Disclaimer:

Yoshihiro Togashi is the wonderful person who created Yu Yu Hakusho, not me, ok? I don't have that great of an imagination -.-;;

This fic's for…Lady Moon, I think…right? ^_^;;; Well, I'm finally writing this. Ummm…hopefully it's not that sucky -.-;;; Please review ^_^

FYI, I'm assuming Shizuru was about 20 at the end of the series, and so the mystery person (^_~ still not gonna tell ya) will be two years younger than her.

…for some reason, I usually start my fics with people coming out of school…O.o;; I find that odd -.-;;;;;;;;; Oh, and the rating may go up with future chapters ^.^;

Summary:

Restless, Shizuru goes out for a stroll. Whilst going down the familiar path, she comes across someone she thought she'd never see again. Having nowhere to go, she lets him stay at her house. On the way home, she realizes something she should have realized long ago, but is it too late to tell him how she feels? Pairings? You'll just have to read and find out…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Midnight Stroll

By: KuramaandHiei4ever

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~*Shizuru's POV*~~

"Thank God,"

Hearing the bell, I get up out of my seat. I may be nearly thirty, but I attend college. Why, you ask? Because I seriously need to get a job, and working at Mickey D's just isn't going to cut it. Living on my own I have to support myself; Kazuma moved out nearly five years ago and I only hear from him every once in a while, just to know he's still alive.

I swiftly walk through the halls and push open the heavy front door, patting my pocket to make sure I've got my lighter and cigs. My half lidded eyes overlook the crowd of students gathered at the entrance, waiting for their rides home or the bus. I join them and noticing a group of boys staring at me, I turn my head around and give them a menacing look. Taken aback, they look away. Smirking, I inch closer to the ash tray. I take out a cigarette and hold it close to my mouth while lighting it.

Ughhh, I hate when the bus is late…

I stand, waiting in front of the university, until finally, finally the bus comes. I reluctantly put out my cigarette, hating the law at the moment for banning smoking on buses. I board the bus, paying the fare, find a seat near the back, and unexcitedly look out the window, sighing every now and then to express my boredom.

Seeing my stop up ahead, I push the yellow tape located on the side of the seat, notifying the driver that I'd like him to stop[1]. Several moments before the bus slows to a stop, I get out of my seat, and holding onto the backs of the seats for balance, I make my way to the exit near the back of the bus.

The door opens in front of me and I step out. The bus rushes away after that, and causes the wind to blow by. I clutch my sweater close to me in hopes of some warmth. The wind's speed picks up. My hair waving in countless directions, I make my way to the house I've lived in all my life; after our parents died, Kazuma and I lived there, having nowhere else to go. I shake my head; thinking of Kazuma reminds me of why he was never home, and what he'd been doing for nearly four years…it reminds me of his friends, the other Reikai Tantei.

Reaching the front, I open the door and enter. I place my sweater atop the kitchen table, feeling déjà vu from the normal routine. The atmosphere is so familiar, but sometimes I wish I weren't alone. Though clumsy and bothersome, I miss Kazuma, despite the fact that I'd never admit it. I always beat him up, and I wish that I could take back some of the things I said…I didn't mean it, at least not all the time. I smile, walking up to my room. Even though he's not well liked by everyone, or attractive, he has a good heart at least, which is more than I can say for myself. He still visits Yukina, I know, and I'm glad for him, but…

I wish I had someone who cared for me like that…someone with as kind a heart as Kazuma…

They don't realize how lucky they are, to have each other. But I, I have no one…

No one…

In my room, I put down my school books and glance at the clock:

Ten-thirty already? Time sure flies…

Grabbing my pajamas, I head towards the bathroom. I take a shower, being careful not to waste too much water; I don't have a lot to spare.

Whilst in the shower, I wash my hair, still being careful about the amount of water I use. When I finish, I step out I seize two towels from the rack nearby. Taking the larger one, I wrap it around my body. The smaller one in hand, I take the towel and use it to wring out my hair before rolling it up and placing it atop my head.

Going into my room, I dry myself and let my hair down for several moments before pulling on my loose pajama top and a pair of shorts. I don't take the time to think why it's warmer in here than outside, but hell, I'm not complaining. I put the towel back around my hair, figuring it'll dry soon enough, seeing as it's nearly summer. Sitting at my computer desk, I take another look at the clock:

Eleven? Where does the time go…?

Even though I was nearly sleeping before, taking a cold shower normally wakes me up, and I know I won't be able to fall asleep for a while. I look over to my school books and with a click of my tongue, and a roll of my eyes, I bring them over to the desk…

A paper on Romeo and Juliet, huh? That shouldn't be too hard…

I look at the details for the assignment and my eyes go wide:

"In five pages or less retell the story in modern terms, explain the symbolism of the story, and give a short summary on the author…All to be handed in on…Thursday…" This is gonna be a long night…

I sigh; This paper's due in two days! There's no way I'll be able to finish this unless I start now. I learned from my last F not to procrastinate. But, it's not the fact that I won't have enough information in the paper, it's just that…I'll have too much information, and that's just as bad.

Thank goodness this is the only assignment I got today, or I'd be even deeper in a ditch.

Taking out the novel, I also removed a sheet of paper from the stack nearby. I turn to my small desk and hold down the paper with my left hand. Pencil in the right [hand], I start to chew on the top, knowing it'll help me think. I flip through the book, writing down a bunch of notes. My mind begins to wander, thinking of Kazuma and his friends…

I wonder where they are now? I know that Keiko and Yusuke have been married for nearly seven years, and are still together…Kazuma lives in a town nearby and teaches kindergarten…I always knew he'd be best with kids who were equal to him in mental capacity.

I laugh out loud at my own joke, and it feels strange; it's been so long since I'd laughed like that. Looking out the window, I see the darkness, what I always see when I dwell on the past. With each day it gets even harder to remember them, Yusuke, Kazuma, Hiei, and Kurama…

Whatever happened to those two? I know Hiei must live in Makai now, only visiting Yukina every once in awhile to make sure she's ok…but Kurama…

I chuckle, open and close my eyes slowly and think…

He must've already found the cure for cancer or something…he's always been smart like that.

Or maybe, he already went back to Makai…who knows? I continue to scribble notes down, still thinking of all four of the former Reikai Tantei.

By the time I'm done, I have three sheets of paper, front and back. But it's still only 11:30 and I now have to convert my notes into an actual paper.

I get a hold of another sheet of paper, and tapping my pencil on the hard surface of my desk, I begin writing slowly.

I wonder if Kurama still lives nearby, but he probably doesn't, I mean, I haven't seen him for nearly ten years.

I pause in my unhurried writing and wonder; Why the fuck am I even thinking about this?

Wonder I did, for the next five minutes, about how he looks now and what he's doing…

I wonder if he ever decided to get his hair cut…knowing Kurama, probably not.

I once again let out a small laugh, but silently reprimand myself for not staying on task.

After fifteen minutes and only two sentences down, I give up.

To hell with Medieval Europe, I have to get out of here…

Pushing my seat back, I put my head in my hands, and say, scratching my head in frustration, "I can't concentrate like this!" By this, I mean all of these memories of the good and bad, the end of the earth and peaceful times. I sit silently for several minutes, trying to decide what to do:

Should I keep working and make a shitty paper? Or should I try and clear my mind first…Hmmm…rest, work, rest work…

Weighing the thoughts with my hands, I triumphantly let one fall:

That's a no-brainer.

But, once I fall into my bed, thoughts from my past, my past and my brother's decide to unbury themselves, and I discover that I just can't fall asleep. I sit up, my hair still damp, and decide to go out for a walk…

Maybe that'll help clear my mind…

I snatch a pair of loose running pants from the closet and go down the stairs. I take my sweater from where I placed it earlier, and take a granola bar and stuff it in my pants pocket:

Damn I'm hungry, maybe I should've eaten dinner…

I walk out the door, lighting a cigarette on the way. But then, I take it out of my mouth and examine it…

Why do they make things that kill so fucking addictive?

That in mind, I throw it on the ground and twist the toe of my shoe on it. I originally starting smoking to take my mind off of the death of my parents, to take my mind off of the world, but now, it's like I don't even need them anymore and only smoke them out of habit. When I tried to stop, I found my hand so used to the motion of holding a cig, that it impulsively would take the pencil in my hand and bring it up to my mouth. Feeling as though I've made an accomplishment in putting out the one cigarette, I decide to try and quit smoking again…

I really don't want a hole in my throat…[2]

After making my 'big decision,' I begin to walk down the narrow path of the sidewalk, still thinking the same things as earlier.

I clutch my hands to my face, "What the hell is wrong with me?!" I ask no one in particular, "Why do I keep thinking of…him?!!" This is the craziest part:

I can't stop thinking of him…not after the many times he saved us and helped us out…[3]

Though the wind has died down from before, it's still chilly out and I cross my arms trying to keep myself warm. I rub my hands up and down the sides of my arms, when I stop dead in my tracks and squint…

Is that him? …nah, it couldn't be…

I walk ahead, and I'm surprised to see that…indeed, it is him…I never thought I'd see him again, especially not on the night I'd been thinking about him the most…

~~*Normal POV*~~

Sitting on a bench near the side of the road, head facing downwards, he hardly notices his old friend pass by.

Shizuru casually walks ahead to him and stops, "Hey, Kur-" she stops midway remembering that they're in Ningenkai, "Er…Shuichi!"

Hearing his name, Kurama looks up, breaking away from his thoughts. His eyes widen a bit at the surprise of seeing one of the people he was thinking of. Kurama's eyes narrow though, wondering why Shizuru's out so late.

'Tch…' Shizuru goes over to her friend, waving her hand in front of his face, "You in there? I said hi."

Shaking his head a bit, Kurama's eyes lock with hers, "I'm sorry, hello. What are you doing out here? It's late."

"I could ask you the same thing," she responds coolly, "I'm just taking a walk…I couldn't get any sleep." She says, rubbing one arm sheepishly.

"Ahh…well…" Kurama's cheeks flushed, "I was visiting my mother, and I went to the store to pick up something for her, but when I arrived, it was closed." Kurama let his head hang low again.

"Well…how long have you been waiting here?"

He mumbles incoherently.

"What?! I Can't hear a thing you're saying."

Louder, Kurama says, "Four hours."

"That long, huh? If you walked here, why don't you walk back? Or why didn't you walk back, four hours ago?"

Hesitating, he replies, "I drove here, but…after checking to see that the store was really closed, I headed back to the car…and…"

Impatiently, Shizuru says, "Just tell me how the hell you ended up on the side of the street with no where to go."

Gulping, Kurama starts over, "From afar, I couldn't tell whether the store was opened or not. I came around seven o'clock and when I got out of the car to see if the store was open, since the lights were on, I…I…"

"…You…?"

"I left my wallet, and everything I had with me in the car, of course, and…well, the last thing I saw was a group of teenagers, perhaps a gang, breaking the glass of the window, unlocking the doors, and jumping in…I had left the keys in the ignition as well." He ends his story and his cheeks are now a deep scarlet, realizing his foolishness.

"Oh…well, why didn't you catch a bus? Or call someone to pick you up or something?"

He grimaces, "I didn't have any money to make a call, or to catch a bus, not that it would've mattered; I live in the neighboring town and only came to visit…I'm not familiar with the streets here at all. My mother had given me the directions to the store, but like everything else, it was stolen along with the car."

"Jeez, that really sucks." Shizuru tells him truthfully, sitting next to him on the small bench, "but what were you planning to do, sit here all night? Ch, and I thought you were smart."

A growl emits from his throat, but he realizes she's absolutely right and shrugs, "I suppose…I mean, I don't even know the way back to my house, is took me thirty minutes just to get to the store. I'd have called my family, but I don't have my own phone. I've been asking passerby to use their cell phones, but it seems that the people in this town aren't as nice as I first anticipated." He looks at her, a flash of gold in his eyes.

Taken aback by his reply, she says nervously, "Well…you can stay at my house until morning and then you can call your mom up I suppose."

Bewildered by her kindness, he accepts, "Alright…let's be off then."

'There goes my peaceful night…' Shizuru thinks.

Walking side by side, Shizuru becomes more worried about her friend…

'He sure has changed a lot…'

~~*Kurama's POV*~~

I feel like grabbing my head and screaming. It's as if there's something pushing at the back of my mind, forcing thoughts into my head that I never thought imaginable.

'Face it, you want her…but you're not going to get anywhere unless you let me take over…' the voice speaks.

I try not to show mental stress and continue to let a soft smile pass through my lips

If only she knew how I feel…what I was thinking about, thinking about…her…

'Sooner or later I'll slip out again, why don't you just let me free? And we'll both have some fun…'

I nearly stop moving, but I can't raise her suspicions so I continue on. I look towards her…she may not be the prettiest girls I've met, but at least she's down-to-earth, and very unlike any other girl I've met. I blink; she's shivering…

I take off the small jacket I have, and lay it upon her shoulders, hoping she'll be warmer this way. Whilst doing so, my skin touches upon the flesh on her neck.

"Umm…Thanks…" she says apprehensively. Does she notice what's going on? That Youko's trying to take over?

'Did you think you were hiding it well?' he taunts me, and I can almost see the sarcastic look upon that face of his. It's true that he resides within me, but I wish sometimes that I could live a normal life as Shuichi, not as 'Kurama' or 'Youko'…

I just want to be normal…

'You ningens with your silly hopes and fantasies of life…phht, just from that one touch of her skin, I can tell you want more, no you need it.'

I block out the voice temporarily and continue to walk with Shizuru to where her house is, when it strikes me to ask a question, "Do you have a car?" I am curious to know this seeing as she never offered to give me a ride home, only proposed that I could call my mother to pick me up or such.

"No." she bluntly tells me. I look away, with a silent 'Oh.'

I wonder how she's been doing, living alone. It was big news when Kuwabara moved out, and we celebrated. I never realized how alone she must be, living on her own…

Like me…

~~*Shizuru's POV*~~

We continue to walk through the night, and looking over at his wrist, I can see a faint glow coming from his digital watch…

12:15...

He notices me staring, and looks in my direction with a questioning look.

"Are we almost there?" he asks nonchalantly.

His voice is so dreamy…

My eyes nearly pop out of my head at that thought…

Where the hell did that come from?!

I shake it off, and hope Kurama doesn't notice my bizarre behavior. I try and avoid thinking about him…but it doesn't seem to be working…

Thinking of the past all this time, was I really trying to remember him??

…

Nah…

~~*Normal POV*~~

When Shizuru does not answer, Kurama repeats his question.

"Oh…" she glances around, "Sorry, I didn't hear you. Umm…actually, I think we passed it."

Kurama raises an eyebrow at the slightly taller brunette…

'How could she pass by her own house without realizing it?'

"Sorry about that," she mumbles, backtracking. Kurama follows her, and they eventually end standing on the front porch, and nothing else.

"Are we going to go inside?" Kurama asks, feeling his youko instinct kicking in.

"Uh…sure," she says, once again wondering what's wrong with her friend.

~~*Kurama's POV*~~

Standing so close to her makes me feel like taking her on the spot…her beauty, in my eyes, is unmatched…

'Now's my chance…to escape…'

I feel a jolt of energy rush through my body.

I shouldn't of let my guard down…

I get weaker by the second, and I feel my consciousness slipping just enough to allow him to break free and take control. I see black for a mere second before I realize that he's merged with me…

Uh-oh…

~~*Normal POV*~~

Kurama stumbles a bit, nearly toppling over.

"Whoa, are you alright?" Shizuru calmly crouches down to his level, trying to see what's wrong with him. Before she can though, she's stunned by the feeling of lips on her own.

'Is he doing what I think he's doing?!'

She takes a moment to respond, but soon parts her lips, allowing him entry. Their tongues take the time to explore the moist caverns of each others mouths. They stay in the same spot, lips locked in an undecided battle. Her eyes, recently close, open to see the face of her new 'love.' Shizuru's shocked at what she sees though; the normally soothing green eyes of her long-time friend have changed to a furious shade of gold.

She tries to pull back, but finds she can't…youko's too strong. Even though Shizuru realizes she shouldn't trust the youko, she continues to kiss him deeply.

'He wouldn't hurt me…right?'

(A/N: Youko has taken over in Shuichi's mind…sorta…he hasn't turned into Youko Kurama just to let you know ^_^;;; )

~~*Youko's POV*~~

She begins to respond…hmm…this should be fun…hehe…

I take my hand and slip it under the back of her sweater and shirt, rubbing the small of her back. She moans into the kiss and wraps her arm around my own form. My other hand finds its way to her face, and I affectionately push the hair out of her face. My eyes are open, and I stare at her closed lids…

After all these years…I finally have a mate…or at least I will…

I pull back from the kiss, only for a moment. She stares at me quizzically. Grinning, a fang sticking out, though still in my human form, I sink my teeth into the delicate skin that's on her neck.

She cries out.

I draw back, seeing the pool of blood form around the reddened bite marks. Licking my lips, I lick up the blood that surrounds the small wound. She groans at the contact and after having my fill of the crimson liquid I've missed so dearly, I go back to kissing my new love.

Now all she needs to do is mark me as well and we'll be mates for life…

'No…you've done enough damage already…'

Out of nowhere, Shuichi finds the strength to take over again. I'm pushed back into the corridors of my mind…

It was fun while it lasted…

~~*Normal POV*~~

Kurama, realizing what he's doing, quickly pulls away, leaving a startled Shizuru blushing furiously, head turned.

"What just happened?" Shizuru asks confused.

'I do love him, but…why'd he do that?'

Kurama answers, looking uneasily at the mark Youko left on her neck, "I couldn't hold him back…Shizuru, I'm sorry."

Downcast, she says, "Oh…so you don't really love me, right? Is that it?" She snaps, unable to hold in the feeling of humiliation…

'He made a fool of me…and lead me to believe he loved me…'

Shizuru feels a tear streak down her cheek.

Kurama sighs, "That's not it…"

Her eyes brighten, but she's still confused, "What?"

Kurama exhales loudly, "I…I do love you…but we can't be together…we can never be together…"

'He does love me!…I never thought I'd hear those words directed towards me…ever…'

"I'm…I'm already engaged…" he says regretfully.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dun DUN DUNNNN

MY EBIL CLIFFHANGER @.@

[1]-The buses in New Jersey have this yellow tape that's near the sides of all the seats and you press it, and this thing near the front of the bus says: "Stop Requested" and the driver hears a noise and pulls over at the next stop. I miss New Jersey…North Carolina sucks…it's mooville T_T;

[2]- I don't remember what it's called, but I learned from some retarded video that from smoking you can get some disease that they have to make a hole in your throat so you can breath…I think it had something to do with your larynx…^_^;;;

[3]-He (you're gonna have to READ THE FIC if you wanna know who…or the POV's ^_^;;;) saved Shizuru and the others a lot of times. Like that time when 'The Seven's' the Doctor was attacking Yusuke, and Kurama went into the hospital and he found Shizuru…he protected her. And a lot of other times too…^.^…right? ^_^;;;;;;

This chapter was brought to you by non-stop use of the thesaurus and sugar. Thanks for reading ^.^ Please review and I'll write a new chapter soon! I tried to keep the characters IC but…it's kinda hard, don't kill me if I didn't ._.;;; and…in the next chapter, for those of you on AFF, you'll get a lemon ^.^ and for those of you on FF…sorry? Umm…maybe some more lime, I mean, it's not like the lemon's gonna be any good ^_^;;;;;;;