Obsidian

Something was following him.

The instant he'd left campus, a feeling, dark and ominous, had dug its claws deep into him. It didn't feel like it was going away anytime soon either.

Kazuma Kuwabara glances nervously over his shoulder as he wracked his brain, trying to remember what Kurama had instructed him to do if he was ever in a situation similar to this one. Kuwabara's first instinct was to turn around, boldly face his follower, and beat up the damn thing. However, he now knew that that choice was really rather stupid when dealing with demons.

Dang it, Kurama's lecture ain't gonna help me if I can't remember it when I need to!

Okay, first thing. Don't act suspicious…and you're not helping yourself by walking like zombies are after you, Kuwabara!

Though they might be…

Kuwabara forced himself to slow his pace, and eventually schooled his expression into a neutral look. Demon activity had been at a low ever since the first Makai tournament. In fact, ever since Yusuke had returned, Kuwabara had gone a full six months without witnessing any suspicious demonic activity. Well, six months if he didn't count the times Hiei slipped through the barrier to check up on Yukina or visit with Kurama.

So why now? And, much more importantly, why me?

Right after he finished that thought, Kuwabara rounded the street corner to see—

--Yusuke's apartment.

Oh, snap.

Hey, if he was going to get followed by some demon thing, he'd much rather be followed with someone else rather than alone, thankyouverymuch.

"I wonder what you did to piss it off."

Kuwabara gritted his teeth together and spat, "I didn't do anything!"

Yusuke snorted and shot the redhead a dubious look. "Demons don't dare expose themselves in the Ningenkai for nothing, moron. You had to have done something."

Kuwabara gave a pained sigh. "Do you think I could bribe Kurama into finding it and killing it?"

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "I'd have a much easier time bribing him than you would."

"How do you know?"

The ebony-haired teen shot Kuwabara a 'duh' look, "Because, as her boyfriend, I basically have an unlimited supply of Keiko's caramel corn."

Kuwabara gasped. "That's no fair! Kurama's practically a junkie!"

Yusuke smirked as he turned around to pour coffee. "I know."

"Do you know how cruel it is to taunt addicted people with drugs?"

The toushin made a face and turned around to look at Kuwabara. "Caramel corn is not a drug!"

"It might as well be, I just said that Kurama is practically a junkie!"

Yusuke brought the two cups of coffee over, shoved one towards his friend, and plunked down ungracefully into a chair. After a swig of coffee and a few baleful looks around his kitchen, Yusuke stood up and strode over to his phone. He snatched it out of the cradle and tossed it to Kuwabara, who looked at it expressionlessly. "Call Kurama," Yusuke explained patiently, going back to the table to plop down in his chair. After a few seconds, Kuwabara snorted and pushed the phone back to Yusuke.

"I don't want to," he grumbled. "Don't feel like talking to anybody."

Yusuke muttered something under his breath that sounded like "Then why are you here?" before he reluctantly stood up and, punching in Kurama's number, walked into the living room.

Kuwabara made a face at his back, then, noticing how Yusuke had Kurama's number memorized, made a note to taunt him about it later.

"Yeah, yeah…No. So, then what should I…oh God, Kurama! Ugh, no…fine! Fine fine fine, hang on." Yusuke clamped his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone and turned to Kuwabara.

"What'd he say?" inquired the troubled teen, who was busying himself making a tower of toothpicks.

Yusuke gave a pained sigh. "His usual answer. Kick its ass. I tried to get another response out of him, but he stands by that one."

Kuwabara gave a short, pained laugh. "Easy for him to say. Kurama's a natural ass-kicker. Do you think I could rent him?"

Yusuke relayed Kuwabara's response to Kurama. Kuwabara could hear the fox's laugh through the phone all the way from the living room to the kitchen. Turning back to his toothpick tower, he muttered, "It was worth asking…"

After a few more minutes, Yusuke turned back to him. "Hiei says just to ignore it, don't try following it, and he and Kurama will look into it later."

Kuwabara threw his hands into the air. "Thank you, God! It's a miracle! On a day that Kurama's being a difficult smart ass, Hiei decides to actually be helpful! Celebration! Drinks all around!"

Yusuke smirked. "He also says that you're an imbecile and a stupid fool for not telling anyone earlier and doing something that made a demon angry with you. Oh, and Kurama and I will totally take you up on your offer of drinks."

Kazuma buried his face in his hands. "I hate Mondays."

Author's Notes (12-11-06): I'm sick. Bleh. I posted this just to make myself happy; it was originally going to be posted on Wednesday.

This was a plot bunny that made itselft comfy my head back in...October, I think. I had originally planned on lengthening this and making it a long, dramatic chapter story. I like this much better. Hopefully this will tide everyone over until Chapter 2 of EP is done, too. Let me know what you thought, ne?

--Fury