Awkward by scheherezhad
Rating: G
Summary: He wonders if this is one of those Things That Must Never Be Mentioned.
Dislcaimer: Don't own, making no money, please don't sue.
Author's notes: A missing scene ficlet, set right after the team defeats Sensui and returns to Human World. Inspired by Yusuke saying in episode 94 that Kurama cut his crazy Saiyan hair off for him.
Feedback: Aw, yeah, baby. Give it to me. scheherezhad@yahoo.com

Koenma and Botan are the first to leave, heading back to Spirit World to finish Sensui's records. Hiei flits off without a word. It's Genkai who sorts the rest of them out afterward. She sends all the young psychics home, and makes Keiko go with Shizuru and Kuwabara so she'll stop clinging to Yusuke.

That only leaves Kurama and Yusuke. She talks to Kurama for a minute while Yusuke stands around awkwardly, just trying to breathe. Then Kurama's handing him his uniform jacket and leading him off. Yusuke goes with it, sure that Kurama is steady enough for the both of them.

It's a long train ride back, then a long taxi ride to the Minamino household. Shiori is away for the weekend with her fiancé. Finally away from everyone else, Yusuke drops. Knees give out like the first time he got drunk. Stomach feels about the same as it did then, too. He thinks he might be shaking.

"Here," Kurama says quietly, and he guides Yusuke to the couch.

Yusuke's starting to get warm again as he huddles into that godawful pink jacket. "Thanks."

Kurama must be standing behind him somewhere, and that should probably bother him. He feels safe with Kurama, though, and that should probably scare him. The guy is capable of killing him in about a zillion different ways if he wants to. It's just...Kurama doesn't expect him to be the leader, the hero every minute of the day like everyone else seems to. Being around him is something like the way he thinks "normal" feels.

"If you'd like to take a shower, I'll find some clothes for you to borrow," Kurama offers.

"Yeah, okay. Just...could you help me with this first?" he asks, running a hand through his ridiculous hair. "It's driving me nuts."

"Of course."

Yusuke hears Kurama leave the room, and he stares down at his feet. He's still missing a shoe, and it strikes him as funny even though he knows it shouldn't. But now he can't stop laughing. He wants to, so badly, but it won't quit coming out of him. It's so hard that he's shaking even worse, and there are tears in his eyes.

Suddenly, there are arms around him, a little stiff, a little awkward, and that's weird because it's Kurama, and he's never stiff or awkward. Ever. But Kurama holds him until the hysteria passes. He doesn't push Yusuke to talk like Keiko would, doesn't rag on him like Kuwabara would. Just holds him.

Yusuke looks up and sees that Kurama's eyes are closed like he's in pain. He wonders if this is one of those Things That Must Never Be Mentioned, but then Kurama looks at him. The look in his eyes says a lot of things that Yusuke can't find words for. He knows, though, that he won't have to mention it because he gets it, and Kurama gets it, and it's okay for them to sit here like this right now. Later, too, if they need it.

Part of Yusuke hopes they will.