Thank you guys so much for the reviews! This is technically my first fic in like 6 years, I published "Old Habits" first because it was a oneshot, but I actually started this one before that. I had planned on spacing out the finished chapters a little more to give me a chance to get over the writers block I hit, but I got such a great response to the first chapter I figured I'd treat you to one more chapter before I have to stop and do homework... I'm so glad you guys like it. J
Something that wasn't clear as I thought in the first chapter: Yes, Keiko and Yusuke are living in the same house and not married. This might seem out of character for her, but don't worry, all will be explained in later chapters.
Anyway, enjoy the next chapter and let me know what you think.
Chapter Two
Keiko spent the train ride to Genkai's trying to convince herself this wasn't Yusuke's fault. He couldn't possibly understand why she hadn't want to come, how could he? It was Kurama and the other's fault. Didn't any of them realize how much work it had taken her to calm Yusuke down and get him to settle into a normal life with her? They were doing this on purpose, to steal him from her. They wanted to keep him all to themselves. Well, she wasn't going to stand for that. Getting together with them would remind him too much of his old life, his old ways, he could leave her again. Perhaps, not coming back this time.
Keiki didn't want him to leave her again, so she had always told the others she and Yusuke were busy whenever one of them called for a get together. Yusuke never knew there even were any get togethers before this one.
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"Oi, Kurama!" Yusuke called to his friend as they arrived at the temple. Kurama smiled and excused himself from his conversation with Shizuru. "So why the sudden get together after all these years? What's it been, 2 years?" Kurama gave him a look he couldn't interpret, then looked at Keiko. He met her glare with an icy smile.
"Nothing special, Yusuke." Then, noticing both of them carried a dish covered with foil, "Why don't you give me the dish and go say hello to everyone? They'll be very pleased to see you, even Hiei has shown up. Keiko and I can go put these with the rest of the food."
"Thanks," Yusuke handed him the dish and Kurama noticed that there was the slightest spark of the fire in his eyes returning. Keiko noticed too, he could tell she was not pleased.
He smiled at her again, "This way Keiko." When they had put the food on the table, Keiko went to leave. He called her, when she pretended not to hear him he put his hand on her shoulder. "Keiko…" She had paused, but then shrugged off his hand and continued on. A few minutes after she had gone out the door, Hiei came in.
"I was right, Hiei."
"Hn."
Neither of their faces had changed but both were angry at this woman. Though Yusuke and Keiko hadn't seen them in 2 years, Kurama had been worried after constantly getting no better explanation than 'We're busy, sorry *click*'. He'd confessed his worries to Hiei and even though Hiei had said 'It's the Detectives own fault for letting her do it to him. It's none of my business,' they both had occasionally spied on Yusuke. They both had slowly seen the light dim in their friend's eyes. They had heard the other humans around him saying this was because he was finally maturing, how well Keiko had done to finally tame him. They both had seen how, when he smiled, that smile didn't seem to reach his eyes the way it used to. They both had been very angered by this.
The other's in their group had given up on inviting him after the first year, assuming he and Keiko simply didn't want to see him. Kurama didn't want to tell them something he wasn't sure of, so he'd tried calling at different times, hoping to get Yusuke instead of Keiko. Finally he had.
None were sure why they didn't just go see him, tell him what she was doing. Obviously they could: they knew where he lived; they knew where he worked, so they could pop in there if they didn't want to see Keiko. Something held them back...
