"So how's the shrimp, Uremeshi?" Kuwabara asked.

Both he and Yusuke sat on the roof of their school. It was lunch.

"He's fine, I guess." Yusuke answered, but he wasn't so sure. He didn't complain or anything, but he remained at the spirit detective's apartment. That was enough to prove he was hurting.

"Did you get it out of Kurama what the heck happened?"

Yusuke frowned. "No. I didn't." he said.

"You know, come to think about it, I haven't seen Kurama for a long time. Maybe I'll come by after school..."

"Don't bother."

"What? Are you saying I'm not welcome or something? You punk...!"

"Shut-up, Kuwabara. That's not what I'm saying." Yusuke said and sighed.

"Hey, what's wrong, Uremeshi?"

Yusuke crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

What was wrong?

Kurama. That's what was wrong.

And in his own way, Hiei.

What the hell was going on with those two?

But between the two, it was Kurama who got beneath his skin and made him have goose-bumps on the inside of his flesh. Yuck, thought Yusuke, bad mental image.

But...

Those eyes...

Those two golden eyes in his friend's face.

Those were not Kurama's eyes....and that bothered him...

And the worst part, the part that for some reason angered Yusuke, was that Kurama seemed oblivious to it, like there was nothing wrong...

Yusuke paused.

Was there nothing wrong?

Yusuke thought back to last night and Kurama, face close, eyes turned suddenly gold, grinning like a true fox, sharp grin and all...On second thought, perhaps Yusuke wasn't just being paranoid....

"Uh...Uremeshi?" Kuwabara said.

"What?" Yusuke snapped.

"You sure you're OK? You were staring into space for like five minutes, man."

"It's called thinking, you dumb-ass."

Kuwabara laughed, "He he...Looked like it was pretty difficult for you, Uremeshi."

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke roared and wacked the red haired teen straight on the jaw.

Then, as Kuwabara withered in agony on the floor at his feet, an idea occurred to Yusuke. He smiled and crouched so he was eye-level to his friend.

"Hey, Kuwabara." he said, "You said you wanted to see Kurama, right?"

"Uh...(ouch)...yeah...I guess. Why?"

Yusuke's smile broadened. The gears in his head were working. Sure, they hadn't been oiled in a while, but once set, they were out to work, dang it. "I have an idea." Yusuke said.

He'd get to the bottom of this...whatever it was with Kurama and Hiei...

He was, after all, a detective.

...to be continued...