Author's Notes: This chapter is suppose to be in real-time (so, not a flashback like the last chapter). There might be a few things in here that are difficult to understand, but I couldn't explain everything just yet. Don't worry, though! All will be explained in due time! Please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own YYH or any of its characters.
The Illusionist
A deep breath of air filled his lungs. His chest rose, aching. As if his lungs weren't big enough to hold the air that his body craved so badly. A bright, white light shown in his eyes. A rush of warmth came over his entire body. As his eyesight returned, he found himself staring up at familiar figures. He blinked, focusing in.
"Kaito," said the tallest of them. Tired eyes. Curved nose that looked like he had broken it more than once in his lifetime. Tall, blue hair that was gelled straight up, with the sides of his head shaved. A baggy, blue school uniform. The man leaned down, his large hands resting on his knees as he squatted to get a better look. "Yu. Hey, man. You okay?" he asked, concern in his eyes.
The curly, black haired man that lay on the ground blinked again at him under thick, black framed glasses. "Mm…" he mumbled groggily as he pushed himself to sit up slowly.
With his arm behind him supporting him as he sat, he brought his other hand to his face, and brushed it roughly over his freckled cheeks, then pinched the bridge of his nose, wincing at the throbbing pain he now felt in his head. His breathing had returned to normal, but his previous lack of oxygen was obvious now that his head spun and ached. He shook his head, and re-adjusted his glasses on his face before looking up at the others surrounding him.
"Y-Yeah," he stuttered finally, his voice betraying him. "How long was I out?"
"No more than an hour at most," came a soft reply causing Yu to look at the owner of said voice.
Long, fluffy, fiery red locks. Glimmering green eyes, and a gentle face that bordered on the line between feminine and masculine. Arms crossed over their chest, wearing a pink, long sleeved school uniform. Long, lean legs stood gracefully still with black, school issued loafers grounding them.
Yu closed his eyes and let out a distasteful sound, "So, I guess I lost again," he said defeatedly as he leaned forward and pushed himself off of the ground to stand on his own two feet. He brushed off his slacks. His uniform matched the red head's, pink with long sleeves and black shoes. He straightened his back, pushing his glasses up as his black eyes glared straight at the green eyed person. "There's just no besting the great Shuichi, I suppose," he said, bitterness in his voice. He smirked at the other boy, "Or maybe I should call you by your real name from now on, Kurama."
"Don't sulk," came a commanding, sassy tone from below, forcing Yu to abandon his teasing, and look down.
A short, old woman with dull, pink, wavy hair looked up at him with large, wrinkled eyes. Her attire was interesting, like an old martial arts fighter. She turned her head and looked at the others.
"Your own self pity is the least of our worries right now, with this new enemy lurking around," she said, eyes closing.
Yu let out a defeated sigh, and nodded his head as he placed a hand in his pocket. "Yes, Master Genkai."
As he looked up, he took the moment to look around at the entire group. Other than himself, the red head, the old woman, and the blue haired man, there were five others standing in the room with them.
To his side, standing near the old woman, Genkai, was a boy about his height and age, with unruly, short blond hair. His face was thin, and his skin was pale, almost sickly, like he hadn't been out in the sun in months. His small, dark eyes were rimmed with a smudgy black liner. His uniform was black, the jacket cropped at his waist, with a long white undershirt beneath it. His hands were comfortably placed in the pockets of his black slacks. A boy Yu knew well and who belonged to his own group, Kido Asato.
As he studied his friend, a voice tore into the silence of the room. It was loud and boisterous, causing him to turn his attention away from his blond friend. The owner of the voice had curly, orange hair. His blue uniform shirt was open, his white shirt underneath showing his strong chest. His hands were stuffed in his blue slacks that were held up with a tight black belt, and his posture showed obvious agitation. His long face, with its rough, masculine features mirrored the reveal of his inner turmoil as it appeared his brain was working on overdrive.
The boy gritted his teeth, letting out an irritated noise. A hand rose to his face, and he began to count down on his fingers, "One, two, three…" He mumbled, half to himself. "W-Wait! Hold up a minute!" He shouted, raking the hand through his curls.
A shorter, thinner boy stood beside the red head. His hair was jet black, slicked with shiny pomade. His large, brown eyes flicked to the angry boy at his side. His hands never moved from the pockets in his green school attire, showing much more calmness than the curly headed boy he now looked at.
"What're you bitching about now, Kuwabara?" He spoke roughly to his friend.
The red head growled at his friend as his small eyes glared in his direction. He balled his hand into a first, and turned his body toward the shorter, black haired boy. "Shut up, Urameshi! You wanna go!?" He shouted as he grabbed the green collar of his friends shirt, and pulled him to his face, clearly ready for a fight.
A slender hand reached up and placed its self on Kuwabara's strong shoulder. The owner of the hand was female, with a blue girl's school uniform. From the looks of it, it appeared she had the female counterpart of Kuwabara's school outfit. She was thin, with long legs and arms. She had a bubbly, pretty face. Her bright, pink eyes looked on at the two boys about to brawl right in front of her. Her free hand waved absently, and she let out a nervous giggle, "Alright now, boys! Let's calm down!" She cooed, her voice gentle, friendly.
Though her plea was not heard, as the red head pulled his balled fist back, ready to strike the calm, black haired boy directly in his face, "Outta the way, Botan! This is between me and Urameshi!" he declared, his focus entirely on the smug boy in front of him.
"No," came another voice, causing Kuwabara's arm to slacken, and both boys to look behind them. There stood a boy with spiky, black hair, roughly a few inches taller than the old woman who had previously scolded Yu. He had a cloth wrapped around his forehead, his black, choppy bangs spilled over top of it, and in front of his piercing red eyes. Clad in all black, save for a white muffler that wrapped about his neck, the boy smirked up at the entire room, directing his attention toward the quarreling boys. "Let's hear what the idiot has to say," He said sarcastically, his eyes still focused, and never blinking. "I'm sure we'd all enjoy a little laugh,". He was clearly egging on the boisterous red head, insulting him to receive some sort of a reaction, which Kuwabara was glad to give out.
Kuwabara released the boy that he previously held in his grip, and turned his attention fully to the short boy behind them. He held both fists at his side, growling at him through clenched teeth, "You want some too, ya shrimp!?" He warned.
The short boy, closed his eyes, and titled his head smugly as he let a chuckle release from his throat. "I'd like to see you even try, you fool," he continued to pester.
The gentle, fluffy red haired boy Yu had spoke with earlier turned his bright green eyes toward the short boy, "Now is not the time, Hiei," He warned smoothly before looking at the tall, irate boy in front of him. "Come now, Kuwabara. What is it?"
The spiky black haired boy, Hiei, glared at the green eyed boy, "Tch," he scoffed, turning away from the group, hands still in the pockets of his black cloak.
Kuwabara turned his attention to Kurama, his previous anger now fading as he blinked at the shorter boy. He straightened himself, hands returning calmly to his sides. "Well, it's just that things don't really add up," he replied, tapping a finger to his chin as he looked up toward the ceiling.
Yu pushed his glasses up on his nose. The group before him was a curious bunch. So many personalities flying around. It was quite an interesting interaction, he had to admit. Though, he kept silent on this matter as the tall boy continued on.
Kuwabara put his hand out in front of him again, and continued on the countdown he had begun previously. "Just hear me out, guys. We've got this guy," he started, turning, and pointing his free hand at the blond boy, Kido, at Yu's side, "Mr. Guyliner, with that weird shadow control thing," This caused Kido to grimace slightly. Before the blond could react, Kuwabara's accusing finger moved and now pointed at the tallest one in the group, Yana, the one with the blue hair. "And this jerk, who stole my clothes and shape shifted into me. Whatever he called it… Copy, or something," Yana seemed indifferent to the comment, and merely blinked his tired eyes slowly at the red head's accusations, "And then we got Glasses over here,".
He finally brought his digit to point in Yu's direction, which caused the black haired boy to let out a soft, questioning 'Hm…?', but Kuwabara continued on before anyone else could get the chance to speak, "He's got that whole nerd power thing, something with words and stealing peoples souls and stuff, but that still doesn't explain all of this," The tall boy said, now gesturing around the room.
The entire group joined him, eyes darting curiously around to take in their surroundings. The room was strange, no doubt about that. The walls were skewed, and all of the furniture seemed like something out of the twilight zone. It was as if everything was on a slant. Something you'd find in a dream, as if the rooms were spinning around them, or like they were in some strange space time continuum.
"And when you," he pointed at Kurama now, who returned his gaze, "Me, Botan, and short stuff over here all went our separate ways to find Urameshi, that staircase was definitely not normal! First I was going up, then I was going down!" He ran his hands through his hair, rubbing his scalp in frustration as he tried to soak it all in and make sense of it.
Kurama lowered his head and closed his eyes, "Yes, I must agree," he started, turning his head toward the three outsiders, eyes narrowed, "I encountered a similar experience."
Botan placed a slender finger on her chin, and looked up at the ceiling, pursing her lips, "Now that you mention it, I do recall feeling rather dizzy. The staircase… flipped upside down. But, I thought maybe I was halucinating!" She giggled at her own statement, rubbing the back of her head. She turned toward the spiky, black haired boy behind them with a brow raised, "How about you Hiei?"
The boy simply averted his eyes, "Hn," That was all the confirmation they needed to know that he agreed with their recollections.
At this, Yana, Kido, and Yu all turned toward each other, a knowing smile on their faces. The three were silent at first, but after a second or two, soft chuckling made its way out of their throats. Yana shook his head, his hands holding his stomach as he laughed, "Aw man! I completely forgot to call!" He admitted, continuing to snicker under his breath.
Kido shook his head, the laughter dying out, though their smiles remained ever present. He turned his attention toward Yu, and raised a hand, pointing a finger limply at him. "We shoulda known better than leaving it to Yana," He started, "Shall I do the honors, or would you like to?" With this, he took his free hand from his pocket, a cell phone grasped in his palm. He looked at the black haired boy in front of him and raised a brow, tilting the phone toward him.
Yu nodded his head, pushing his glasses up, then reached out the same hand for the phone, "I'll take care of it," With that, Kido relinquished the phone to his possession, and stepped back to his place, hands in his pockets again.
Yu looked at the phone, the light reflecting off his glasses as he unlocked it. A few touches with his thumb, and he raised the phone to his ear with his eyes on the floor, and waited in silence as it rang.
The group standing on the other side of the room looked on inquisitively at the scene, eyes blinking at the strange display. Kuwabara and Yusuke turned to face one another, and shrugged their shoulders at the same time.
After a few seconds, Yu looked back up, "Hey…" Came his soft greeting. There was a faint reply on the other end, but the others couldn't make out anything descriptive of the voice's owner, as they were too far from the speaker. "Yeah, sorry," he said, closing his eyes. His expression was gentle as he listened to the other person on the phone, and he nodded his head to himself. "Alright, see you in a second," and with that, he pulled the phone from his ear, and tapped the End Call button on the screen. He pressed the lock button, and turned his attention toward the others. "Well, the answer to your question is waiting just outside the front door."
Genkai let out an exasperated sigh, and started for the door, Yana, Kido and Yu following suit. "Should have known the slacker would skip out early," She mumbled under her breath with a less than pleasing air. "Well, come on. You might just have met your match with this one, dimwit," She insulted as she passed Yusuke, her eyes darting momentarily in his direction.
Yusuke blinked, confused. Then, as he soaked the comment in, he balled his hands into fists, a snarl releasing through his gritted teeth, "Listen here, Grandma!" He started as he followed the others. He chattered on loudly, but everyone simply ignored his protest as they filed out of the front door, and into the cool relief of the night breeze. Though, as they stepped out of the hot sauna of a room, they all took in a deep breath, disappointed to find a scent of nicotine filling their noses.
Botan began to cough, and waved a hand in front of her face, trying to disperse the smoke they had inhaled. "Ugh! How awful! Don't I get enough lung damage from Shizuru's second hand smoke!?" She exclaimed aloud.
Yu smiled to himself, and he and his two friends broke away from the group with himself in the lead. They walked to the side of the doorway, and stopped just in front of something leaning against the siding of the mansion. The others looked over at this, seeing both Yana and Kido lean down a bit, one arm each interlocked over the other's shoulder with stupid grins on their faces. After acknowledging the form in front of him, Yu turned on his heel, and looked back at the others with a hand guiding their line of sight to whom the three were now doting over, and they finally could see.
A puff of smoke poured through pale, puckered lips. Deep set dimples, holes from piercings that had healed up, on either side of the person's cheeks. A small, slender hand dropped from their face, chipped black polish glistening in the dim streetlight, a half burned cigarette resting between their pointer and middle finger, rings on every digit but their ring finger, including a few knuckle rings. As the smoke cleared out, a short figure was revealed, not as tall as Yusuke, but not as short as Hiei. A mass of pastel pink colored hair covered their head, thick and fluffy, but tame none-the-less. A messy part down the middle, feathery bangs touching their dark eye brows, and tickling here and their along their small, heart shaped face. Eyes, big and deep brown, with smokey dark purple on the top lids, and following through around their bottom lash line. Thick, black mascara caused their lashes to skyrocket like daggers surrounding their half lidded eyes. A black, leather jacket covered in studs and pins and buckles, free hand tucked limply in its pocket. A tight, lavender crop top revealed a tone mid-drift, and low, hip hugging leather pants pressed against their short but proportionate legs. A loose fitting belt equipped with silver O-rings wrapped around their thin waist, chiming as the person shifted slowly from wall. Bringing their black heeled boot to the ground with a soft 'click', they dropped the remainder of their cigarette, and squashed it out with said boot. Deep set brown eyes met the others' gazes, and the hand previously holding the cigarette tucked its self into their other jacket pocket.
"Hey," Finally came the person's greeting, their voice definitely feminine, but deep and raspy, completely defying their small stature. "How's it going?"
Botan gave a distressed look, and leaned over toward Yusuke's ear, shielding her mouth as she whispered to him, "She looks rather grumpy, don't you think?" Was her proclamation, but Yusuke ignored it and locked eyes with the pink haired girl.
"Hey yourself," Yusuke greeted the girl roughly.
Yu motioned to the girl with a hand, smiling. "This is Umezawa Junko," He declared, his smile ever present as he spoke. His previously indifferent nature seemed to change in the presence of the small girl.
The pink haired girl, Junko, raised her eyes in the black haired boy's direction, mild irritation showing on her face, "Just Jun," She corrected him, her glare never wavering. A hand rose up, and she sniffled, wiping the bottom of her nose.
Yu turned to look at the girl who came to about the height of his chest, and put his hands back into his pocket, nodding his head. His smile softened as he looked at the girl, and he made a sound of agreement. "Just Jun," He complied with the girl's proclamation, his tone mild.
Yana took the opportunity to scoop up the girl's slender shoulders in his free arm as he noticed her distracted stare, pulling Kido down with him as he grinned at the group join front of them. "Junko is the fourth member of our squad, our little Illusionist! She's the one who made the room look all topsy turvy!" He confirmed, and suddenly the strange happenings from the mansion began to piece together.
Yu watched the three in front of him. The girl, Jun, who's fluffy haired head was now practically burried into Yana's armpit, gave up no fight against her attacker. She simply looked up at the group before her. Her dark eyes met with Yusuke's own, and a staring contest began without mention. Yu could feel a sudden tension between the two of them, and his smile wavered. He glanced at the other group. Their eyes showed their obvious suspicion, and their body language conveyed a sense of wariness toward his own company. The silence was deafening. The wind was the only sound that whispered in their ears in the dark moonlight. The breeze whipped at their hair gently, and sent leaves brushing past them. The uncomfortable atmosphere was beginning to be unbearable. He thought perhaps it may be time to chime in to explain something, but he didn't know how to convey the full story that they had come to teach without seeming stand offish. But, just before he opened his mouth to express the situation, he was rescued. A gruff, feminine tone came from his side, and he looked down at pink hair.
"So, who wants to get a drink?" Jun buzzed in, a faint smile on her lips.
And he was saved.
—
The lot of them had taken a short walk only a few blocks away from "The House of Four Dimensions", save for Genkai, who had opted to return back to her temple for the night. She had previously spoken to Yu and his friends, and requested of them to perform the task of getting the others into the loop. The seventy-something year old woman didn't take to the idea of entertaining a group of rowdy teens, and that was just when it had been Yusuke and his friends. Add on four more, and she was spent. Back to her quiet home, and a nice cup of tea (spiked with a bit of brandy of course, for good measure).
The teens had found themselves being filed into an apartment building, up a small flight of stairs, and into a spacious but cozy studio flat. The room was quaint and tidy for the most part. The walls were a neutral beige color, as was the fluffy carpet. A rather large bed, probably queen sized, sat in the furthest corner of the room, the white sheet set and light blue comforter made up nicely, with two cloud-like white pillows at the headboard. To the immediate left as they entered the room was the small kitchen, equipped with only the essentials. There was a white enamel refrigerator/freezer combo, a matching white oven and stove, a white countertop, a chrome sink (which was the only dirty thing in the room, seeing as how a few dishes were sitting in the basin of it), a toaster, and a coffee maker. To the immediate right of the door was a rather large bookcase, filled with books of various shape and size. It was full to it's capacity, and a few extra books now lie in front of the shelf on the floor, stacked neatly. Next to that was a small television sitting in an entertainment system, a few games and a gaming system resting below on one of the shelves. Looking directly forward as one entered, there was a sliding glass door that looked out onto the street below. By the window were two guitar stands, one holding up a long, brown and white bass guitar, and the other caring for a shiny black electric guitar. Beside the stands, an electric keyboard rested against the wall, along with a light brown colored, wooden acoustic guitar, and a box that had a few other instruments sticking out, such as a tambourine. One additional door that remained closed was situated beside the bed, the bathroom.
Yu, Yana, Kido, and Junko had led the way, and had entered the room first. Yana and Kido both slipped their shoes off with their feet, and hopped up onto the comfortable carpet, leaving their shoes strewn over the genkan. Yu removed his, and leaned down, picked them up with one hand, and placed them neatly in the corner of the space. Junko sat one foot on a short stool in the area, and untied her long boot, doing the same with the other, before she pulled them from her feet, and sat them beside Yu's loafers. The four dispersed as they came through the entranceway, and let the others walk in behind them.
Yana raised his arms up into the air, stretching them as far as he could, causing his body to quake. He let out a loud, tired yawn, and shuffled his feet toward the bed. He knelt down on both knees, and reached under it, pulling a dark blue bean bag out. He rolled over and slumped his backside atop it. As he did this, he closed his eyes, a relaxed look coming over his face, and he sank into it. His long legs and arms went limp, spilling over the edges of his new throne. "Ah, man… Using my powers, getting knocked out by a plant, getting punched in the face by a Spirit Detective, ugh!" He complained, still sprawled out on the dark blue bag. "I'm beat!"
Kido had followed behind Yana and grabbed a fluffy, hunter green sleeping bag out from underneath of the bed. He shook it out, letting it fall next to the periwinkle haired boy who sat reclining, and he quickly plopped down on his back, pushing his arms under the back of his head. He closed his eyes, and smiled. "Ah, some good ol' fashioned relaxation. Finally. What a day!"
Yu touched his glasses, glancing at the two lazy boys on the floor, and reached up for the collar of his shirt as he sat down on the bed beside the boys. He opened his shirt a few links, revealing the collar of his white crew cut T-shirt under it, and leaned back using his hands to keep him up. "Ever drowned, Yana?" Yu questioned, his eyes looking lazily over at his friend, "Because that's exactly what I'd use to describe the feeling of having your soul shoved back into your pulmonary cavity," As he said this, he sat up straight, pulling a cloth from his pocket. He removed his glasses, and proceeded to begin cleaning them.
Yana simply scoffed at this, and closed his eyes again. Kido had chuckled at their brainiac friend's comment, and shook his head.
Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan all came in immediately after the crew and stood in the middle of the room, looking over at the others. Botan was the first to chime in with that cheery voice of hers, "So, ah…" She began, looking around the room, her blue pony tail bouncing as she moved, "This is where you all live?" She asked, her head tilting as she spoke.
Yu looked up at this, still wiping off his lenses. He opened his mouth to speak, but a voice cut him off, causing him to put his glasses back on his nose and look into the kitchen. There he saw the refrigerater door opened, and two legs in black leather sticking out with small, sock-less feet.
"No!" Came the voice, raspy. The figure stepped back, revealing the short, pink haired Junko with her arms full of a large opened box of beer tucked under one arm pit, a bottle of wine in one hand, and juggling two half finished liquor bottles in the other. She hopped back shakily, and pushed the pad of one of her feet against the door, closing the refrigerator with a thud. She turned toward the group, her smoky eyes locking with their bubbly friend. "This is me and Yu's apartment."
The sound of a the front door shutting made everyone turn, and there in the genkan stood Kurama, leaning down to pick up his shoes. His emerald eyes looked up to meet their gazes, and he gave a half smile, "Regrettably, Hiei will not be joining us tonight," he said as he stepped onto the carpet, leaving behind his black shoes.
Junko had shook her head and walked into the middle of the room to get the drinks on the floor, "You'll have to fill him in later then, Fox Boy," She said, still kneeling on the floor. She reached her calloused hands into the box that now sat on the floor, and pulled out four cans of beer, holding two in each hand. She pushed her self off of the floor and turned to look at the red head. "We've got loads to fill you guys in on still," And with that, she turned on her heel and padded over to the bed. She tossed a can to each of her friends on the floor, and handed another to Yu before sitting down. She pulled a pillow from the head board and shoved it behind her back as she leaned into the wall and cracked open her own can.
Yu graciously took the offered item, and the sound of three more cans opening simultaneously rang in as the three reclining boys opened their own drinks.
Yusuke had been the first of his company to sit himself down where the alcohol lay and snag his own beer, a stupid grin on his face. "Hey, if I'm gonna be up all night listening to the story of how the world's gonna end, I may as well have a few drinks!" He giggled, then threw back his head, gulping the drink.
The others soon gave in, and the pack all joined.
—
A few short hours into their session, the room was filled with a much lighter air. Getting to know one other (with the aide of alcohol) came easier than first expected. The story about their new foe had been given, or at least the important parts. Soon, laughter could be heard all the way out into the hallway, and the group were all less tense. Botan had taken it upon herself to snag two glass cups from the cupboard in the kitchen, and both her and Kurama were now sipping on a sweet, delicious moscato. Yusuke and Kuwabara had both opted for beer, but a few shot glasses sat atop the box in front of them, trace amounts of liquid at the bottom of them. Yusuke was laughing boisterously, his hand grasping tightly onto his can. Kuwabara's face was tinged pink, though he had admittedly only had one can so far, and two shots. He was a good boy, and didn't drink much. That showed now that he seemed to be the most effected by the booze.
Yana and Kido had had more than their share, and had even grabbed some unopened bottles of liquor out of the cabinets to replenish their supply. It didn't matter if it wasn't cold, they were on a mission. Their shot glasses full of clear liquid, they clinked them together, before downing a shot each. Kido shook his head, and both grimaced at the burn, but went right back to giggling with the others, chatting away.
Yu watched the scene, taking a swig of his beer. He had started slow, not much of a drinker himself. To be perfectly honest, he wasn't particularly fond of the idea of not being able to control his body, much less not being able to think clearly. His brain, after all, was his best weapon. And he thought it best to stay as clear minded as possible. But, he also was use to this sort of company, and joined it out of habit. As he looked on at the others, he felt a small hand on his broad shoulder, and he turned to his side to find ring clad fingers with painted nails placed roughly on him.
He smiled as he looked at the pink haired girl, and went with the motion as she used him to push her self up off of the bed. She dropped to the floor directly in front of the Spirit Detective, her legs folded Indian style under her. She raised her shot glass to his face, and poured some more jet fuel into it.
"You, my friend, are one of the funniest kids I've ever met," She declared in a clear voice. She had had what seemed like her own body weight in alcohol, but was still cool and collected, the only evidence of her buzz present on the bridge of her nose, and apples of her cheeks, a slight pink sheen coming over them. She had poured a second shot, and handed one to the black haired boy in front of her, who happily took the glass from her smaller hand. "To kicking some bad guys' asses!" She shouted, receiving a few cheers from the group around them.
Yu had stayed silent as he watched the scene. Without a word, he stood from the bed and walked toward the sliding glass door. He placed one hand on the handle, pushing it open as quietly as possible. He looked back at the group once more before he closed it just as quietly behind him. The air outside was much cooler, and stung his face and hands at first contact. The apartment had been warmed quite a bit with all of the people huddled up in jubilee. Yu had been warm when he had first entered the room, though. In fact, Yu was always warm. His large body produced a lot of its own heat, and this chilly breeze was just what he needed to cool off.
Adjusting quickly to the new atmosphere, he leaned forward and placed his arms onto the railing to hold up his weight. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of fresh air. He still held his beer can, half full, in his hand. The thought of finishing it just now crossed his mind, but there was just so much to soak in. Genkai had informed him and his group about the new enemy on Yusuke's horizon. Well, actually, he was their problem, too. Opening a demon portal? That was some pretty heavy material even for his sharp brain to try and dissect. The thought of having their living world connected to some other dimension which held monsters who consumed the flesh of his own species. Imagine that, huh? Flying up to those pearly gates and being asked how you died, only to say you were ripped apart, limb by limb by a pack of hungry monsters (literally). The thought was enough to force a laugh up through his throat. Just as he released the sound, another followed immediately after. The sound of the sliding glass door shutting behind him. Next thing he knew, he looked to his right to find fluffy red hair by his side.
"Shuichi," He greeted dully.
The shorter, thinner boy leaned against the railing in the same fashion as the bookworm, a smile gracing his features. His emerald eyes glanced over at his friend, "Kaito," He spoke softly in reply. "Not much of a party go-er either, I assume?"
"Not tonight,". Yu looked out into the quiet darkness of the town. From the other's silence, it appeared perhaps he was doing the same. The silence was ever present, save for the gentle wind, and the muffled sound of their company in the room behind them. After a moment of quiet solitude between the two young men, the red head chimed in.
"Your friends, Yana and Kido, they think quite fondly of your petite friend," He said, and Yu immediately knew he had been referring to their small, pink haired companion. "She's a bit much to handle, I'd venture to say," He chortled, looking at the curly haired boy.
Yu smiled at the comment, and nodded his head in agreement. "The three of them together are far worse, I assure you. Junko alone is actually pretty lax, unless she's had a few drinks. Then… she begins to remind me of the way Genkai had described your friend, the Detective."
The kitsune closed his eyes and smiled at the thought. "Yes, I do see the similarities, I must admit. The two of them are getting along rather well in there. She's gone on to tell us about your band, actually. Strange, I never took you for the 'sex, drugs, and rock and roll' type,"He motioned quotations in the air at this. The words sounded so funny coming from his mouth that Yu almost laughed out loud at him, but he knew it had been said in that way on purpose. Still, it was out of character for the eloquent boy.
"It's a very long story, to tell the truth," Yu started. "One I don't believe we'd have enough time for tonight, seeing as how we do have class in the morning." The thought of having to get up early the next morning (actually, in a few hours) was enough to turn his stomach. How on earth would his teachers expect him to recite poetry or decipher algorithms with a hangover and no sleep? Well, he had done it before, and tomorrow would be no different, he supposed. As he thought about this idea, he looked at the red head at his side. He seemed deep in thought. He could practically see his brain working at this very moment. He had come outside for something, and small talk was not it. "Ooo, such a face, Shuichi!" He teased the dainty boy with a smile. "Come now, I know you've come out here with ulterior motives, fox. What've you got on your mind?" He couldn't have guessed what the other would say next, and so bluntly at that.
"Junko isn't your girlfriend," The boy said. No, declared. It was as if he was informing Yu, like he was unaware of his currently relationship status, especially with his own friend. It was a strange way to start a conversation, and he wasn't entirely sure where the other boy was going with it, but he decided to humor him none-the-less.
Yu pushed his glasses up, glancing at him once more. "Your assumption is correct," He replied dully. "Though I'm not sure why you'd be telling me, seeing as how I should know best of all."
This caused his foe to release a chuckle through his smiling lips. "My apologies," He started, both still looking out at the street. "When she informed us that this apartment was the current residence for both her and yourself, my first idea had been that you were siblings. But, when you had introduced her to us…" he was cut off.
"A different surname," Yu had finished Kurama's statement matter-of-factly.
Kurama turned his head to look at his curly haired friend, and nodded. "Yes. Also, you look nothing alike. So, my second train of thought was that she was your romantic partner." The green eyed boy was forced to turn toward the other when he heard him begin to laugh.
Yu could no longer hold it in, and began to hold his stomach as he bellowed his laughter loudly into the streets. This was the second time in one evening that his high school nemesis would hear his genuine, boisterous laughter. After his laughter had died down, he reached a hand up to his face, and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.
"What an unconventional notion, Shuichi," He said as his normal calmness began to take over again, only a smile remaining as evidence of his previous uproar. He placed his forearms back onto the railing, and looked out in front of them once more. "Come now, were you looking at the same girl I was?" He asked the other boy, clear amusement in his voice. His roommate was a petite, attractive girl. An edgy girl who seemed well seasoned when it came to living life on the streets. She was solemn, but made friends easily, as the party in the room was evidence to. Yu was the opposite of the girl in every possible way. He was not thin or muscular like Kurama, nor were his facial features particularly desirable, with a strong square jaw, freckled cheeks, dull black eyes, and curly, difficult hair. How on earth could the fox think for even a second that someone of her caliber would go for him?
"Hm," The red head turned back to join him in looking out over the balcony. He had tilted his head, his brows lifting in a curious way. "Yes, her looks are quite agreeable." As he said this, Yu could feel his chest tighten slightly.
Here it was, his school rival would profess his interest in the girl. He should have known this would happen when the boy met her. Tens only dated tens, and Shuichi and Junko were definitely both tens. She would take one look into those dreamy green eyes, and the two would live out a beautiful life, have a beautiful wedding, raise beautiful children, and Yu would live in solitude for the remainder of his years. Preparing himself for the inevitable, he let out a sigh, and pushed off of the railing. But, as he did so, his companion said something that caused the world to slow down, and hitch his breath in his throat.
"Although, I can detect both of your scents on your bedding," As he said this, he turned his face to look at the freckled boy who was now frozen, not even breathing.
Yu could feel an intense heat coming over his face, and he knew he had turned beet red in lue of the other boy's comment. What an embarrassing thing for him to say! Not only that, but how could Yu even deny his words. The boy had an enhanced sense of smell being what he was. How could he explain? How would he even continue the conversation? The sting of humiliation on his cheeks was only getting worse and worse as he stared wide eyed and stuttering.
"I-I… W-we just… I-It's not like that!" The bashful boy finally spat out, his hands raising up in front of him in defense. As he did this, his shaky hands dropped his half empty can of beer into the balcony floor, spilling the liquid on the cement. He looked down at the mess, his breathing still unsteady. A soft chuckle forced him to turn his attention back to the boy in front of him, and he found that gentle face smiling back at him cooly.
"There's no need to fret, I never assumed as much," He assured the flustered boy, raising a hand dismissively. "My heightened senses would be able to detect that on your person, if that were the case." Another snicker pushed up from his throat, and he touched a knuckle to his lips in attempt to silence it.
Yu could finally breathe in and release a much needed sigh of relief. His color slowly returned to normal, and his body began to ease up. His hands, however, remained a bit shaky, and he raised one to rake through his black curls nervously. His eyes remained glued to his feet, and he fidgeted. "S-sorry…" The normally arrogant tone was gone and replaced with one filled with uncertainty. The fox seemed to catch onto this, and decided perhaps he should continue on.
"I didn't mean to embarrass you. I've never seen you so rattled before, Kaito," Kurama assured, his smile still present.
Yu finally looked up to meet the other's eyes, and he let another sigh escape his lips. "No, I'm fine," He placed his hands in his pockets and turned his body back toward the town in front of them. They were quiet for another moment. It seemed like the other boy was waiting patiently for him to speak, having caused such a stir from his previous comments. After a while of standing in the silence, Yu finally found his composure once more. "She gets cold at night," He said quietly, almost whispering. As he said this, he could feel his freckled cheeks regain a bit of heat, and the blush made him want to bury his face. Saying it out loud was strange, especially when he was saying it to him. "And I'm always hot, so… It works out for both of us. She can warm herself on my chest, and I can regulate my own body heat with hers," As he spoke, he placed a hand absent mindedly onto his broad chest.
Kurama's face showed concern, but he turned away to look in the same direction as Yu. He crossed his slender arms over his chest, and leaned against the cold sliding glass door behind them. "Perhaps…," He seemed to be mentally choosing his next words carefully. "Perhaps you're unaware." He said. This was a curious statement that Yu could not discern the meaning of. Did his demon senses pick up on something his lesser human senses could not?
"Hm?" Yu glanced over at the other boy, curiosity showing on his face. "What're you referring to?" He asked.
Green eyes looked his way. He seemed to study the curly haired boy, looking for something in his body language. Looking for something in his eyes. Whatever he had been searching for, he hadn't found it. "Mm. Nothing," He spoke dismissively.
Yu looked at the other boy, thoughts running through his head. His blush had disappeared fully, and his color had returned to normal finally. He knew the fox was cunning, always three steps ahead. How could he ask him a question to which he would receive a discernible answer? Clearly he would simply dodge a half-assed question, but maybe if he worded it right, the red head would reveal his train of thought. Suddenly, the sliding door opened from behind them, pulling the bookworm from the confines of his own mind, and the sound of laughter and loud music filled his ears. He turned to face the door, and found his blond haired friend, Kido, peeking his head outside and looking up at them from floor of the apartment with a drunken smile plastered on his face.
"Kaito, Kurama!" The blond greeted them in a shout. He had definitely gotten quite inebriated since the two had left the room. Those shots of hard liquor were definitely taking their toll. "Come back inside, you dweebs! Stop being so anti-social and come get your back cracked by Jun-Jun!" He gave a wide, exaggerated wave toward the room, causing the two outside to peek their heads into the doorway. In the middle of the room, everyone else had gathered in the center, and they found Yusuke lying on his stomach, arms and legs sprawled out on the floor, and Junko standing on his back, barefoot and surfing him like she were riding a wave in the ocean.
The pink haired girl looked over at the doorway, and she motioned for them to enter, spilling a bit of her beer that she held loosely by the top of the can, pinky out. She was wobbly on her human platform, her motor skills clearly beginning to fail. Finally, she was looking quite muddled herself. "Come on in, boys!" She shouted over the sound of the CD player blaring heavy rock music in the background.
Yu smiled at the sight, and re-adjusted his glasses before entering the room again, the fox trailing just behind him. "We had better have a few more drinks. Something tells me we're going to need to catch up," He warned, receiving a soft laugh from the red head.
"Agreed."
