A/N: Hi everyone! Did anyone check out my Hiei story?

Disclaimer: I do not own Yuyu Hakusho.

Yurika bounced her leg rapidly and drummed her fingers on the desk. She was glaring at the clock with an accusatory glare that Kurama could not remember seeing on her face in quite awhile. Kurama gently reached over and put his hand over hers and was about to say something comforting when Yurika stiffened.

He remembered that he was not supposed to hear what he had the night before. To save face, he would have to act the part of a concerned colleague; something in him detested his new role.

"Yurika, calm down. We just got here."

Yurika surreptitiously moved her hand from beneath his and nodded distractedly. "Yeah I know." She slid her eyes to meet his, "I don't suppose humans ever jump out of the window to skip class?"

Despite himself, Kurama chuckled. "No I don't think so."

Yurika snorted derisively. "Damn humans; they lack imagination to think up such a plan."

Kurama nearly chuckled; she was beginning to sound a bit less hostile to him. "It is…" he began, only to be cut off a moment later.

"Isei!"

Yurika did not seem to notice the calling of her name as she doodled in her notebook.

"Isei!"

"Erm… Yurika…" Kurama said uncertainly; this was the closest thing that he and Yurika come to peace in awhile, not including the trip to the Maki, but the teacher was now practically on top of them, trying to get Yurika's attention.

If he touches the girl, go for the throat.

What?

If the human touches Yurika, go after his throat. He'll die soundlessly then.

What in the seven hells are you talking about?

The fox uttered only a low growl that resonated throughout the boy's mind as the teacher drew closer. He shouted out Yurika's name one last time before she noticed that an angry ningen was upon her. She looked up at him dispassionately.

"Were you calling for me?"

A vein in the man's forehead throbbed dangerously, giving Kurama the distinct impression that if he became any more stressed, he would have a stroke on the spot. "For five minutes," he grit out.

Yurika shrugged flippantly waving a hand, dismissing the matter. "I am not used to being called by my last name. What did you want?" she asked, though to Kurama's ears it sounded as if she was ordering him to speak like a dog.

"You've been called to the office; someone in your family is here," the teacher replied, obviously disconcerted by her commanding tone.

"My family?" Yurika repeated questioningly. She spared a side-glance at Kurama, once again trying to communicate something that he could not quite understand, before she took the pass offered by the teacher.

As she left, Kurama put his arm into the air, waving it urgently. He eventually gained the attention of the teacher, three minutes after what was a comfortable time. The instructor glared at him, but Kurama ignored the heated look.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" Had he not been in such a rush, Kurama might have been embarrassed by his outburst as well as the giggling girls around him.

A few moments later, Kurama was rushing down the hall, using all the fox speed he possessed to make it down the corridors to the office. He slowed himself as he got to the hall and quietly walked to the door. He flattened himself against the wall and peered through the small glass window in the door.

He could see Yurika, who was looking at the far wall disinterestedly. A large man was smiling and conversing happily with the woman behind the desk. If he concentrated, Kurama could easily see small horns dotting the man's head under an illusion. Jun was nervously eyeing the large man, who had his hand on her shoulder.

Kurama frowned and sent a mental link to Hiei to warn the others. As the three began walking towards the door he was hiding at, Kurama quickly slipped behind another wall. When he was sure he had given them a sufficient amount of time to get out the door, he followed them, ducking only once to avoid detection by the office secretary.

He followed the group for a few blocks before something happened. He narrowed his eyes. He could see red skin and several horns dotting the man's head. As far as he could see, the demon had a very low level of power; he would be easily defeated if it came to combat. Of course, Kurama would follow protocol and ask politely for papers before jumping to any conclusions. However, Kurama's instincts (as well as the demon within him) were screaming to kill him quickly.

The group stopped and Jun spoke with the man, seeming to be totally ignorant to the fact that both she and Yurika were probably being kidnapped, and with their powers temporarily taken from them, they were too close to defenseless for comfort. Yurika appeared to have said something, and was slapped across the face by the large man's hand.

Kurama was moving before he had a chance to realize what he was doing. He knocked the man to the ground and stepped in the same movement, placed his body in front of Yurika. He was only vaguely aware of Jun standing off to the side, but his focus remained on keeping the dark-haired girl behind him safe.

He did not bother asking for the demon's identification, choosing instead to quickly cut a deep, razor-thin slash across the demon's throat with the plant that he always kept tucked discreetly behind his ear. A pair of hands reached out and grabbed the man's arm and Kurama reacted once again, grabbing the other arm and helping Yurika pull the man behind the apartment.

Setting the dying demon down, Yurika inspected Kurama's work. He felt oddly self-conscious. She cocked her head, contemplating. "Nice work. Clean cut to the throat, not a drop of blood spilt on the ground." She looked up at him, crimson eyes wide. "I knew what you were going to do. I reacted and we worked together."

Kurama smiled at her, and immediately wished he had not. The corner of her mouth twitched in a suppressed smile before she grunted lightly. She fell to the ground, gasping and clutching at her arm. Kurama was immediately on his knees next to her, willing to comfort her, but found that he had no idea what to say.

"Da—damn it," Yurika gritted painfully. Her hand was clamped over her arm in a vice-like grip. She was putting so much pressure on it that Kurama, sure that she was hurting herself, was tempted to remove it.

A moment later he turned around to see Hiei standing behind him, looking down on Yurika indifferently. Yurika took a few deep breaths before standing. She gazed around the group with as much guilt as one of her character could muster.

"Sorry. Let's go," she said shortly. She turned on her heel and began walking up the street towards Genkai's temple.

Jun looked to Kurama and Hiei, smiling far too sweetly for either of their tastes. As she began to talk, prattling on about some mundane thing or another, Kurama could hear Hiei's voice echoing in his head.

Get rid of the brat.

Kurama smiled genially at the young woman. "Jun, would you mind going ahead? Hiei and I have to talk about something."

Jun's smiling face fell, and she pouted sullenly (I wonder how many times that actually worked before. Kurama thought). "Well what are you going to talk about?" She adopted an air of superiority that Kurama recognized in junior high school students. "I was just kidnapped and I want to know what my bodyguards are talking about."

Before Kurama could think of a response to Jun's newfound authority, Hiei stepped forward. "Leave."

Jun wilted beneath Hiei's gaze. She looked to Kurama for support, but he simply smiled and waved. She hesitated for a moment longer, glaring at both of the demons in front of her. When she received no reaction from either, she left with a huff.

Well, that was certainly an interesting mood swing. Kurama thought before turning to Hiei with a frown. "You really should not loose your temper with Jun like that; she'll begin to think you're biased." He had meant to take on a light tone at the end, but his tone stayed as neutral as ever.

"Hn. I am."

Hiei's words shocked Kurama; when Yurika first emerged in Koenma's office, he had expected most of the team would not even like her, least of Hiei. Even as a he realized (albeit a bit enviously, he would admit to himself) that Hiei and Yurika had some sort of understanding of each other, he doubted either would call each other 'friend'. Still, she should be just another case that he grudgingly accepted for Hiei. Why had that changed?

"Nothing's changed between me and the woman," Hiei said brashly, as if reading his thoughts (which was, in all actuality, likely). "It's just the girl. She's not right."

Kurama nodded, as if agreeing. He knew that if he was not tactful, he would not get any information out of Hiei. Mentally, he frowned. When had he become someone on the outside? It seemed as if that was all he was lately. And why not? They were not going on missions anymore, so his quick wit was unneeded. He was strong enough to defend both Jun and Yurika (especially since the latter seemed to be able to take care of herself), but so were the other members of the teams.

So what was he?

A/N: Okay, no one had reviewed for three chapters. I know it hasn't been great, but what's up?