you�re more polite than the other nitwit. You or someone come get her though. Its too dark for my comfort.�
�Thanks,� he said, and hung up.
�How did I know you would call sooner or later?� Kurama mused. �Is she coming by herself?�
�Naw, I�m picking her up.� He made to put on his jacket, nearly snickering when Yusuke knowingly glanced at Hiei. Kurama was calm as ever, but his emerald green eyes were twinkling with merriment.
�You idiots are too slow. I�ll go.� Hiei, never one to use doors, opened the nearby window and was gone with a flash, leaving behind his trademark displacement of air.
At last, when Hiei�s energy was far enough away, Kurama burst out laughing, then Yusuke. Kuwabara smirked and leaned against the wall. �Shrimp still doesn�t trust me I think,� he said.
�Good planning,� Kurama said. �It�ll be awhile before he trusts you.�
�Its so easy to get under his skin when you know his weak points.� Yusuke finally managed to stop laughing. �It won�t help our reputation though.�
�Oh, don�t worry. He�ll get over it.� Kurama smiled and pulled out a deck of playing cards. �Cards anyone?�
The three had only played �war� a few minutes when there was a knock at the door. Kuwabara laid down his cards and paced down the entryway, slipping off his jacket along the way. Hanging it up in the nearby closet, he opened the door with a goofy smile on his face.
Yukina stood there, dressed in a light green kimono decorated with lilies. The obi was a pastel yellow shade, tied gracefully in a bow in the back. Bowing gracefully, she stepped in and slipped her sandals off neatly by the closet. �Hello, Kazuma,� she said.
Taking her hand, Kuwabara kissed it in a chaste manner and looked up just in time to see the Ice Maiden�s cheeks tinge light pink. �Your so kind, Kazuma.�
Kuwabara grinned cheekily and led her inside, where Hiei was sitting on the couch, scowling and seated across from Yusuke, holding a hand of cards. The demon was not happy, that much was sure. Winking inconspicuously at Kurama, he sat on the couch and patted the empty seat next to him. Yukina understood his gesture and sat next to him, looking curiously over at his hand of cards.
�What game are you playing?� She asked.
�Its called �war.� Watch.� He motioned to his partner, Kurama, before drawing his own card and slamming down on the table. �Queen!� He said, then noting Kurama�s sly expression noted that his opponent had an ace.
�Dang it, Kurama. You got this rigged,� he said, slamming down another card, a nine, before making note that his opponents was a measly two. �Ha! My luck is changing. Better watch out.�
�Don�t get so cocky,� his partner warned.
�Yeah, Kuwabara, listen to someone who actually is intelligent.� Yusuke, in the middle of laying down his own card.
�Mine,� Hiei said, keeping his game face on.
�Darn it! I look away for one measly second, and Hiei gets the whole stack!� He added his card to the tall stack and pushed it to the fire demon, irate.
�How unfortunate,� Hiei said in a tone that belied it was far from truth. �And I get yet another hand. King rules all.�
Yusuke didn�t say anything but slapped down another card simultaneously with Hiei, and cheered. �Yeah, finally. Ace just demoted your king there.�
Hiei uttered a �tch� sound.
Meanwhile, Yukina just watched the pairs play, cheering when Kuwabara unexpectedly won the match. �Congratulations, Kazuma!� She said, and hugged him lightly before blushing.
�Thanks, Yukina,� he replied. �I finally won against Kurama.�
Yukina was about to say something more when a strangled cry erupted from Yusuke�s throat. �What? I am King of War! Rematch!�
Hiei sat calmly back, holding the thick stack of cards that had accumulated on his side during the match, smirking. �I think not. According to the rules you told me, I won.�
�Your poor ego,� Kurama murmured. �To lose to a demon is sad indeed.�
�Shut it,� he muttered, glaring venomously at the said fire demon. �At least play against whoever won over there.�
�That�s a great idea,� Kurama said, vacating his seat. �The final match for tonight. Sit here Hiei.�
Yukina giggled unexpectedly. At Kurama�s questioning glance, she said, �I don�t know who to cheer on.�
�Why not your brother?� He flashed a charming smile at Yukina.
�I second that, Kurama. That � demon stole my title!�
At that, Kuwabara, Yukina, and Kurama snickered. �Give it up, human,� Hiei muttered, watching as Kurama shuffled the deck and split the cards equally between them. �If you don�t stop exerting your precious voice box you will find yourself flat on your back, with a migraine.�
Yusuke grunted, but didn�t move.
�Well, this is all the entertainment I need tonight,� Kurama said to Yukina, who only nodded and smiled. �Just remember to thank Kuwabara for getting Hiei socially interact.�
�That goes for you too, kitsune,� Hiei said, holding his cards in a stack. Kuwabara was also in ready position.
�Not only that, free entertainment,� Yusuke said, nudging the kitsune-ningen. Kurama merely smirked at him before returning his attention to the game.
�Hey, shrimp, lets make a bet,� Kuwabara said, flipping over his first card. Hiei, doing the same, snorted. �Jack. What kind of bet.�
�Two.� He pushed his own card to the demon. �Dress in something other than black, ditch the sword, and act like you have a shred of emotion.�
Yusuke and Kurama sucked in breath, startled. Hiei ignored them, laying down a card, eyeing the symbols, and wordlessly shoving them in the ningen�s direction. �No.�
�Heh. Scared?� He flipped another card down and let out a frustrated sigh. �Five.�
�I am not scared,� Hiei said, grinding his teeth, and adding two new cards to his pile. He eyed his new face down card and with one slender finger shoved it in the ningen�s direction. �Stop treating me like I�m some sibling of yours.�
�Tch. Who cares if I am?� He flipped down his card and cheered. �Two in a row.� Grinning cheekily at the demon he replied, �stop changing the subject.�
�Fine, then. If that is what you want, lets get it over with.� He eyed his card and sighed at the human�s cheer.
�Three in a row, shrimp. Where�s your luck now?�
�Shut it.�
During the interesting exchange, Yusuke nudged the kitsune-ningen in the ribs and whispered in his ear, �Do you think they�re getting along?�
�Yes, in a backward way,� he whispered back.
�I told you free entertainment,� Yusuke said, aloud. Neither contestants acknowledged him, too deep in the game.
�I�ll take care of Hiei�s casual wear; I�m the only one that can actually handle him.�
�Hiei can hang out with me and Kuwabara. While your in prison, Hiei will just have to handle it.�
Kurama quirked an eyebrow quizzically. �By �prison,� do you mean school?�
�Yep.�
He shook his head and ruefully grinned. �I�ll never get your logic. That sounds fine. Besides, Kuwabara has too much fun treating him as a sibling anyways.�
�Deal.�
�Deal.� The two shook hands and returned their attention to the match, which had just ended.
�Okay, what deal did you two idiots agree on.� Hiei scowled at them, the deck in his hands.
�I won over shrimp.� The human�s grin was ridiculously wide. He hugged Yukina, a mere bystander to the match.
�We have worked out the logistics of the deal.� Kurama�s mouth was spread in a surreptitious smirk. �It�s nothing much. I will plan your new wardrobe, which you will wear, and on the day of the bet, hang out with Yusuke and Kuwabara.�
�Who should be in school,� Hiei interjected.
�Ah who cares,� Yusuke said, yawning and stretching. ��Sides, the principal hates me.�
Hiei glared venomously at his teammates. Sighing, he locked eyes with Yukina before rising from the seat. His harsh eyes softened at the sight of her smile, but only momentarily. Walking over to the window, Hiei wordlessly opened it.
�Oh, and Hiei, meet me tomorrow at three, at my house.�
A grunt. Hiei didn�t even look back before all that was left was a displacement of air.
�Yep, now that Mr. I-hate-parties is gone, lets eat!� Yusuke yelled, heading toward the kitchen.
�Hey, don�t leave me behind!� Kuwabara yelled after him.
Kurama chuckled to himself. �Yes, a normal day for the team. Better see to it that they don�t wreck the kitchen.� So saying, Kurama arose from his seat and entered the kitchen.