Forever
A/N: So this is my second YYH fic. I have loved this show for well over ten years now, and it's very dear to my heart. I love Yusuke and Keiko together; they are just precious and make me super happy. My first YusukexKeiko fic I posted on here did better than I thought it would; I am amazed at how well-received it was, especially since I'm mainly a DBZ writer and wasn't sure how well I could do with a YYH fic. But you guys really seemed to like it, and I was asked by quite a few of you to make another one, so here it is! This takes place a year after the last episode, and I may have gone a little overboard with the fluff factor, but hey I could resist haha. Please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters.
"Come on, Keiko, let me take you home. I don't even know how you're still conscious!"
"Nooo I wanna stay with you!"
Yusuke sighed heavily as he stared down at his girlfriend as she rested her head on his shoulder, hiccupping profusely. Never in his life did he think he would live to see the day where Keiko would be drunk. They had started watching a movie together on the couch earlier in the night, but Atsuko had interrupted them when she came home intoxicated from a friend's house. She stumbled over to them and handed a bottle of red wine to Yusuke, telling him that her 'friend' had given it to her, but that she didn't like the taste of it so she figured Yusuke and Keiko could share it. She then staggered off to bed, leaving the two teenagers alone. Yusuke wasn't a fan of wine, and he figured Keiko wouldn't drink it, so he was about to throw it away until Keiko said she wanted to try it. He knew she had never even had a sip of alcohol before in her life, so he was hesitant, but she assured him she would be fine and that she was just curious about what it would taste like. Well, one sip turned into two sips, and eventually she lost count altogether, delighting in the taste of it. After she downed a little more than half of the bottle, Yusuke snatched it out of her hands, seeing how quickly she was getting tipsy off of it. She was a lightweight, which didn't surprise him at all.
He was actually rather amused by her while she was intoxicated. She slurred her words as she rambled on about nonsense, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glazed over. She even got a little frisky, telling Yusuke how 'hot' he was, and kept kissing him passionately, which he didn't mind in the slightest. The sweet and innocent girl he had grown up with was now, well, still sweet and innocent, but since he had first returned from Makai she had started loosening up a lot and was more open to try new things. He really did like this new side of her, even though having alcohol in her system made her ten times more stubborn than usual, which was why she refused to go home as it got later in the evening.
"It's getting late out, and you need to go home and rest. Please, I'll walk with you to make sure you get there safe," he said as he got up off the couch and reached out his hand for her to take.
"No need for you to walk me home when I'm staying here with you!" she giggled, swatting his hand away.
"Keiko, quit being so damn stubborn!" he growled as she kicked at him while he tried to pick her up.
"NO!" she protested again, still cackling as she attempted to fight him off.
Once he finally captured her, he flung her up into his arms, scowling slightly in frustration at her. She looked back at him with a pleading look. "Pleaaase let me stay here with you. I don't have school tomorrow so it's not like I have to get up early or anything. Plus, my parents are out of town for a couple of days, so you don't want me staying in a dark, empty house all by myself, do you?"
His look of annoyance then receded as he saw the longing in her hazel eyes. He let out a defeated sigh, adjusting his grip on her. "You've never lost an argument before, and I guess you're not gonna start now," he said with a smile, kissing her forehead.
She grinned triumphantly back at him at him as he carried her off into his bedroom, placing her down gently on his bed. "See? I knew you'd give in," she hummed as she snuggled into his pillow, relishing in how it carried his heady scent.
He chuckled and lay down beside her, wrapping her up securely in his arms. "Now you get some sleep, you silly girl," he whispered softly as he placed a chaste kiss on her lips, which were stained from the wine.
"Mhm. . ." she mumbled drowsily, closing her eyes, and he followed suit.
He was halfway asleep until she started poking him in the ribcage. "What is it, Keiko?" he asked as he forced his eyes to open to look down at her.
"It would be nice to be able to do this every night, right? You know, you and me together in our own little place," she said thoughtfully, smiling up at him.
"Yeah, it would be," he agreed with a smile of his own.
She then paused momentarily before speaking again. "Did you really mean what you said that night before you left for Demon World?"
"You mean my marriage proposal?" he asked, noticing the solemn expression on her pretty face.
"Yes. . ." she whispered quietly, so softly that he could barely hear her.
"Of course I meant that. I know I use to say it as a joke all the time when we were kids, but I truly meant it when I said it to you that night," he assured her with a grin, tenderly pushing her bangs out of her eyes.
"It's just that I've waited so long. . .you've been back a year and we still aren't married. Sometimes I worry you really don't want to get married," she cooed with genuine fear in her voice, turning her eyes away from him. The alcohol in her system made it much easier for her to speak up about her insecurities, and she wasn't sure that was exactly a good thing.
He cupped her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze, which was full of warmth. "Keiko, you have no reason to ever worry about that. I love you more than anything, and I can't wait until we finally get married. The only reason it's taking me so long is that I want to make sure we have enough money saved up so that we don't end up living with our parents and can't support ourselves."
She let out a sigh of relief and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Okay, good. I guess I'll wait a liiittle while longer before becoming Keiko Urameshi. . .but only a little," she muffled, finally giving in to sleep.
He pulled her closer to him in response, resting his chin on top of her head. He then smirked, knowing that she actually wouldn't have to wait much longer. Like he said, he had been saving up since getting his job at the ramen stand, and he knew that once Keiko finished up school in a month that she would also make money as well once she started her teaching job. He really did hate making her wait all this time, but now he felt secure enough to have a decent amount of cash set aside for starting their lives together. There was also one other thing he had in store for her that he wanted to surprise her with. He had always felt that his proposal before leaving for Makai wasn't done properly, and he wanted to make it up to her. All this time she was his fiancé and she had nothing to show for it, so he had set aside some extra cash and decided to buy her an actual engagement ring. It may not be the most expensive one, but he was determined to find one worthy of her. Keiko could literally have any guy she wanted, seeing as how beautiful, smart, and caring she was, and for some reason she chose him. He was a middle school dropout with a bad temper, and he had put her through so much hell in the past, yet no matter what she always stood by him. He didn't deserve her love at all, but she freely gave it to him. That's why he wanted to do all this for; she deserved it, and he knew this would make her happy.
He kissed her forehead one last time and drifted off to sleep, finally ready once and for all to make Keiko his wife.
The next morning Yusuke was awoken by a sniffling sound next to him. He cracked one eye open and saw Keiko massaging her temples delicately as she mumbled something under her breath.
"You okay, Keiko?"
"My head is killing me," she groaned loudly, burying her face in her hands.
Yusuke laughed softly as he ran his fingers up and down her back lightly. "You finally got to experience your first hangover. I never thought I would see the day where miss goody two-shoes would do such a thing."
"I'm just glad I don't have classes today, there's no way I could go like this," she said as she nuzzled her face against his strong shoulder. "And please tell me I didn't do or say anything stupid last night; my memory is a little foggy."
"Nah, we just had sex all night long, it's a shame you don't remember it."
"Yusuke!"
"I'm just kidding, unfortunately. Even though wine does make you a little frisky; you should drink it more often," he teased, kissing her neck hungrily.
"Hmph," she grumbled, her face turning a shade of scarlet.
He chuckled as he sat up, stretching his arms up over his head. "I'll make you breakfast then take you home, okay?"
"Okay," she uttered with her usual small smile.
She followed him into the kitchen, where he handed her a glass of water and an Advil to help with her headache. She then sat down at the table and took a liberal sip of water with the pill as he started cooking at the stove. She really didn't know what had gotten into her last night, with the whole drinking thing. She had gone her whole life without even thinking about partaking in things such as drinking and smoking, but last night something had come over her. She found herself curious about what wine actually tasted like, and she had to admit it actually wasn't that bad. She probably would be more controlled with it next time around, especially since she was a lightweight. She knew Yusuke could drink like a fish, so there was no way she could ever keep up with him. But she was glad she at least gave in and tried it. Everyone always saw her as a squeaky-clean girl, who never did anything wrong or made poor decision. But whenever she was with Yusuke she could let her guard down and not have to worry about being so pristine all the time. It was one of the many reasons why she loved him.
She then grinned widely as she turned her attention over to watching him cook. A chuckle escaped her lips as she realized how domesticated he looked. He certainly had matured a lot since he returned home a year ago, especially since he had gotten the job at the ramen stand and no longer acted as immature or selfish as he used to when they were younger. She was really proud of the man he was becoming.
"What's so funny?" he quizzed with a quirked eyebrow as he brought her food over to her.
"Nothing, nothing at all," she simply smiled as she took a bite of her food.
After they ate their breakfast, they began to make their way over to her house, walking hand-in-hand. It was rather breezy outside, which made Keiko shiver since she had on a short-sleeved shirt. It was relatively warm last night so she didn't think to wear a jacket over to Yusuke's, a decision she now regretted. Yusuke glanced down and saw her quivering, so he took off his jacket and helped her slip into it. "Here, you look like you need this more than me," he said softly with a smile.
"Thank you," she replied gratefully, shrugging more comfortably into his jacket, instantly feeling warmer on both the inside and outside from his gesture. "And hey, are you sure I didn't say anything embarrassing last night? I have the feeling I did."
"You did say something, but it wasn't embarrassing or anything like that. It actually gave me an idea of sorts," he grinned secretly.
"An idea for what? Oh gosh, you have that grin on your face. I DID say something stupid!"
"No, I promise it's nothing bad. In fact, I want you to be ready later today for me to pick you up and take you on a special date."
"A special date?" she mouthed, raising an eyebrow.
He simply nodded as they reached her house, stopping at the front door.
"Can you give me a hint about what we will do on this 'special date'?"
"Nope, it's a surprise. Be ready by five o'clock okay?"
"Alright," she sighed, still suspicious as to what this surprise was about. She had no clue what to expect, and that troubled her a little since Yusuke could be really unpredictable at times.
He flashed her a mischievous grin and kissed her softly on the lips before they parted ways. Little did she know he was planning the surprise of a lifetime.
". . .so you're gonna buy her a ring? About damn time, Urameshi, you've made that poor girl wait too long," Kuwabara said as he and Yusuke walked down the street together. Yusuke had just filled him in on his plan to purchase the ring and then give it to Keiko later tonight on their special date.
"I know, and I hate that it took me this long, but I finally have enough saved up for me and her to start our lives together. I don't know shit about planning a wedding, but hopefully it won't be too much of a hassle," Yusuke said as he raked a hand through his slicked-back hair.
"I get to be your best man, right?!" Kuwabara asked eagerly, nudging his best friend in the side with his elbow.
"Eh, I think Hiei would make a better choice than you," Yusuke said in a deadpan voice before bursting out into laughter at Kuwabara's appalled expression.
"How could you even think about picking shrimp-boy over me?! I'll punch your lights out if you do such a repulsive thing!" Kuwabara warned with a raised fist.
"Ha, I'd like to you see you try," Yusuke smirked with a casual wave of his hand.
"Hey dumbasses!"
They turned around to see Shizuru running up them. "Hey, sis, what are you doing here? I told you I was going with Urameshi to help him look for an engagement ring," Kuwabara asked as his sister stood by his side, clutching a lighter in one hand and a pack of cigarettes in the other.
"And that's exactly why I'm here. No offense, Yusuke, but picking Kazuma to help you with ring shopping is not the wisest decision. He thinks that rings that come out of gumball machines are the most exquisite piece of jewelry a woman can have."
"Hey, gumball machine rings are classy and cheap, so don't hate on them!" Kuwabara argued, to which Yusuke just shook his head.
"So you're gonna help me pick one out?" Yusuke asked the older girl as she lit a cigarette.
"Of course, you need a woman's help so you don't end up by something tacky," she said as she blew out a puff of grey smoke.
"I didn't think you were that into jewelry and girly stuff?" Yusuke asked perplexed with a quirked eyebrow. She never really struck him as much of a girly girl. Hell, she could be just as crude as he could at times.
"I'm not, but I adore Keiko and you seem a bit incompetent in the romance department, so I would hate for you to fuck this up for her."
"Jeez, thanks for the confidence!"
"No problem," she said in her most smart-ass voice as she walked in front of him and her brother to direct them to the best jewelry store in town.
"Don't worry, Urameshi, my sister may be bossy but she knows what she's doing," Kuwabara assured his friend as they made their way into the jewelry store, the bright sparkles of jewels everywhere making them squint their eyes.
"So, kid, how much do you have to spend?" Shizuru asked as she turned to Yusuke.
"I've got close to a thousand dollars, I figured that would be a good amount."
Shizuru then skimmed around the room, a concentrated look on her face. "Well, that's definitely not enough for a big diamond, but at least you can get her a nice looking one," she pointed towards a case of rings that were on the lower-price range, yet still eye-catching.
Yusuke looked over the row of rings with knitted eyebrows, having no idea where to begin since he was clueless when it came to jewelry. But he was determined to find the perfect one for his Keiko; she deserved nothing but the best and he would be sure to find one worthy of her.
"She prefers gold over silver by the way," Shizuru gestured with her thumb toward the gold options. "And she likes a small, simple diamond best. She's not into flashy jewelry."
"And how do you know all this?" Yusuke inquired as he scratched his head.
"I asked her about it a couple of years ago. And it's a good thing I did because you would be totally lost right about now," Shizuru said smugly.
Yusuke let out a breath and searched over the section of gold diamond rings in his price range. There was one at the end of the row that really caught his eye, and he silently studied it. The center diamond was a modest size, with tiny little studs encircling it. It was simple and elegant like Shizuru described, so he knew Keiko would like it. And even though it wasn't the biggest diamond of the bunch, it outshined all the others, which he knew was a sign that it was the perfect one.
"I like this one best," Yusuke called over his shoulder to the Kuwabara siblings.
"Hey, yeah, that's the one I thought looked best, too!" Kuwabara agreed with a nod. "What do you think, sis?"
"Well, what do ya know, it's unanimous. It looks like you aren't as dense as I originally thought you were, Yusuke," Shizuru snickered with a small smirk.
"Thanks! I guess. . ."
After paying for the ring, Shizuru left, telling Yusuke that he better not screw anything up or else she'd kick his ass. After that encouraging departure, Yusuke and Kuwabara headed towards Yusuke's apartment where they were to meet up with Kurama, who was charmed by the news of Yusuke proposing to Keiko, and wanted to help him plan everything out so that things would go smoothly during the date. He knew Yusuke was a bit inept when it came to expressing his amorous feelings, so he knew the former spirit detective would need help in that area.
"I've got three hours 'til I pick up Keiko, so I gotta get all this figured out now," Yusuke muffled to Kuwabara as he unlocked his front door. "I know Kurama is an expert when it comes to sensitivity and expressing emotions and all that mushy crap I know barely anything about so I know he can help me out in that department."
"You're more sensitive than you let on," Kuwabara said with a cheeky grin as he flopped down on the couch. "You like putting on that tough guy act of yours, but cute little Puu proved that deep down you are a big softy, so you do have it in you."
"Yeah, and then 'cute lil Puu' turned into a flying beast that can beat the shit out of you if he wanted to, remember?" Yusuke smirked devilishly as he leaned back in his chair.
"Sure, sure, you keep telling yourself that," Kuwabara laughed, dodging a pillow Yusuke threw at him.
The front door then opened and Kurama appeared with his usual friendly smile. "Hello, you two. Yusuke, I am delighted to hear about your plans for this evening. Even though I thought technically you already proposed to her before you left for Makai?"
Yusuke looked down at the velvet black box in his hand that contained the ring and sighed heavily. "Yeah, I did but I felt I didn't do it right. I didn't get down on one knee or have a ring or anything like. Plus, things were really tense between us that night since she wasn't happy about me leaving for three years. But tonight things will be different, and I want to make this truly memorable for her."
"Ah, I see," Kurama hummed as he sat down in a nearby chair. "You really have matured a great deal since your return from Makai; you're much more considerate towards Keiko than you used to be. I know that this will please her."
"Yeah! And I get to be the best man at the wedding!" Kuwabara declared with a wide grin.
"Shut up, dipshit! Anyway, Kurama, I'm not as. . .uh, how do I say this? In tune with my feelings as you are so I need your advice on how to make this special for Keiko and not just half-ass it," Yusuke stated, still fumbling with the small box in his hands.
"Well, I know that you truly do care for Keiko so all you really need to do is just need to speak from your heart. I know in the past that was always difficult for you, but like I said you are different now, and I know you can do it."
"I'm not really great at saying sappy stuff, but I will do the best I can. And I want to propose somewhere special, somewhere that will make her happy."
"Is there any place that you and her hold dear? You know, that holds fond memories for the two of you?" Kurama suggested.
"There is one place I was thinking of," Yusuke said thoughtfully as he rested his face against his palm.
"And what's that?"
"The place we first met when we were kids, at the park. It's always been our hangout I guess you could say."
"I can tell by the smile on your face that that's the right place," Kurama answered with a smile of his own.
Yusuke nodded in response, feeling more at ease that now his planning was coming together.
"Now about that outfit you're wearing," Kurama smirked.
"What's wrong with my outfit?" Yusuke queried, looking down at himself.
"Uh, let's just say if I was proposing to my girlfriend I would want to look as dapper as possible, and not disheveled like you appear now," Kurama remarked, suppressing a chuckle.
"Well, fox boy, since you're such a fashion expert, why don't you pick out my outfit?" Yusuke challenged with a glare.
"Gladly," Kurama said as he disappeared into Yusuke's closet.
Yusuke then directed his glare at Kuwabara, who was laughing so hard that he had to hold his sides. "Stop laughing dufus, you don't dress much better than me!"
"Hey, it's hard for me to find a lot of fashionable clothes because of my height. Tall guys like me don't really have much selection," Kuwabara countered.
"Yeah, it's a shame they don't really make much for guys who look like Bigfoot."
"Shut up!"
"Yusuke, I think I found something nice for you," Kurama called over his shoulder.
"Oh God, I hope he didn't pick out a tux or something dorky like that," Yusuke mumbled under his breath to Kuwabara as they walked over to their red-headed friend.
"This was the best I could manage since I didn't have much of a selection. This outfit is casual, but it still looks like you put an effort into it. It's much better than that stained shirt and holey jeans ensemble you have on now," Kurama said as he pointed to the outfit he laid out on Yusuke's bed which consisted of a button-up long sleeve white shirt, a light blue jacket, and the only pair of jeans he owned that weren't ripped or had holes in them.
Yusuke inspected the outfit and sighed in relief. "Alright, I guess that's not the worst choice you could have made."
Kuwabara then looked at his wrist-watch and nudged Yusuke. "You've only got a little over two hours left before you have to get Keiko, so you better start getting ready now!"
Kurama nodded in agreement. "Yes, Yusuke, you need to get everything situated now."
"Alright, alright, I will," Yusuke said with a causal wave of his hand. He then looked back at his two friends and smiled. "Thank you guys for helping me with everything, I appreciate it."
"It is no problem at all. I wish you luck with everything," Kurama grinned.
"Yeah, man, I was more than happy to be here for you. Even though you can be a turd at times, you are still my best friend, and I'm excited for you," Kuwabara beamed, slugging Yusuke in the shoulder.
He then let out a deep breath as his friends exited his apartment and ran a hand through his hair. He pulled the ring back out of his pocket and stared at it long and hard. This was really about to happen; he was really about to propose to Keiko in a couple of hours. He just hoped he wouldn't screw it up.
At 5 o'clock on the dot, Yusuke showed up at Keiko's door and rang the doorbell, eagerly anticipating her arrival. After a few seconds of waiting, the door opened and Keiko appeared with a smile, dressed in a bright pink dress that hugged her curves nicely, making Yusuke's tongue wag. She always looked beautiful to him, there was no doubt about that, but seeing her in something so tight and revealing really made him take notice. It was quite the departure from her usual modest, preppy attire.
"I hope that look on your face means that you like my dress," she said playfully, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I do," he purred with a smirk, letting his hands rest on her behind. She blushed slightly in response, but didn't slap him like she use to would have in the past. Since he had returned from Makai, she no longer felt irritated like she used to when he would fondle her in a more-than-friendly way; now his touch was more than welcomed by her.
After sharing a quick kiss, Keiko looked up at Yusuke with an amused look. "Since when do you wear cologne?" she asked, sniffing the collar of his shirt.
"I told you this was a special date, so, hey I wanted to smell nice," he responded smoothly, rubbing at the back of his neck.
"And you don't have gel in your hair," she added, running a hand through his thick bangs that fell freely into his chocolate-brown eyes.
He shrugged simply. "You always say you like my hair better without gel so I thought I'd leave it natural."
Her smile deepened as she fiddled with the zipper of his jacket. "You're dressed nicely as well. So you're telling me you did all this to impress me?"
"Are you impressed?" he asked hesitantly, biting down on his lip.
She giggled and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Yes, I am. I just wish you would tell me what's so special about this date."
He intertwined his fingers with hers as they began walking and smiled. "You'll see."
They went to dinner first and then saw a movie, leading Keiko to wonder what was so 'special' about something they did regularly. But as they began to walk towards the park, Yusuke assured her the best part was to come.
"Why are you taking me here?" she asked as Yusuke sat her down on a park bench, right across from the playground area where they met almost twenty years ago.
He peered out at the setting sun, inwardly preparing himself to go through with all this. It was finally time. He then turned to her and took a hold of her tiny hands, his eyes never leaving hers for even a second.
"Keiko. . .I know I'm not the best at talking about my feelings, or saying mushy stuff, but here it goes," he began quietly, her eyes widening in curiosity at his words. "You mean more to me than anything in the world. I've put you through so much crap, and any other girl would have left a long time ago, but you have stood by me through thick and thin. At times I don't even think I deserve you."
She studied him intently as he took a breath and paused, staring down at the ground momentarily. "When I look back on how I treated you before I left for Makai, I feel incredibly guilty," he continued, focusing his attention back on her, squeezing her hands lightly. "All you ever wanted was for me to come around and be there for you as you were there for me. But I was so selfish back then. I only cared about my needs and wants; I didn't even bother to look at yours. I took you for granted day after day, not even realizing what a gift it was to have you in my life. I knew that I had always loved you; that was something that I was always certain of, but I did a horrible job at showing it. I didn't realize how in love with I was until I was gone for those three years. You were all I thought about, day in and day out, and it made me see just how much you really meant to me. I went to Makai to find my purpose; that was my goal. I thought that fighting would give me the answers, and help me find peace, but it didn't. And towards the end I finally realized what truly made me happy, what truly put me at ease and made me feel complete. And that was you."
Tears freely streamed down her cheeks, having waited so long for him to finally open up so deeply about his feelings like that. She wasn't sure if she would ever get him to spill his guts to her, but finally, after so damn long, it happened. "Yusuke. . .I don't even know what to say," she whispered softly, feeling insanely happy.
Yusuke tenderly wiped her tears away with his thumb, grinning widely, satisfied at her reaction. "The reason I brought you here is because this is where we first met when we were only four years old. I had no friends back then, and no other kids wanted to be around me. But you came up to me and asked to be friends, you didn't even care that other people told you it was a bad idea. You were the first friend I ever had, and since then you have been the only constant in my life. I never imagined from our initial meeting that you would have such an impact on my life. You started off as my friend, then became my best friend, then my girlfriend, and now. . ."
Keiko's breath completely escaped her body as Yusuke got down on one knee and pulled out a tiny box from his back pocket. She couldn't believe what was happening; it all seemed like a dream. Her mind was racing with a million different thoughts as he opened up the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. She opened her mouth to say something, but was too shocked to get anything out.
"And now I want you to be my wife," Yusuke finished, smiling sweetly up at her. "You told me last night when you were rather tipsy that you didn't want to wait any longer to get married, and I finally had enough saved up to start our lives together, so I knew tonight would be the right time for this. I know I already proposed before I left for Makai, but this time I wanted make it more official and do the whole' get down on one knee and give you a ring' thing. You deserve this and so much more, and I promise to cherish you every day for the rest of our lives together. So, will you marry me?"
Her tears multiplied and she nodded rapidly, shaking as Yusuke slid the ring onto her finger. He didn't even have time to react as she leapt into his arms, knocking him down onto the pavement.
"I guess you're really happy about this, huh?" he asked sarcastically as she kissed his cheek continually.
She then moved her lips to his and kissed him with as much passion as her body possessed. She had never been as in love with him as she was in that moment. She had waited so long for this moment, and now that it was here it was well worth the wait. His original proposal already meant the world to her, but this went above and beyond her wildest dreams. They were finally ready to start the next chapter of their lives together, and she couldn't wait to finally plan their wedding. She was secretively happy that she had had a little too much to drink last night. Maybe alcohol wasn't such a bad thing after all.
"I love you, Keiko," Yusuke murmured against her lips, making her insides turn to jelly.
"I love you, too, Yusuke, with all my heart."
"YAY!" a crowd of voices cheered from behind them.
They pulled apart quickly, and looked back behind them to see Kuwabara, Kurama, Shizuru, Yukina, Botan, and Koenma all appear behind nearby bushes, clapping and smiling.
"What in the hell are all of you doing here?" Yusuke screeched, glaring at his friends, though Keiko seemed more cheerful about their arrival.
"We just wanted to make sure you didn't screw this up like we all thought you would," Kuwabara laughed, ruffling his best friend's hair.
"Keep saying things like that and you really won't be my best man! And besides Kurama and Shizuru, how did the rest of you even know that I was gonna propose? I didn't get a chance to tell you guys," Yusuke interrogated with a suspicious look.
"Let's just say that news travels fast," Botan winked and ran over to Keiko to inspect her ring, as did Yukina and Shizuru, and they all marveled over how beautiful the diamond was.
Yusuke turned to the rest of his friends and sighed, finding it difficult to stay mad at them. "Well, it looks like Hiei and grandma are the only ones that didn't show up. I know Hiei especially will be disappointed he missed out, since we all know he loves happy occasions."
"Think again, detective."
Yusuke's eyes widened in surprise as he looked up to find Hiei lounging in a nearby tree. " Dude, you came all the way from Makai?!"
Hiei jumped down from the tree and landed swiftly next to the former spirit detective. "Kurama made his way back to Makai and insisted that I be here for this. I'm not one for emotional nonsense, but I figured what the hell. I don't have much better to do these days."
"Well, I definitely wasn't expecting to see you guys tonight, but I appreciate you all coming out," Yusuke grinned, raking a hand through his hair.
Kurama grinned in response. "Of course, we have all been through a lot together, so naturally we all wanted to be here for you. I tried to get Genkai to come as well, but she was feeling under the weather so she told me to tell you not to, uh, 'screw' up to put it nicely, and that she wishes you and Keiko nothing but the best. And you should be proud of yourself because you did a great job with it all: you really did speak from the heart, and I think that's what meant the most to Keiko in the end."
"He's right," Koenma agreed, placing a hand on Yusuke's shoulder. "When I first met you all those years ago you were incredibly selfish and insensitive towards those closest to you. I didn't know how anyone could stand to be around you. But you are no longer the little shit you once were, and have now matured a great deal. I know you'll be a great husband."
"I was about ready to slug you until you added the last part," Yusuke chuckled, grinning at his former boss.
Keiko then came up beside him and smiled ear-to-ear at their friends, unconsciously showing off her dazzling ring as she tucked a strand of her long, glossy hair behind her ear. "It's been so long since all of us have seen each other, so I'm happy to see you guys, especially on an occasion like this."
"Oh, I'm just so ecstatic for you two little love birds!" Botan beamed, clasping her hands together. "I've been waiting years for this!"
"Yeah!" Yukina concurred, her usual cheery smile on her face. "And, Yusuke, you picked out a really beautiful ring!"
"I think he had a little birdie help him out with it," Shizuru winked, taking a puff of her cigarette.
Yusuke laughed as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'm thankful to all of you guys that helped me out today when I was worried about what to do, and I'm glad the rest of you came for this. I'm lucky to have all of you in my life."
Damn, I'm a little too mushy today!
But Yusuke grinned inwardly at that thought and shook his head. He looked around at all of his friends, his true friends that had stood by him through so much, and then back down at his soon-to-be-wife, who would forever be the most important person in the world to him. He couldn't ask for anything more. And things were about to get even better with the upcoming wedding.
. . .Six months later. . .
"Yusuke! You're wrinkling my dress!" Keiko griped, attempting to smooth out her wedding dress as Yusuke carried her bridal-style to their hotel room.
"Pssh, like it matters, it's not gonna be on you for much longer," Yusuke snickered as he swiftly took one hand and unlocked the door with their room key.
Keiko rolled her eyes, but her frown smoothed out into a smile. After months of planning, their wedding finally happened today, and it couldn't have been any more perfect. All their friends had showed up, even some of Yusuke's friends like Jin and Chu came all the way from Makai, which she could tell made Yusuke really happy. And, yes, after constant pestering from Kuwabara, he did end up being the best man, even though Yusuke knew all along no one other than the lovable goofball could be suitable for the position. It was the best day of their entire lives, and after spending an entire day with their friends and family, doing nothing but laughing and drinking and dancing, they were excited to finally have the night alone. It would definitely be one to remember.
She was then snapped out of her thoughts as Yusuke dropped her down onto the mattress, a wide, perverted grin planted on his face. She met his gaze and her body temperature rose instantly, feeling herself tremble slightly from the anticipation of what was about to happen.
"This is what I've been waiting for all day," he said in a low voice that sent shivers up and down her spine.
Keiko didn't even give him time to blink as she forcefully pulled him down on top of her and kissed him hotly, shocking him at her eagerness to get things underway. He then chuckled against her lips and kissed her back with just as much passion, causing a feeling of warmth to rise up in her lower body. She had always done her best to conceal her lust for him, afraid to let her emotions get the best of her, but tonight she no longer wanted to hold back. This was all long overdue, and she didn't want to waste any more time.
She shuddered as Yusuke began to slowly slide her wedding dress off of her, tossing it down onto the floor. She suddenly felt rather insecure as Yusuke began to ogle her as she was now clad in nothing but her undergarments, her cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink. She wasn't used to being in this position around him, so she wasn't sure what he was thinking.
"You know just what I like," he smirked as he tugged at the thin fabric of her lacy black panties.
Her nerves settled as his lips found their way back to hers, his fingers cool against her skin as he rubbed her back gingerly, making her moan softly. She then tugged at the strap of his pants, silently encouraging him to pick up the pace. "Someone's impatient," he teased as he leaned back and began to undress himself, tossing his shirt down to the floor.
I can't believe that this is all finally happening. . he's now my husband, and I'm now officially Mrs. Urameshi. . .that has such a nice ring to it.
Yusuke was down to his boxers when he noticed Keiko had tears streaming down her cheeks, making him freeze in place. The last thing she should be doing right now is crying, which unsettled him. "Hey! Why the heck are you crying right now?!" he then paused as his eyes widened. "Please don't tell me you think I'm gonna be this bad at this that it's brought you to tears. . ."
Keiko giggled at the perplexed look on his handsome face and shook her head. "No, silly, it's not that at all. They're happy tears, I promise. It's just that I can't believe that we're really married now. . .I've waited all my life for this. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you," she said sincerely, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.
He smiled down at her, his eyes never looking as warm as they did in that moment. "I love you, Keiko. And I've never been as happy as I am right now, and it's all because of you."
She mirrored his smile and then kissed him once again, wrapping her arms securely around his neck. There was a time in her life where she was so afraid that this day may never come, that Yusuke may never come around and admit how he truly felt about her. But all the struggle they went through in the past was completely worth it, and they were now finally ready to start their lives together as husband and wife. Her lifelong dream had finally come true, and she vowed to not take a single second of it for granted. Especially tonight.
"Now, that's enough talking. There's something else I'd much rather be doing," Yusuke whispered hotly in his most tantalizing voice, making her heart skip a beat as he began to fiddle with the hook of her bra.
"Agreed," she murmured against his lips, happily giving into her desires for her.
And so for the first rest of the night they made passionate love, fully expressing their intense desire for one another that neither wanted to suppress any longer. They started off as childhood friends who always had a crush on each other, and now they were finally husband and wife, both never feeling as content as they did that night. They were both complete opposites in every way, yet somehow they understood and found solace in each other in a way they could never find with another living soul. They both realized what a beautiful gift their relationship was, and they intended to never spend another day apart from each other. They couldn't wait to see what the rest of their lives had in store for them.
-The End-
Author's note: Oh my goodness, I definitely think this is one of the longest fics I've ever written, but I had so much fun writing it. I think this is even better than my other YusukexKeiko story (hopefully), and I tried to make this one more detailed and have more characters involved in it. I start my last semester of college this upcoming Monday so I won't have as much free time as I've had this summer, but I would love to write more YusukexKeiko fics soon, that is if you guys think I should :D thank you guys for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!