EDIT 11/28/09: Fixed formatting.

Disclaimer: If I owned Kurama he'd be walking around half-naked in the anime and the manga. He's not. So I don't own. Simple.

"Hey, 'Rama. Mind if I ask you something?"

Kurama glanced sideways at him, green eyes glittering in fond amusement. He had that indulgent look in his eyes – the one that annoyed Yusuke and made him feel like a child.

"You can ask me anything Yusuke. Whether or not I'll answer is another matter altogether."

They two continued walking in silence for a while. The very fact the Yusuke was hesitating stirred up Kurama's curiosity. The Mazaku was never the type to think before saying something. More like the type to open his mouth and choke on his foot. With infinite patience, Kurama waited for him to blurt it out, as usual.

Eventually, Yusuke sighed, frustrated. "Are you gay?"

Kurama blinked. That's how surprised he was. "Am I…"

"Gay," Yusuke supplied, meeting his eyes defiantly. "Cuz if you are, man, I think it's about time you told me. I mean, we've known each other for ages and well…" he trailed off with a shrug.

Kurama stared at him for a while, his brain computing. Or failing to compute. Slowly, his face broke into a devious smile. "Would it bother you, Yususke, if I were?"

Yusuke was visibly taken aback. "Well, no, I guess not, I just wanted to know."

"Why?"

Yusuke spluttered intelligently. "What? What do you mean, why? It's just something I should know, right?"

"Why would you need to know? It wouldn't affect you unless it's of personal interest to you," Kurama was enjoying this entirely too much. "Why, Yusuke, would you be admitting to a certain crush on me?"

Yusuke flushed. "No!" he said, just a tiny bit too quickly. "Of course not! What? Don't make this about me, Fox-boy. You're the one with pretty hair and big green eyes and proper manners and an obsession with flowers and stuff…. I mean, c'mon! A guy's gotta wonder!"

Kurama ignored the majority of that rant. "You think my hair is pretty? That's very sweet of you, Yusuke." He added saccharine gush in his voice and privately delighted at the flustered fish-face Yusuke made.

Yusuke threw up his hands. "Argh! No! I just meant – you look like a girl!"

"Is that why you're attracted to me?"

"I am not fucking attracted to you!" Yusuke yelled, too loudly. Several passer-bys turned to stare at them and giggled behind their hands. If possible, Yusuke turned even redder.

"Dammit," he muttered. "You know what, just – just forget it, alright? Forget I ever said anything. Just forget the whole damn thing."

Kurama smiled serenely at him and Yusuke swore, turning away quickly. Kurama bit down a laugh. "Whatever you say Yusuke."

They walked on in silence, broken only by furious noises coming from Yusuke. Once again demonstrating impressive patience, Kurama waited for him to snap. He didn't have to wait long. Just as they turned the corner to Kurama's house, Yusuke turned back to him, placing both hands on his shoulders and forcing Kurama to face him. "Look. Just tell me, okay. Stop fucking with me and tell me if you're gay or not."

"But Yuuuuusuke," he sang, "it's so much more fun to leave you guessing."

Hiei smothered a snicker of amusement at Yusuke's yell of frustration. This is why he followed Kurama around. It was so much more entertaining that anything else he could do in this miserable world.

Besides, now he had blackmail material.