by Queen Yokozuna
 
 

Part 4: The Challenge
 

"Gee, Hiei, that doesn't sound good," Kurama says, after hearing from his friend how Yukina had behaved with him yesterday at the zoo. The redhead calmly sits by his desk, but his face looks perturbed.

Seeing this, Hiei sits straight on the window sill and asks, "Why?"

Kurama looks at him, grimacing. "I think she's having a crush on you. To put it plainly."

Hiei's eyebrows contract. "Exactly what do you mean."

Kurama leans over his desk, fixing his eyes on Hiei. "She's highly attracted to you, more than in the physical sense."

"What?!" Hiei booms, unbelieving. "Are you saying that she wants to...to...m-mate with me?"

"If she's thinking that far off, yeah, I think she does. But right now, what I'm sure of is she's totally fallen for you. Now I see why she was asking me about you last week."

"How...but...why... Is that really possible?" Hiei confusedly asks.

Kurama shrugs his shoulders. "It's happening, isn't it?"

"But I'm her brother!"

"Huh, like she knows that."

"That's beside the point. Siblings aren't supposed to feel, you know what, for each other, whether they know or not that they're siblings."

"Well in your case, Hiei, Yukina's not knowing you're her brother is exactly the point!"

"I don't believe this," Hiei remarks. He jumps off the window sill and slowly paces the length of Kurama's bedroom, his hands buried deep in his pockets.

Kurama leans back in his chair and crosses his arms, looking out past his window.

"What should I do?" Hiei wonders out loud.

Kurama twitches his lips before carefully suggesting, "Maybe you should drop the bomb already."

"Never!" Hiei explodes, now leaning against the wall.

A sigh escapes Kurama's lips. He should've guessed it -- Hiei will agree to anything but that.

"I'd rather kill myself than tell her I'm her brother, Kurama. That's absolutely out of the question."

"Okay, okay."

"And besides...rather than please, wouldn't that just, totally embarrass her?"

"Hmm... Yeah, you're right, that would embarrass her," agrees Kurama.

Hiei slowly walks back up the window and starts to get out.

"Where're you going?" Kurama asks.

"I don't know yet. Listen, Kurama, could you do me a favor and think of how I can get outta this mess?"

"Sure," Kurama tells him, "I'll think of something."

"Thanks," Hiei utters. With that, his black figure disappears like a blur from the window.

Hiei walks, half-absent-minded, half-aimless, along a quiet street. He just can't stop thinking about his predicament with Yukina. There must be something he can do about it other than blatantly telling her the truth. 'Maybe I can try fixing her up with Kurama,' he muses.

He's too engrossed with his own thoughts that he doesn't sense Kuwabara's presence before him, until he bumps into the young man's burly body.

"Huh?" Hiei looks up and sees Kuwabara glaring down at him. "Outta my way, ape."

"What did you do with Yukina yesterday?" Kuwabara demands, making a stance of defiance.

Hiei snorts. "That's none of your damn business."

"Airhead! You're nuts to think that Yukina really likes you."

"Huh, what I know is she really doesn't like you."

"Oh yeah?!"

"Hell yeah!"

"Then prove it!"

Hiei smirks. "I don't have to prove anything to you." He starts to walk around Kuwabara now.

"What's stopping you, chicken?" Kuwabara sneers.

This makes Hiei stop. If there's something that really gets on his nerves, it's Kuwabara calling him a name he's not. Even if the ugly dope was only joking. He turns around and growls, "Your head's really as thick as your face, isn't it!"

"I challenge you to prove that Yukina doesn't like me over you," declares Kuwabara.

"Alright! I will, then, just to shut you up," Hiei unwittingly concedes.

"Heh-heh. You'll soon eat your words, shorty."

"C'mon, let's do it," Hiei snarls.

"Not so fast. I gotta ready myself first."

"Ready yourself?"

"Yeah. I gotta shower and all, you know. I can't face Yukina looking like this."

Hiei laughs. "Even a major make-over won't help."

"Say all you want now. I'll just see your jaw drop later, when Yukina starts fawning all over me."

"Sure."

"Let's meet in front of Master Genkai's temple in three hours."

"I'll be there."

"Just make sure you will."

"Huh, I wouldn't miss it for anything."

The two glare at each other, before splitting up.
 
 
 

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Part 5