Waaauugh... Finals are (finally) over... Blehhh. However, all the nice reviews made me quite happy:D So as promised, here is the next theme, quick like a bunny! I love you all, because you keep me inspired to write. X3

Kuwa/Yusu, slightly more friendshippy and set sometime after Genkai's Tournament arc and before the Dark Tournament arc, T for Shizuru's language.

#5: Seeking Solace

-----------------hajime--------------------

Yusuke Urameshi rarely asked anyone for anything. Growing up, he could hardly ask his mother for help with homework or to comfort him over scraped knees. Atsuko's behavior had ensured that Yusuke was quite independent. So when Yusuke showed up on his doorstep in the middle of the night, drenched and freezing and demanding that he open up, Kuwabara knew better than to pry and let him in.

"Jeezus it's cold out there," Yusuke complained, stepping inside.

"It's the middle of December and raining, Urameshi, what'd you expect?" Kuwabara retorted, rolling his eyes as he poked through the closet. "Listen, if you drip all over the floor Shizuru's gonna be pissed. Take these and go dry off," he added, handing Yusuke a large fluffy towel and some spare pajamas. Yusuke, of course, was independent to the point of seeing all help as charity. Being quite averse to charity, one had to push in exactly the right direction to get him to allow you to do anything for him. Kuwabara, it must be said, was a practiced master.

"Yeah, yeah. I swear Kuwabara, your sister is scarier than half the demons we fight," Yusuke agreed, accepting the clothes and heading for the bathroom. Once dry, he emerged to find Kuwabara handing him a mug of hot chocolate.

"Come on Urameshi, I was about to watch 'Snatch' and you ain't about to change my plans, so you'll just have to watch it with me," he told him. Yusuke blinked, then shrugged, took the cup, and followed Kuwabara to his room. He flopped easily onto the futon next to Kuwabara, sipping at the piping-hot cocoa as Kuwabara started the movie up. 'Snatch' was one of their favorite movies - plenty of fight scenes and ridiculous humor. By the end, both boys were laughing and cutting up, making jokes about the movie and Brad Pitt's ridiculous pikey accent. Of course, it having been a fighting movie, Yusuke and Kuwabara soon got onto the topic of who could take whom in a fight and who was stronger, which (of course) led to thrown pillows followed by a wrestling match and shouted insults.

"WILL YOU TWO SHUT THE HELL UP?!" yelled Shizuru, poking her head into the room and looking quite displeased at having been woken up. The two boys froze where they were and nodded quickly, making placating motions with their hands. "Good!" she grumbled, and zombie-shuffled back to her own room.

"Man. Definitely scarier than most demons," Yusuke said, sweating a little.

"You said it. She really hates getting woken up," Kuwabara agreed, beginning to (quietly) re-straighten his room.

"Sorry about that, man. Guess I've worn out my welcome, huh?" Yusuke said, helping to straighten a little. "Guess I'd better go." Kuwabara could practically feel the unhappiness rolling off Yusuke as he said that.

"Nah, it's late and it's still raining. You can spend the night here. Besides, Shizuru never remembers in the morning. It's like she goes into angry zombie mode, but she's fine later," Kuwabara assured him, rolling out the extra futon now that there was enough floor space for it. "On top of that, you might make more noise leaving than you would staying, and then Angry Zombie Shizuru might come eat your brains," he added, making chomping motions. Yusuke snickered quietly, his demeanor once again brighter. He took their cups to the kitchen while Kuwabara finished setting up the guest futon. Later, as the two boys lay in the darkness, Yusuke spoke.

"Thanks, Kuwabara."

"Mmmfbl. Mmf," was his only response.

Yusuke smiled and turned over, unaware that an azure eye opened, peeking cautiously, and a matching smile spread slowly across a certain copper-top's face.

-----------------owari--------------------

Thanks again to my lovely reviewers. You guys seriously make this worth continuing. :3 Expect the next theme, "Break Away," soon, unless anyone has special requests.