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Period gym;
Keiko ran her fingers through her shoulder length chestnut hair, stands damp at the nape of her neck thanks to several rounds of volleyball under the sweltering spring sun.
She chatted with the cluster of other girls, each clad in their gym uniforms; t-shirts, tiny shorts and knee high socks, smelling of bubblegum body spray, the other teens praising Keiko's athleticism and Keiko humbly waving away their praises. They talked about grades and boyfriends while their sensei barked orders at a group of boys across the field.
One of Keiko's friends Megumi, a freckled girl with glasses nudged her and glanced towards the fence lining the court, and Keiko saw a familiar hunched figure leaned against the chain fence, cigarette in hand.
Keiko excused herself, checked to see the sensei still tied up with another student's sprained ankle, and marched across the field to Yusuke, ignoring her friends curious stares. They watched the brunette and the delinquent trouble maker from a safe distance like a herd of nervous deer.
Yusuke flicked his ashes on the pavement as she approached. "Nice legs," he commented, and Keiko's cheeks turned bright pink. A smirk inched its way across his lips, knowing full well that he was poking her buttons. She scowled at him, glaring into his deep brown eyes, ignoring his lean frame in his tight jeans, or how she wished he would wrap those muscular arms around her waist. Her blush intensified. "What are you doing?" She snapped.
He exhaled a cloud of smoke, turning his face away from her. "'Watchin you play your little girl volleyball," he grinned.
"You should be in class." She ignored his comment. Ever since he had came back from the dead and all the spirit detective craziness his attitude towards her had shifted; more sexual comments, more ambiguous words and flirtations, always said jokingly of course.
"'Don't wanna."
Keiko crossed her arms across her chest. "You know I only harp on you cause I care, Yusuke."
He leaned his weight back against the concrete wall and almost mirrored her position. "About what?"
Keiko stared at him for a long moment. "You."
Same conversation stuck on repeat for years, since they were kids, yet he turned and faced her with a serious expression, and an unknown emotion swam behind his dark eyes. Keiko's heartbeat quickened its pace. Suddenly he felt a whole lot closer, and she forgot all about gym class or her peers. "I care about you too Keiko."
Had he really been watching her play volleyball this whole time? It was difficult to tell with him. She never got any serious, direct answers. She shyly inched closer and laid a hand on his chest before she ever realized she done it. "Oh Yusuke…" They locked gazes and her stomach erupted into a fit of butterflies.
"Whoa, hey hotness!"
Keiko jumped and they both in unison glanced across the street. A handful of boys from a different school sauntered their way towards them, their uniforms a harsh black and gold. Their leader leered at them, the ugly bruise on his cheek making him look like a beaten feral dog.
Keiko's hands trembled when she realized they were from the high school in the poorer part of town.
Yusuke's soft expression had vanished as if it had never happened, replaced by a cold hard glare, the usual angry façade he presented to the world. He popped his knuckles, never taking his eyes off the perceived threat.
"I sure would like to be between those legs!" The ringleader grinned and the others laughed, whistling. Keiko's face turned an angry shade of scarlet, but inside mortification raced through her. She had forgotten she wore nothing but her gym uniform.
"Shut the fuck up."
Their laughter vanished, and they glared at Yusuke as if they hadn't seen him there moments before. The older boy sneered at him. "What did you just say to me?"
The other boys, four of them total, hovered around the pair like jackals, waiting. Keiko stepped back and Yusuke stepped forward. "I said watch your fucking mouth you piece of shit."
Thoughts ran wild through Keiko's mind and she tugged on Yusuke's elbow. She didn't want him to get hurt because of her stupidity, wearing a tiny gym uniform outside on the street. "Yusuke…"
He ignored her, hate seeping from his expression and startled Keiko noticed how his shoulders trembled ever so slightly; but she knew him well and it wasn't from fear.
"I'll kick your head in and take your little bitch, punk!"
Yusuke slammed his fist into the guy's face. Keiko let out a yelp of surprise. She hadn't even seen him move.
Apparently the thug hadn't either because Yusuke smashed his face over and over and the other boy did nothing to block the blows. He punched Yusuke in the stomach and the spectators jumped back, laughing and giving the brawlers more room.
Furious and scared, Keiko covered her mouth with her hands when blood splattered on the pavement.
The high schooler's wide swinging punches left him open and Yusuke got him several times in the ribs and stomach. Dark liquid trailed down his face and Yusuke shoved him back into the street and he fell flat on his ass, breathing heavy.
"Don't come back to this side of town or I'll gladly beat your ass again." Yusuke spat.
Another boy glared at Yusuke, while the other two helped the injured boy rise from the pavement. He cursed them and jerked his hands away, though blood dripped from his lips and he stood wobbly on his feet.
"Man he beat your ass!" One of them laughed.
"Shut up!" The brute snapped, wiping his chin with the back of his hand.
Yusuke could tell the kid with the nasty look on his face was thinking hard; probably on whether or not to fight him and if it was even worth it. Someone's ego was bruised.
Yusuke decided for him and jumped at him and the boy flinched back as if he'd been slapped. Yusuke laughed with a spiteful tone in his voice. This mangy high school gang were as nervous as kicked dogs. "The name's Urameshi, remember it."
The ringleader spat red spit on the ground and it almost hit Keiko's feet. "Disgusting," she snapped, frowning at him in a relatively unintimidating glare.
They ignored her and pointed a dagger gaze at the black haired teen. "Oh we will."
Yusuke stood tall while they slunk away back across the street. With those ominous parting words he figured he would see them again sooner or later. He rolled his shoulders and wiped the sweat from the back of his neck.
He turned to Keiko. "You ok?"
Tears glazed across her brown eyes but she didn't let them fall. Her shoulders trembled. She had never been talked to in such a crude way. Well, besides from Yusuke. "Yeah."
He frowned, shoving his fists in his pockets. He could protect and fight for her but he wasn't so confident in dealing with teen girl emotions. "No you're not," he said simply. "Keiko?"
She let out a big sigh and peered down at her shoes, her bangs and some of her hair hiding her from his gaze. "I feel gross," she whispered. "Like a piece of m-meat." Her voice cracked at the last word. Keiko tried to calm her frantic heartbeat. They really had seemed like a pack of mongrels fighting over a bitch in heat. One fat tear rolled down her cheek. "Thanks for defending me Yusuke," she added.
Strong arms enveloped her small frame, a gentle pressure around her waist, and her head pushed into his shoulder. She smelled a tinge of sweat, the sharp scent of cigarettes and something spicy like cologne. When had he started wearing cologne?
His embrace did nothing to soothe her pulse, though some of the tension leaked away from her body as she relaxed in his arms. "Yusuke?"
She couldn't see his face, but his grip on her tightened. "Lets get you back to class. Don't worry about them got it? Don't even think twice about those losers, baby."
He whispered the last part and she almost missed it. Warmth spread through her and replaced the ugly feeling in her chest and she smiled. "Ok." She blushed. He had never called her that before, but she would be lying to herself if she said she didn't like it.
When she pulled back from him and clasped his hand in her own, she noticed the red flush on his cheeks, and she liked to hope it wasn't from the fight under the sun. They had held hands a million times as kids, but somehow this time was different and affection for her handsome friend swelled in her heart.
She noticed with mild alarm that her class had left her, but since she literally led Yusuke across the field she hoped she could drag him back into class.
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