Hi! I'm Myanime91! I Hope you like this!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this fic. Fortunately, I do own the plot of this story… Ha Ha

After a harsh breakup with Yusuke, Keiko believes that she is incapable of having a relationship. So when she starts college, it's a big surprise when Keiko walks into her new dorm to find none other then Kurama! With no other options, the sexy kitsune and the spirited female have no choice but to stay with each other as roommates while each promise to only remain as such. But that's easier said then done as both feel the emotional tug towards each other. Is it lust? Or maybe something more….

Chapter 1

Keiko gave a deep, shuddering sigh as she woke up from a horrible nightmare. She sat up in her bed, breathing in and out, her usually calm mind awhirl with fear and confusion. Silently she counted to five, letting she become tranquil in the thought that whatever just happened was merely a dream.

She swung slender legs over the side of her large bed and stood up, feeling shaky and dis-oriented. As Keiko ran her hands through her silky brown tresses, everything came crashing back to her…

"Keiko, I'm sorry okay!"

A crying Keiko whirled around, beautiful almond-colored eyes pained and angry.

"No your not Yusuke! Shut up!"

Yusuke sprinted toward the now-sobbing female, his hair tussled and shirt unbuttoned.

"Look Keiko, it was a mistake, you've got to believe me!"

"No it wasn't Yusuke! You didn't accidentally wind up screwing Botan! Botan, Yusuke! My friend!"

"It wasn't like that! Come on Keiko! Don't be like this! You know I love you!"

Keiko was suddenly furious. Wiping tear-stained eyes, she marched up to the handsome spirit detective, slapping him in the face.

This time, Yusuke didn't fall to the ground. His head swirled to the side, as was expected. A pink mark shone on his cheek.

"Listen up Yusuke," She ground out through clenched teeth, " That is NOT the kind of love I want. From you, or from anyone! I don't need that kind of love. In fact, I don't need love at all. So you can take that sorry act and shove it up your ass. I'M THROUGH!"

Mildly shocked at what had come out of her mouth, Keiko's eyes widened a fraction of an inch. She waited for Yusuke to say something…anything. But he had that look in his eyes. The look that told her he accepted, maybe even was happy about, this.

Feeling fresh tears forming, Keiko spun around and sprinted home as fast as her tiny feet would carry her.

Keiko heard her own sharp intake of breath, and blinked a few times as the meaning of her flashback sunk in.

So it hadn't been a nightmare. It had been real, although Keiko didn't want it to be. She wanted to have woken up and seen Yusuke smiling down at her. To have him gently kiss her the way that he did. To lay with him on the grass and talk about nothing for hours. But she could no longer have that pleasure.

Images of Yusuke and Botan's lips pressed against each other, his hand caressing her skin, her hands running through his hair and he pumped in and out of her flashed through her mind, and Keiko felt sick. She had noticed Yusuke's strange behavior in the recent past. It had started after their little argument over….sex. Keiko wasn't ready and Yusuke seemed to belive it was a flat out rejection of him. so he obviously went to someone who could give him all of that. He seemed to want to prove that point in his room, where anyone could barge in unexpectedly. Unfortunately, that was what Keiko had done, after receiving a letter of acceptance to a nearby university. College would be starting in two weeks, and Keiko wanted them to be together.

But Dreams can be smashed ever so easily.

Keiko felt the familiar lump in her throat, and she threw herself on the bed as body-wreaking sobs pulsed through her.

Ten minutes later, the slender 18 year old pushed herself off her bed. She felt empty, but at the same time fulfilled. She could feel no more emotion at Yusuke. Only calm. While that worried her, it also made her feel good. In a way, Keiko new this was coming. The sooner she got over Yusuke, the better she would feel. She would move on eventually.

Will You?

Keiko stopped as that stray thought swept across her mind. Of course she would move on. Keiko would find love again. Of course.

Yet Keiko suddenly felt doubt creep in. Yusuke was everything a great buy should be. He was funny, handsome, loyal, caring, strong, and honest. Sure he was a little rough around the edges, but he was the ultimate fantasy of any girl. If he couldn't love her…then who could?

Something settled in the pit of Keiko's stomach. It was fear.

Fear of rejection.

Fear of doubt.

Fear of being along for the rest of her life.

She tried to convince her self that this was normal post-breakup behavior, but assurance couldn't be found. Why would anyone want her? She wasn't as pretty as some of her friends. Sure she may be smart, but wasn't that kind of a turn off? Plus, she had that mean slap of hers. Maybe that drove men away. Maybe she was too prude, too virgin for guys. No one would want her…

As these thoughts filled her mind, Keiko began to panic, shoving them all away. She couldn't think like this! She needed confidence. She needed support.

She needed to get out of the house now.

So without a second thought, Keiko tore out of her bedroom, hopefully leaving all doubt behind her.

Kurama blinked tiredly as he strolled through the park. He had been up all night at his college acceptance party, which his mother and stepfather had thrown him. It had been a mildly boring several hours in which the handsome redhead had to go from person to person, and spend a good ten minutes mingling. Though he could never say it out loud, Kurama secretly hated large gatherings. The combined scents of women in heat, sweaty men, tobacco, and seafood cocktails had been like torture on his sensitive nose. He could feel Youko throughout the whole night, complaining and suggesting that he head off to the nearest strip club. The two elements together made Kurama's head pound and he had sprinted off to the nearest park as soon as he could. The divine smell of flowers usually instilled tranquility in him.

Suddenly Kurama paused as a familiar scent passed through his nose. It was the musky rose and vanilla scent combined with something deliciously female that he had taken a strange liking to.

Glancing up, he saw a slim female walking in his direction, wearing nothing but a messy T-shirt and sweat pants. It seemed like the kind of outfit one would wear to bed. Kurama saw her long brown hair bouncing as she walked; yet he could not see her eyes. Assuming this was the correct person, Kurama smiled a genuine smile and greeted her.

"Hello Keiko."

Large, brilliant brown eyes widened as she slender brunette looked up. She smiled in recognition at the kitsune.

Kurama blinked in surprise as he caught a range of emotions flash across her face before the smile. From sadness to depression to utter frustration to relief to…hope? Kurama also noticed the redness and puffiness of her eyes and wrinkled his brow. He wondered why Keiko looked so upset, when she usually was the most spirited of the group. He admired her for standing Yusuke all these years and because she could match wits with any member of their circle. Youko had spoken up about her a couple of times, but Kurama had merely brushed it off as his obsession over anything beautiful. And Keiko was indeed beautiful, he noted.

"Kurama!" Keiko exclaimed in surprise, hastily wiping her eye with her tiny wrist. "What are you doing out so early? Isn't it summer vacation?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Kurama replied smiling, " I like morning time. It's a lot more peaceful out, don't you think?"

Keiko nodded, and her smile grew more genuine, replacing the faker one she wore seconds ago.

"So…how is everything?" she was either at a loss of what to say, or she was nervous, bur Kurama didn't mind.

"Fine, Keiko. And you?"

Keiko opened her mouth to answer, but paused. Her eyes seemed to dim, as her head slowly turned downwards. Suddenly she seemed to tense, like an invisible hand had clenched at her entire being. It seemed like the air around her became colder and darker, as if the sun itself felt pain.

Kurama was caught off guard by her sudden display of depression, as something deep inside him seemed to lurch. For some unexplainable reason it disturbed him to see her like this, and he was overcome with the overwhelming need to replace her somber mood with a happier one.

"Keiko? Is anything the matter"?

Keiko blinked, as if coming out of a daze. Their eyes met and Kurama felt oddly light. He distantly recognized Youko perking up inside his mind as Kurama and Keiko held gazes. Her eyes were a misty mixture of chocolates, and he searched their depths, looking for a reason for her obvious dismay. But her normally easily read orbs were cloudy and veiled, and Kurama wondered weather or not something serious had happened.

Keiko suddenly broke away, and Kurama almost missed the slight coloring of her cheeks. She glanced at the ground again, her fists clenched and her breathing even, as though trying to calm herself down.

Is she ill? Youko asked, clearly curious and confused. He had never seen a woman act like this in his presence, and it both concerned and intrigued him. He had seen Keiko quite a few times in the past, and there was something about her that made him feel slightly happier whenever she was around. She gave off an everlasting aura of spirit and light that brightened the atmosphere and faces of whomever she came into contact with. Even the hostile fire demon, Hiei seemed to be calmer when she was in the room. To see her so upset looking was foreign to him, when she seemed so predictable otherwise.

"Keiko…" Kurama said, trying once more to get an answer out of her. "If anything is wrong, you—"

"Yusuke dumped me." Keiko stated, her voice quiet and shaky.

For once in his life, Kurama was caught by surprise. Yusuke…dump Keiko? But why? They were nearly perfect together; she ignited a fire in him while at the same time claming and soothing him, and he challenged her and kept her spirits up. They were childhood friends who were destined to be together. It was clear by the way they would secretly look at each other when they thought the other was busy. Their gazes were filled with such love, that Kurama and developed a secret longing for someone to look at him that some way. It was impossible for Yusuke to break up with Keiko when he clearly needed her the way humans needed air. She was his rock, and she kept him grounded and human.

Kurama decided that if Keiko were his, then Kurama would never let her go. She was too special to be abandoned in such a cruel way.

That's an interesting thought… Youko commented

It didn't mean anything! I meant that if a girl like Keiko was mine, I wouldn't let her go. I did not, in any way, mean Keiko. She's just a friend.

What ever you say Cleopatra, Queen of De Nile…

Kurama didn't justify that with a reply, instead took a step closer to Keiko and voiced his question.

"Why?"

Keiko paled once again, then folded her arms across her chest and stiffened her jaw, facing Kurama with an even expression.

" I caught him having sex with Botan. That basically was him dumping me, don't you think?"

Kurama's world went white for a second, as he registered the information Keiko had just told him.

Yusuke and Botan.

He stood there in shock for a good minute in a half, not believing his ears. What the hell was Yusuke thinking? Who in his or her right mind would cheat on someone like Keiko?

All of the questions and surprise built up inside him like a tornado, tearing up his insides and scrambling his thoughts. Then suddenly it was all replaced by anger and a burning desire to see Yusuke at the receiving end of his Rose Whip. He was an idiot! Having sex with Keiko's good friend and having her catch them in the act? Kurama was pissed at Yusuke's stupidity and betrayal, but more upset because of how it affected Keiko. She didn't deserve this, and it tore him apart to see her in such a state of depression because of it.

Without warning, Kurama's arms shot out and grabbed Keiko, pulling her to him in one fluid motion. Keiko gasped, as her tiny figure was crushed against Kurama's much bigger one. Kurama wrapped his arms around her, noticing how soft and womanly she felt against him. Her chest melded against his, and her arms shook with sadness against his stomach, before reaching out and wrapping them around him. Keiko shakily breathed in Kurama's sweet-smelling fragrance before collapsing into gut-wrenching sobs, nuzzling her cheek into his torso. Kurama placed his lips on the top of her head, as Keiko reached barely below his shoulder, and also inhaled her unique scent. As she cried, Kurama felt something swell in his chest- it was tight, and burned like alcohol. For a moment it felt like he was in excruciating pain, agonizing- but so sweet and venomous. He felt her heartbreak, and it made him hold onto her all the tighter.

"I'm so sorry Keiko…"

Keiko sobbed something incoherent, and her body trembled violently. It was as if she needed to get it out of her system—the betrayal, the doubt and the pain. Yet Kurama knew it was far from gone. It would always be there inside her, in the back of her mind always reminding her of her past. The ache would dull, but the memory would never be forgotten. All Kurama could do was try and help her out while the storm raged inside her.

"It's okay Keiko…I'm here, don't worry…I'll keep you safe…"

Kurama repeated the mantra over and over, not giving much thought to the words, only concentrating on the girl in his arms, whose cries seemed to slowly abate as he continued to whisper encouragement to her. Kurama closed his eyes and, for that moment, despite the circumstances, he felt strangely at peace with Keiko in his arms.

It's Okay...

I'm Here...

I'll Keep you safe...

Keiko...