'I wanna write a song about our love, but there is none.'
~The Working Title
;; A n g e r ;;
December 25, 1998
"Kampai!"
It was Kuwabara's annual holiday party. Even though it was a western holiday - the Kuwabaras' never gave up the chance to throw a party. On their trip to the States a few years ago, he had fallen in love with the notion and was determined to bring it back home.
The melody of the music was defining - mingled along with the rowdy party guests trying to yell over it. Keiko was surprised the Kuwabaras' neighbors hadn't complained yet. There were empty bottles everywhere. Under couches. On tables. Even ornamenting the tree. It was a great time.
Keiko was in a different world. Her checks were flushed because of all the alcohol she had consumed. She was happy she decided to let loose - this was the most fun she had in almost a month. She forgot all about her problems and all her pain. Swaying back and forth to the music she was in nirvana. Keiko never wanted to leave this place. Never.
She could barely feel it when Shizuru lifted her up from her place on the ground. Keiko embraced her - muttering something about the comfy floor. She merely laughed at the younger girl - smiling at her disposition.
"Time to get you home kid."
"Another!" Keiko yelled as the started to tread into the cold night. She shivered as the night air hit her. "Cold!"
She stopped suddenly when Shizuru halted without warning. "Whhhaaaat?" Keiko looked up - she felt herself sober up a bit at the sight.
He was wearing the scarf she had given him for his last birthday. He had asked her not to get him anything - mostly because he wouldn't be able to reciprocate. But she was determined. She saw it and thought of him immediately. It was a forest green color - his favorite. She told him it matched his eyes perfectly. He had kissed her - again and again. He promised her whenever it snowed it would wear it. It should have brought her comfort that he had at least kept one of his promises to her. Somehow it didn't.
There they were. Hand in hand. Standing completely still under her stare - afraid if they moved, she would completely lose it. They were right to a certain extent.
She hated the way he wore his hair now. Probably because HE asked him to. She also hated the way he blinked at her with those eyes. He never used to hide his emotions from her. HE probably thought him how. Those cold calculating eyes that she had never trusted. With good reason.
There HE stood with that unemotional look on his face. She wanted to punch it. HE didn't deserve Yusuke. HE hadn't stood by him every single day. HE hadn't waited for him. HE hadn't been there. It was her. From the beginning - HE had just come and taken him away. This was HIS fault.
She crushed her fingers in her fist. She was shaking. Anger was overtaking her. She was sure she was going to do something foolish - but she didn't want to stop herself. She needed this.
"How dare you show up here?"
"Keiko." Yusuke's voice held a warning tone to it. So he was sticking to HIS side was he? Fine, let it be that way.
"You have no right to talk to me!" She rounded on Yusuke - her finger in his face. "How dare you bring your whore here? He doesn't being with us. Why don't you take him back to the bottom of Makai where he came from."
Someone else had to have been speaking for her. She couldn't control the words that came out - it was a simple case of classic word vomit. She continued to yell - likened quite a bit to a child having a tantrum. She couldn't tell you what she said - the anger mixed with the after affects of the alcohol was working as a sort of amnesia.
She continued like that - pushing off Shizuru's attempts to pull her away. She had grabbed the scarf from Yusuke's neck. He didn't deserve to wear it. She had given it to him to wear with her. Not this new fling he had taken up. Then he spoke.
"Stop now - and maybe you'll be able to keep some shred of your dignity. Right now you look pathetic." She deflated - her arms falling to her sides limply. She looked towards to concrete before she faced the bright chestnut ones she so missed.
Kurama walked past her - making his way up the porch. He opened the door with a merry smile on his face as if nothing had happened. Like he hadn't just defeated a young girls spirit. Yusuke looked at her and shook his head before brushing past her as well. He didn't even look back to see if she was okay. To see of she needed him - like he always had. No matter what the situation was - she took pride in knowing she came first.
And that hurt more than anything anyone could ever say to her.
