The game resumed and this time Hiei argued with the teacher for position as defenceman.

The teacher wasn't happy at Hiei's decision but granted his wish. All through the second half of the game Hiei hardly touched the ball. Kurama's team caught up in points and Kurama grew more agressive, dunking the ball and faking passes. At one point Hiei stole the ball from Kurama and the two tested each other on the court; Hiei, attempting to make a shot and Kurama, blocking it at the last second.

When the game was officially over, Kurama was almost infatuated with the spikey-haired athlete. So far, he had learned four things about him: 1. Hiei was very athletic and well built. 2. Hiei's first response to people was icy and anti-social. 3. He didn't like attention. 4. He was very good looking. Kurama admitted this last one to himself with some guilt. It was wrong to like Hiei so much....and yet he didn't really want to stop.

Kurama changed quickly, without so much as glancing up. The majority of the class had already changed and were standing around the gym, talking and waiting for the lunch bell.

Kurama shifted his school bag on his shoulder and headed for the exit just as the bell rang. Passing people on the way to his locker, Kurama didn't stop to say hi or nod to anyone this time. He switched his books and grabbed his lunch before heading outside to eat under his favourite tree. Kurama was quite popular in highschool but he liked to be alone and his friends knew and respected this at such times as lunch. Well, most of his friends respected that. Yusuke and Kuwabara were the exception to the rule.

The tall orange-haired boy and slightly shorter, Yusuke, waltzed up to Kurama and sat down in front of him on the soft pine needles.

"Man, school sucks." Yusuke replied, plucking a peice of grass and popping it into his mouth. Kuwabara snorted and opened his lunch bag. "How was your day so far, Kurama?" he asked, pulling out a meaty sandwich. Kurama, reflecting on the basketball game, smiled to himself. He could feel his cheeks redden without his permission and what was this butterfly feeling all of a sudden? What was he, a school girl?

"Nothing much happens here..." he told his friend.

Yusuke raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh? Since when do you blush, Kurama? You're not telling me something." Yusuke leaned close to his red haired friend. "Tell me."

Kurama stiffled down a laugh and leaned against the tree, not looking at his friend. Kuwabara munched on his sandwich and eyed the two.

"Tell me!" Yusuke insisted, leaning closer still.

Kurama clamped his mouth shut. "That's it!" Grabbing Kurama by the neck, Yusuke wrestled him to the ground telling him to reveal what he wouldn't. The two scuffled on the bed of pine needles and Yusuke grabbed a handfull of Kurama's red hair and pulled.

"Ow! Yusuke, that hurts!" Kurama flipped his friend onto his back and sat on him. But Yusuke wouldn't let go of his locks. "Tell me what you're blushing about!" Yusuke gasped. Kurama stopped struggling and sat still, trying not to laugh at the other. "Okay, okay. There's this new guy in my class. His name's Hiei and..." Kurama paused, not knowing what else to say without sounding...

"AND?" Both Yusuke and Kuwabara asked together.

"And...that's it." He concluded matter-of-factly.

Yusuke let go of the redhead's hair and shoved him off. "AND you have a new needle for your gaystack. Am I right?" Both teens burst into a fit of laughter at Kurama's expense. Kurama watched with restrained amusement as tiny chunks of Kuwabara's sandwich flew from the laughing teen's mouth. Yusuke wiped his eyes.

"Oh comon guys. I don't make fun of you when you are infatuated with some girl." Kurama shot back.

"Yeah, but girl's got hoo hoo's 'Rama."Kuwabara went back to chowing on his meaty sandwich. Yusuke slapped him upside the head, causing him to drop the sandwich and choke on what part he had in his mouth.

"They're called boobs, moron. Learn the terminalogy at least." He told the coughing Kuwabara.

Kurama rolled his eyes at Yusuke's own horrible grasp of the english language. Yusuke leaned back on the pine needles, arms behind his head. "So tell me about this new kid. What's he look like?"

"Do I have to? He's nothing special."

"Yes you do. I want to know about this guy in case he thinks he can take over my turf. New guys are always trouble. The last guy who thought he could take me on, well I had to give him a good ass kick'n." Yusuke glanced at Kuwabara, who had given up on his sandwich and was now peeling an orange. Yusuke pointed a thumb at Kuwabara and mouthed the word "him" to Kurama, who laughed.

"I don't think Hiei wants to challenge you, Yusuke. He doesn't like to be in the spotlight. Although..." Kurama thought out loud, "He might actually be able to stand up to you in a fight. He's very well built."

Yusuke snorted. "So the guy's ripped. Doesn't mean he's any good in a fight."

Sighing, Kurama reached into his lunch bag and pulled out a bottle of water. As he took a swig of it, something caught his eye. There, across the court yard, was Hiei. The dark teen walked up to the largest cherry tree in the yard and sat beneath it. Kurama choked on his water.

Yusuke blinked up at him. "First time drinking water?" The dark-haired teen backed away as Kurama spit it out. Kuwabara glanced up at the boy sitting under the cherry tree.

"Hey, it's the new kid."

"Wow. He's...short." Yusuke said, surprized.

"He's not that short." Kurama argued.

"He reminds me of a dwarf, he's so short." Kuwabara chimed in.

"And he's scrawny. Kurama, he doesn't have muscles, he's a noodle." Yusuke was laughing now, "He couldn't stand up to Kuwabara!"

Kuwabara looked offended, "Hey! What's THAT supposed to mean!"

Kurama buried his face in his hands. "Okay," Yusuke proposed, "let's see how he does in a fight. You're up Kuwabara."

Kurama looked up suddenly, "No!"

"Yes! Go on, Kuwabara, welcome our little string bean. HEY BUFFY!" Yusuke yelled to the lounging Hiei. Hiei looked up at them from his spot under the tree. Yusuke waved his arms and Hiei raised an eyebrow at them. Kurama shrunk down against the tree as small as he could make himself. Why did he open his big mouth?

"Did you see the way he looked at you, Kuwabara?" Yusuke instigated.

Kuwabara clenched his fists and stood up. "I think he's challenging you. Go over there and pumble his ass!"

"Yusuke be quiet! He's not even looking anymore! You're being idiots." Kurama grabbed Kuwabara's pant leg in attempt to stop the tall boy from crossing the courtyard. Hiei had in fact, stopped looking at them and appeared to be trying to nap. But Kuwabara was riled now. Fueled by Yusuke's taunting, he pulled away from the clinging Kurama and strode across the yard.

"KuwaBARA!"

Yusuke was laughing and slapping his knees, rolling in the pine needles. Kurama glared at him. "Hiei was minding his own business!"

"I know. that's what makes it so funny."

Kurama stared, open mouthed at his friend as Kuwabara made his way towards the napping Hiei. Just then, Hiei sat up from his position against his tree, stretched, yawned, got up and walked away. Kuwabara stayed where he was in the middle of the courtyard and watched the arrogent little punk leave. Then he turned back to Kurama and Yusuke, who just shrugged. Kurama let out a relieved sigh.

TBC