Disclaimer: I do not own the characters
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It wasn't that bothering to be single really, it did have some pros to it, for one it saved you from the nagging. Well, that was something he could live without-seeing two of his closest friends having a screaming marathon right in front of him not only hurt his ears but his brain as well.
it wasn't that Keiko was a bad girlfriend, she was just loud, scratch that, she was like having a fighter plane in your ears all the time. You just had to give Yusuke some credit for dating a girl as loud as that, though he wasn't without some problems of his own. Keiko's loud nagging only matched Yusuke's hard head, bricks stood no chance against how hard headed this boy was.
Though if it wasn't for Keiko, Yusuke wouldn't have had graduated high school. Having her constantly nagging at him did him good, it was either be nagged at or do your homework, he chose the latter.
They were in college now, and pretty much nothing had changed between the couple, they still duked it out pretty much anywhere. Though beneath that war like state they were always in, you could tell there was love, and that was what made them last. And seriously, they were the only ones who could stand each other and that was that.
Maybe Yusuke was partially deaf, but he will never know.
Kurama only smiled at his own musings, they were his friends after all and he had gotten used to them already. It had been like that since they had met, it was practically the way of life to them, it was just how things went.
His thoughts led him to another couple, namely Yukina and Kuwabara.
Yukina in a way was a saint, quiet, unassuming and gentle. She was also completely oblivious to anything evil. Kuwabara on the other hand, was just like Yusuke, he was quite a delinquent. The difference between the two was that Kuwabara was a die hard romantic, something you would never expect from the really big guy. Kuwabara had fallen hard for Yukina, real hard-Yukina on the other hand grew fond of him over time and eventually they became an item in their own way.
Kurama looked at Kuwabara's devotion and compared to how a dog was loyal to its owner he was blind to everyone else except for her. It was a weird analogy but that was the only thing he could think of at the moment. Yukina in return only had eyes for him as well, he was her protector. There were usually just quiet, whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears completely not bothered by the outside world, they had they own little bubble and they planned to stay there.
He was surrounded by love birds all the time.
No, Kurama didn't really mind being single or that's what he told himself, but sometimes loneliness would get to him. He was human in a way and like any other person he needed someone too. Everyone else in the group was taken, technically he was the only single one. That's where Shizuru came into the picture, just like him she was single as well.
Shizuru was Kazuma's older sister, but you'll never really know unless they told you and still you wouldn't believe it. She was two years older than himself and seemed to be in a completely different league compared with her younger brother. She was one of those girls that you couldn't really grasp, she had her own grove and was completely independent of others.
Kurama's musings were once again cut short when he saw the object of his thoughts came into view. She entered the restaurant and was seemingly looking for someone, rather she was looking for them.
Kurama seeing her distress- waved at her, signaling Shizuru to where they were seated. She waved back at him and promptly proceeded to walk towards them.
"Finally! You just had to make a grand entrance didn't you?" Kuwabara said.
Sibling love was truly evident with these two.
"Of course" was the only retort Shizuru gave her brother while browsing the menu for food. With her arrival they were now able to place orders to the waitress.
Small chitchat was exchanged with the group while waiting for the food. The group often went out at least once a month to simply catch up with one another. Each of them had their own lives now, but still their friendship remained, it was one thing they held on to dearly. After all those years they were practically family now.
"So Shizuru, how are you?" Kurama asked the brunette across him. Despite the fact that she was a bit older than him, she was the one he could connect to the most. He was attracted to her, and he couldn't help it, she was the only one who matched him intellectually and she was really interesting. Besides, among the couples in the table it was only natural that he talk to her- she would actually listen.
With the question asked, Shizuru looked at him, and smirked "Nothing much, same old things.I'm actually getting bored with my job. How bout you? Aren't you going to graduate soon. . ." she trailed on. She had his attention now and she planned on keeping it. She didn't want to admit it but she's been interested with her brother's friend for quite some time now.
He was different from what she was used to, her brother hung out with them so called thugs. It was a mystery how her brother had actually one friend that was considered to be smart. Friendship really an unusual thing she thought but she welcomed that friendship nonetheless, if it wasn't for that friendship his brother formed she wouldn't have met him and she wouldn't be this love sick fool for a younger person.
"Yeah I am, I was thinking about pursuing medicine" was Kurama's answer to her question.
Plus points was the only thing Shizuru thought in her head, "Over achiever much" she retorted. She couldn't help it she loved teasing the guy, it was almost like she was flirting with him if you considered that flirting.
Kurama only laughed at the comment, he was used to her teasing and he liked it. Her teasing was just of those quirks that made her so interesting, he'd like to think it was her way of showing him that she was comfortable with him to actually flirt with him.
"Man, I barely hung on during high school and then you actually want to prolong schooling?! I will never understand you Kurama" said Yusuke in between chewing and talking, this boy seriously had no manners whatsoever. "I seriously think you have a masochistic streak in you" he added while swallowing the steak.
"Well, It's not his fault he actually has brains Yusuke" Shizuru came to Kurama's defense. Masochistic huh, now that would be intersting
"And he actually makes use of it" Keiko added and stuck out her tongue at her boyfriend. Yusuke then pretended to get offended, and made the "how can you say that" look, which made everyone laugh.
It was the usual banter they shared, poking fun at one another was something they enjoyed immensely. It brought them back to the good old days of high school and reminded that that really nothing had changed, they still saw each other that way.
After sometime though, the topic flowed towards Shizuru and her lack of a dating life. Throughout their time together as friends she seemed uninterested in anybody, sure he'd bring a guy at times but it was never serious. They'd never really see the guy after probably the third time.
"You scare them away. . ." was Kazuma's explanation for it. Leave it to her brother to support his older sister.
"That's not nice Kazuma" replied Yukina and added "Maybe she still hasn't found that right guy" Leave it to her to be ever so innocent. She was such an optimist in her own way.
Shizuru frowned at this, she knew she could be at times quite too much but it was just has she was. What bothered her was that she knew who she wanted and he was sitting across her. What could she do, the guy she wanted just never looked her way.
"Let's find you a guy then!" Keiko exclaimed quite excitedly, she loved matching people up. "I know someone, you might like him" she was already thinking of boys she could make Shizuru date.
Shizuru, however could only roll her eyes, she knew blind dates weren't for her, she's done it before and it was not something she wanted to try again. It only frustrated her, the irony the situation was proving to be. She knew they wouldn't stop bugging her until she agreed to at least one date with some person she would never have interest in.
And so the search for the perfect guy for Shizuru had begun, all of them knew someone they wanted her to date. She just sighed and looked at Kurama who was just sat there listening but not contributing to the conversation.
It seemed that everyone else forgot that Kurama was there and was single too. Had no one thought that he would be great for her? He was just right there readily available and he knew her well to boot.
He was not comfortable with the idea of Shizuru going out on these dates that their friends were proposing. He wanted to date her, he wanted more that to date her, he just didn't want to be just a friend anymore. Why was no one suggesting he date her?
He wasn't the jealous type but it bothered him.
The thought of it greatly bothered him.
The thought of being bothered by the thought, now THAT was bothering him, now he was getting redundant.
Those musings only made him realize how much he wanted her and how over the years he always had.
He frowned, it couldn't be-was he finally going to admit that he liked her enough to actually care if she dated someone?
He was getting a headache, he didn't want to think to much anymore and decided that maybe he wanted to get some air. So he stood, much to everyone's surprise. "I'll just go out for a while" he grumbled quickly leaving them. It didn't really bother them and continued on with their "Find Shizuru a Boyfriend" talk.
While outside, Kurama just stood there and took a cigarette out of his pocket and proceeded to smoke. Nothing like a good smoke to clear your mind. He now completely understood how Shizuru could be addicted to them all those years back. In actuality he only tried smoking because of her, because she was smoking- he wanted to have something in common with her.
He wasn't into his second cigarette when Shizuru appeared right beside him.
"You just had to leave me there didn't you?"
"What do you mean?" asked Kurama confused, totally not getting what she had meant.
"Well, it got kind of annoying, you know?" she said looking at his eyes. "It's just that they all mean well and all but I don't want it, I don't want their help"
Kurama only raised his eyebrows, was she trying to tell him something? Before he could think of a reply, Shizuru continued with her soliloquy.
"It's just gets on my nerves how dense they could be, I'm totally contented with what I have now, regardless of whether I have a boyfriend or not." she was rambling to Kurama now and she did not care and basically just continued to rant.
"Don't they realize that I have no interest and I will never have interest in whoever they plan to make me date"
Now that caught his interest, "Why not?" he inquired, he couldn't help but ask the question. He blurted it out, he wanted to know if he had a chance, if she already had that somebody.
"Well. . . " She started, now she was in trouble, she wanted so badly for him to notice her but she just couldn't say that. She wanted him to read between her lines, to figure out who she really wanted.
"Do you already have someone in mind?" asked Kurama, he was staring at her now looking directly in her eyes. He wanted answers, he wanted to know if he had a chance. He wanted it to come from her own mouth.
I like you dammit, I absolutely adore you. Of course she could never admit that.
She could never say that, that sounded too much like a drama. She refused to be one of those needy girls, it just wasn't her style and she had pride! She had lots of pride, more that one should ever have. She wanted him to make the first move because she could never do that, especially when it came to him.
She didn't want to become one of his crazy fangirls from way back when.
She couldn't answer the question without blurting out what she was trying hard to suppress. She promptly left the question hanging in the air , she would rather be quiet than tell him.
Silence was golden, and completely unnerving.
They were just there, standing outside the restaurant not wanting to break the silence as they were both in deep thought.
So finally Kurama had to break it, what he said was something unexpected.
"Go out with me then"
Shizuru's eyes couldn't get any wider now, her mouth complete agape. Now she looked like a fish out of water-completely caught off guard.
He just stood there with his hands in his pocket, looking at her. The wind was blowing making his hair unruly, his expression unreadable. Standing there Kurama just looked at her like she was the only person in the world.
Was he expecting an answer?
"W-what?" was all she could say, her brain was not functioning now. She wanted this but she never expected it. Was he serious?
Kurama wasn't the joking type so why would he start now.
"I asked if you would go out with me-like on a date" He repeated, clarifying his intention to her. I can't back down now.
"Well, we're both single aren't we? So why not?"
For some reason Shizuru found his logic very annoying and she let him know it.
"That is not a good reason" she stated. You just don't ask someone for a date just because. Just because wasn't a reason, it will never be a valid reason! They were too old for that, they both knew it, bullshitting was just too juvenile for people like themselves.
" I don't want a pity date Kurama, don't do that just because you feel that I need it" she said, she still couldn't look at him straight in the eyes. She wanted him to go out with him because he wanted to not because he felt he needed to rescue her or something.
"I'm asking you not because I feel the need to, you know" Kurama answered her. Did she think he was playing with her? She should know by now that he was someone who wouldn't joke about things like that.
He moved closer to her wanting to see her eyes. She didn't realize that he was standing close to her now.
"I'm asking you out because I want to" he clarified.
"What are you saying?" she was getting more and more confused by the turn of events. Her mind was beginning to put two and two together but a part of her was still questioning it.
"What I'm trying to say is that. . ."
I want you, I always have.
Was he saying what she thought he was going to say?
"I can't stand the thought of another guy being with you" he was confessing to her now.
He couldn't find the right words to say, funny how of all people he would run out of words. He just didn't know how to continue the so called profession of love.
But Shizuru didn't need to hear more, she understood. She felt stupid now for wanting him to do the whole I- love- you- will- you- be- my -girlfriend type of thing. of course Kurama was different and that's what she liked about him the most, he had his own thing. She looked at him, his eyes told her everything and she knew instantly.
He was staking his claim on her, making it known to her.
Smiling now, she drew closer to him and silenced him using her finger.
Yes, I understand.
They both finally understood that they were simply waiting for the other, it was funny. They were both waiting for some sort of reassurance that they remained completely oblivious to the signals they were both trying hard to convey to each other.
They were closer than ever now, his hands wrapped around her, enveloping her whole being. She rested her head on his chest feeling the warmth his body was exuding, she wanted to hear his heart beating. It was almost as if his heart was calling out to her, it was music to her ears.
It was the moment both of them were waiting for, their own version of perfection.
So Kurama did the only thing he thought was right, he pulled her in and captured her lips.
Actions did speak louder than words, did they not?
It was perhaps faith that made it so- for the two remaining single people in the group to inevitably end up together.
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Author's Notes: Sorry I made Kurama a smoker, I just wanted him to have some sort of flaw or something that made him human.
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