Hi guys, I'm back! I know I've been MIA, but life has taken over. I landed a full-time job and I'm slowly settling into the next phase of life after college. I originally intended to fully complete this story and then start publishing it, but with the way life has been going, it seemed as though I'd never get a chance to finish. So, instead, I decided I'll post the prologue to see how you guys like it and try my best to continue updating whenever I can.

I don't own YYH!

Prologue

"This stupid mission couldn't have come at a worse time," Yusuke grumbled, strolling inside of Koenma's office with a frown.

"It's a bit too late for complaining, Yusuke. Seeing as we already completed the mission and retrieved the mirror of illusion," Kurama noted, his emerald eyes shifting over to the artifact.

"Well that's half the problem," Yusuke replied, juggling the mirror between his hands haphazardly. "Now that the Spirit World crisis is over, I have to deal with the earthly ones."

"What do you mean, Urameshi?" Kuwabara piped in curiously.

Yusuke set the mirror of illusion on Koenma's desk and then turned back to the others.

"Girl troubles," he revealed grimly. "I had plans with Keiko today, but because pacifier-breath couldn't keep track of his toys, I had to cancel." The detective paused, crossing his arms over his chest. "Don't get me wrong, I'd take demons over chick flicks any day, but this is like the third time I bailed on her, so I know I won't hear the end of it."

Kuwabara grimaced.

"That's rough."

"You'd think by now she'd understand, but no, saving the world isn't a good enough excuse anymore," Yusuke said with a heavy sigh. "I just can't figure her out sometimes."

"Women are complicated," Kuwabara agreed. "I don't think I'll ever understand them."

"Damn straight," Yusuke grumbled.

Kurama silently agreed with a nod of his head and Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged wide-eyed glances.

"No way!" Yusuke exclaimed, his expression perking up slightly. "The heart-throb of Meiou High's having girl problems, too?"

"You can say that. The girls at school are becoming increasingly more aggressive with their advances," Kurama revealed. "The more I ignore them, the harder they try."

"Girls throwing themselves at your feet, that must be exhausting," Yusuke mocked.

"Don't knock it, Urameshi. With more girls, comes more problems," Kuwabara said sagely.

"I guess that's true," Yusuke said, before looking over at Hiei. The fire-demon had been suspiciously quiet during the whole conversation, not even opening his mouth to spit a single insult. "What about you, little buddy? You got anything to say on the matter?"

Hiei's expression was unchanging from its stoic state, his tone flat as he answered, "I find your inability to deter human women pathetic and embarrassing."

Without so much as a warning, he turned his back to the others, obviously not interested in the sudden turn in conversation.

"Leaving so soon?" Yusuke asked teasingly. "And here I thought we were having a moment."

Hiei turned to face them once more.

"The mission is over. My presence here isn't needed and I no longer wish to hear you complain about your petty problems."

Kuwabara rolled his eyes.

"You always act so superior, but I bet you have the most trouble with women. Heck, you probably couldn't even last one date," he accused.

"Date?" Hiei echoed, the word slipping off of his tongue with a hint of distaste.

"You know: movies, dinners, long walks on the beach?" Kuwabara tried.

Hiei crossed his arms.

"I don't follow."

"Let me put it in less girly terms," Yusuke began. "All a date is, is a precursor to sex. You spend some meaningless time together and then –"

"Don't mind him," Kurama cut in. "A date is what two people who are attracted to each other engage in. It can be anything, really, so long as both parties are enjoying themselves."

"Hn. Sounds like the type of activity someone with low intellect would partake in," Hiei scoffed.

"Let me tell you, Hiei, it takes someone with a lot of inner strength and intellect to get through a date successfully," Yusuke insisted.

"Ridiculous," Hiei muttered.

"Yusuke is right. It might sound superficial on the surface, but it does take a great deal of thought and effort," Kurama defended.

Crimson eyes narrowed.

"You've obviously gone soft during your time here, Kurama," Hiei said with disdain.

"You talk a big game, shorty," Kuwabara said. "Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?"

Yusuke's expression brightened and Kurama frowned.

"I like where you're going with this, Kuwabara. Hey, Hiei," Yusuke said, turning towards the shorter male. "What do you say we raise the stakes and make things a little more interesting?"

"Yusuke, don't get carried away," Kurama advised. "Hiei doesn't even have any human currency."

"Relax, it's just a harmless bet between friends; I'm sure we can think of some other alternative instead of money," Yusuke replied, waving him off. "So what do you say, Hiei? Care to prove us wrong?"

"I have nothing to prove to you fools," Hiei replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Sounds to me like the wielder of the darkness flame is scared of a little date!" Yusuke taunted.

Hiei glared.

"Aw, is the little fire-demon afraid of girls?" Kuwabara teased. "Does he still think they have cooties?"

"Don't listen to them," Kurama advised. "This bet of theirs isn't a good idea."

The fox was right, it wasn't a good idea.

This game of theirs could twist and turn into something horribly wrong.

But the wheels in his head were starting to turn, and the various taunts from the detective and the psychic had become nothing but a low – albeit annoying – hum as an idea sprang to life in the furthest corners of his mind.

It was a terrible idea, they all knew it.

And that's why the words that came out of Hiei's mouth surprised everyone in the room.

"I accept."

All eyes went wide.

"What?" Kuwabara and Yusuke bellowed in unison.

"I said, I accept," he repeated evenly.

"You can't be serious," Kurama said, eyeing his old friend suspiciously. Although the fire-demon was ill-tempered and never backed down from a challenge, accepting a gamble of this nature was beneath him. He would never agree to a bet unless he knew he could win and the outcome benefited him greatly and, right now, Kurama wasn't sure either of those circumstances could be met.

"I am completely serious," Hiei said, his tone full of conviction.

"I don't know what you have planned, Hiei, but I can assure you—"

"This doesn't concern you Kurama," Hiei gritted, turning his attentions towards the two humans. "Now, name your conditions."

Yusuke and Kuwabara looked between their demon companions nervously, before turning to each other and nodding. Kuwabara cleared his throat and took a step forward.

"We get to pick a girl and you have to romance her for…" he trailed off, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Two weeks," Yusuke decided.

"Right. Two weeks sounds like enough time," Kuwabara agreed. "If she breaks it off or suggests that you "see other people" before your two weeks are up, then you lose."

"Pitifully simple," Hiei smirked.

"And you gotta go all the way," Kuwabara insisted.

Hiei raised a brow.

"Kuwabara you dog!" Yusuke exclaimed with a lecherous grin.

The psychic immediately shook his head and shot the detective a dirty look.

"I mean, you gotta take this seriously. You really have to romance her. Buy her gifts, give her compliments… be a true gentleman."

"Fine," Hiei agreed. "And now that the conditions are made known, the only matter left to discuss is the reward."

Yusuke and Kuwabara looked at one another nervously, before Yusuke stepped forward.

"If you win, you get the most fulfilling reward of all: the sweet satisfaction of knowing that you are superior to us," Yusuke quipped.

"No," Hiei said sternly.

"No?" the spirit detective echoed, confused.

"No. You will convince that idiot Prince to lessen my probation. He won't listen to Kurama and I because we are ex-convicts, but he will listen to your judgment, detective."

Yusuke was silent for a moment, his mouth pressed into a firm line as he mulled the idea over in his head. It was a shot in the dark, but Hiei had to try. Eventually, the detective's mouth quirked upwards, brown eyes flashing with determination.

"Deal," he agreed with a nod. "Now, what do we get if we win the bet?"

Hiei smirked.

"The satisfaction of knowing that you are superior to me," he recited.

Yusuke's eyes narrowed.

"I see what you did there, bud, but it's alright. Just the thought of you going on a date is a reward in and of itself," he said, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "Man, I can't wait to see you stumbling over your own two feet and choking on your words."

"Don't hold your breath, detective," Hiei replied. "No one will ever have power over me the way that human women do over you."

"You say that now, but I'm sure in a few days' time, you'll be eating your words," Yusuke warned. "Girls are crazy, man. They always find a way to get under your skin and have you eating out of the palm of their hands."

"Speaking of - we still have to pick the unlucky lady!" Kuwabara noted.

"If we're gonna be fair here, then she's gotta at least be aware about demons and spirit world," Yusuke offered.

"But in keeping with the spirit of the bet, she's gotta be a challenge, too. Someone who will really get under his skin," Kuwabara reasoned.

"The total opposite of Hiei's doom and gloom persona," Yusuke suggested with a laugh.

The doors to Koenma's office slid open and the Prince entered the room, Jorge and Botan trailing behind dutifully. The ferry-girl smiled at them, bright eyes twinkling and exuding a look of cheer that only she could possess.

"Hello boys, I take it the mission went well?" she greeted warmly.

Kurama's eyes widened in realization.

Kuwabara grinned.

Hiei cursed.

Yusuke busted out laughing.

"Oh, this is too perfect!"

I hope you guys like it so far. I'm kind of apprehensive about this story since I haven't done any writing in a while and the plot for this story will force Hiei to do things differently than he normally would. In the next chapter you'll get to see Hiei's reasoning behind accepting the bet and what drove him to this point, so hopefully he won't seem OOC.

Anyway, I'll stop rambling now. Thanks for reading and please drop a review to let me know what you think!