~DISCLAIMER: You all know that Yu Yu Hakusho are created and owned by Yoshihiro Togashi. My characters are entirely fictional and belong to me.~

Chapter 25: Aftermath

Drawing in slow paced breaths Shuichi kept his heart rate down as he tried to get himself to calm down and fall asleep but that nights past events kept his mind awake. A few hours had passed since he had held Keomi in his arms pinned to his bed but now she lay there alone. He had let her have his room instead of her sharing the living room with his cousins and more importantly she was safely away from Hosyu. There was a creak on the stairs and Shuichi's eyes flew to the door of his brother's room as he slept on the floor. He had already planned for this, he had taken access of Keomi away and put her somewhere Hosyu couldn't get to her unless he went through Shuichi. Shuichi's energy block anyways that he had put in place to make sure Keomi would be safe through out the night. Hosyu wouldn't be allowed to put his hands anywhere near Keomi. Although it had only been a few hours before when he had held Keomi in his arms the heat from her body still resided with him.

Keomi's eyes flew open at no sound in the quiet household. It was deathly silent as she was fully awake within seconds of waking from a deep sleep. Her demon self was coming out as she listened for the tiniest sound and she heard the thudding heart beat of Kokoda and on the other side of the wall along with the familiar heartbeat of Shuichi as he slept there and then the heartbeat of another outside of the bedroom door. She uncurled from her ball around Shuichi's pillow and lifted her head towards the door.

There was an unexpected loud squeak of a floor board as Hosyu stepped on it wrong. He cussed under his breath as he reached out and grasped the handle on Shuichi's door but nothing happened, the door won't move. It was locked and locked very securely. Hosyu grinned, he knew that Shuichi might have tried something as feeble as this and he pulled out his secret weapon. Long ago he had perfected the art of picking and opening locks and now was his moment.

Keomi listened with her eyes shut at the almost silent scratching as Hosyu tried to pick the lock with his expertise. But Shuichi's energy shield was stronger and smarter than that. He had also sealed the lock with his energy making it impossible for anyone but Shuichi himself to undo the energy seal.

Hosyu cussed under his breath as a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face before he wiped it off with the back of his hand. For some odd reason he couldn't get into Shuichi's bedroom where Keomi was sleeping. There was a sudden noise from downstairs and Hosyu efficiently scattered away from the door and hurried back down the stairs.

Chouko was waiting for him, her hands on her hips, and a death glare residing upon her features. She snapped at him in a low hiss, "How dare you? Keomi is Shuichi's girlfriend and yet you are still going after her?"

Hosyu shrugged his shoulders noncommittally as he walked back to his bed.

Chouko snarled at his retreat and followed her womanizing brother back to bed.

Shuichi relaxed as he heard the cousins bed down for the rest of the night. He was sure that Hosyu wouldn't try anything else since he had already failed and been told off his sister. Shuichi frowned to himself as he relistened to Chouko's words in his mind as she told her brother off. So apparently he and Keomi were boyfriend and girlfriend, did it supposedly look like that to outsiders?

Keomi sighed and curled into Shuichi's pillow once again. She sucked in a breath and the scent of Shuichi filled her nose. Of course his pillow would smell like him but Keomi didn't mind. The smell of roses was slowly becoming one of Keomi's favorite smells. Letting loose a sigh Keomi rubbed her hands together slowly. The feel of Shuichi's hands against her skin won't leave her mind, they had made an impression that was irreversible. Keomi pulled her head out of the pillow as her cheeks were burning from the blush that resided there. "Stop thinking about unimportant things and go to sleep!" She chided herself harshly as she slapped her cheeks fiercely before she laid her head back down upon the pillow that was so intoxicating. Keomi stared at the wall that separated Shuichi's bed room from Kokoda's bedroom before her eyes slid shut. Her hearing picked up the sound of quiet breathing of the two sleeping there. Keomi breathed in slowly and relaxed her body into the coziness of Shuichi's bed. Soon her breathing matched with the two boys as she fell asleep.

"Okay everybody it's time for breakfast!" Keomi called from the kitchen as she untied the apron from around her waist and hung it up on the hook on the wall.

Family members descended upon the table with morning hunger pains as they all tried to find space to fit. With some extra chairs and an extra table panel all nine managed to sit around the table and enjoy breakfast. Shuichi purposely made Keomi sit between him and Kokoda, away from Hosyu who was brooding about on his side of the table with his sister who just grinned at Keomi as if she knew some secret.

When breakfast was done with and cleaned up Keomi took a peek at the weather from the windows only to notice the sun shinning on the glimmering snow. It seemed nice enough that she could get home without freezing. She approached Shiori with a cup of tea as she gazed at the winter beauty through a window. "The weather is lovely today isn't it?"

Shiori nodded her head and took the tea cup Keomi offered her. "Yes it is, we got a lot of snow last night in the storm."

Keomi didn't respond as she didn't know how to bring up the buses working again and her leaving as soon as she could.

Shiori didn't turn to look at Keomi as she spoke softly, the conversation was only to be heard between the two of them. "I would prefer if you stay a little while longer but you probably need to be getting home to your brother."

"Yeah, he's back for the week." Keomi explained stiffly. "I didn't even call last night to tell him I was staying, he'll be mad at me but I'm sure he'll understand."

"I'm sure he didn't want his only sister to freeze in the snow storm so he'll forgive you." Shiori answered back before she took a sip from her tea.

Keomi bowed her head softly at her, "I'm go get ready now, thank you for understanding." Keomi turned and left, making sure to put her empty tea cup in the kitchen before she headed up to Shuichi's room to change into her clothes and take off the once again borrowed clothes.

When she was gone Shiori continued to gaze at the snow outside the window before Atsushi came up and put a hand on her shoulder. "What are you thinking about my dear?"

Shiori sighed and took another sip, "Just how great this Christmas has been." She smiled at nothing in particular as Atsushi squeezed her shoulder softly.

"She'll get home alright dear. She's a careful girl. So you shouldn't worry about her. It's not like she's going to slip on ice and break her back." Atsushi understood the concern Shiori was hiding for Keomi.

"Don't even think like that…" Shiori huffed out a steamy breath.

"You'll worry about her even if she is walking through the park," Atsushi replied gently as he wrapped both his arms around her and leaned his head on her shoulder. "You treat her like a daughter so I suppose it's only natural."

Shiori nodded and rubbed her husband's hands as they were wrapped around her shoulders.

Keomi descended the stairs with her winter coat draped over her arm before she set it down and walked over to Shiori and Atsushi. She bowed to them respectfully, "Thank you for taking care of me, I hope you enjoy the rest of you Christmas vacation and New Years. I'll be taking my leave now and I can make it to the bus stop by myself so do not worry." Keomi straightened and left their side to finish getting ready by equipping her coat and snow boots.

They watched her go silently as they held each other in their arms. She had basically said that she could walk herself to the bus stop by herself and didn't want to disturb the family by her leaving so they just let her go.

Keomi was about to put on her boots when she was assaulted as hands went around her neck and held her close. "You're leaving…without telling me goodbye?" Chouko sniffled dramatically into her shoulder as Keomi removed her arms from around her neck.

"Yeah, I didn't want to disturb you and your family."

"You're quite the sneaky one." Chouko responded as she knelt next to the floor by the door step with Keomi. "Bet it helps when you're sneaking back from a night with Shuichi…" She grinned at Keomi.

Keomi blushed, remembering last night when he held her in his arms pinned against his bed. She ducked her head away and pulled a snow boot on her foot.

Chouko giggled and wiggled with excitement before here eyes caught Keomi pulling up her boot. Her face saddened and her shoulders drooped slightly, "Why do you have to leave? We haven't even opened presents yet, can't you at least stay until we open them all?"

Keomi shook her head, "Sorry no. I have to get home, but…here…" Keomi reached into her pocket as she stood and pulled out a little package. She flicked it out into Chouko's open hands before she adjusted her scarf then pulled out her purple crocheted gloves she had done in home ec class. "I found some time last night when I couldn't sleep and made it for you." Keomi smiled at the younger girl and opened the door and stepped outside. "Goodbye Chouko."

Chouko couldn't even manage a simple bow of her head as she watched Keomi step out of her life. The only older sister figure she had ever had just walked out. Chouko pulled the pink yarn off of the brown package and opened up the layers to find a white and pink crocheted butterfly with a clip on the back so she could wear it in her hair. Chouko lifted it up and held it close to her chest before a noise behind startled her and she turned to see Shuichi standing behind her.

"She left didn't she?" A frown resided on his face before he stepped around her and pulled on his coat.

"Are you going after her Shuichi?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He responded gruffly as he pulled on his boots.

"You have an amazing girlfriend Shuichi, don't let her go and hold onto her forever." Chouko said as she stood and begin clipping the butterfly onto the side of her head.

Shuichi only nodded at his cousin who was giving him relationship advice before hurrying out the front door to catch up to his supposed girlfriend. He rounded the sidewalk out of the front yard only to see her disappear around the street corner. "Keomi!" He called out as he shoved his hands deep into his pockets and hurried down the sidewalk and carefully avoided the ice patches.

Keomi continued walking although she heard Shuichi call out her name, she didn't want him to come after her. It was Christmas and he should be spending it with his family not walking her to the bus stop.

Shuichi caught up to Keomi before she even made it halfway down the block. He settled into a steady walk beside her as puffs of steam made its way out of his mouth. "I called out to you back there…"

"I heard you," Keomi responded as she kept her eyes forward.

"Why didn't you stop then?" Shuichi studied the side of her face as she walked through the snow. "Why didn't you tell us that you were leaving?"

"I didn't want to interrupt your time with family and take even more of that precious time away." Keomi explained as she glanced up at him.

Their eyes met before she looked back down at the snow covered sidewalk. Shuichi nodded his head at her, "But you still could have at least told us you were leaving. We would have walked you to the bus stop."

Keomi stopped and turned toward him. Her look said everything that she had already told him. She didn't want to take anymore family time away from them and her eyes reinstated that fact as they stared at each other.

Shuichi shivered from the cold and furrowed his hands deeper into his pockets as her eyes flew around his figure. He wore no hat, had no scarf, and no gloves protected his fingers as only his winter coat was there to keep him warm.

Without a word Keomi pulled off her left glove and pulled his left hand out of his pocket. "Put it on before your fingers freeze."

Shuichi didn't argue with her as he knew it would be pointless. He slid the purple glove onto his left hand and put it back into his pocket. They each had one glove left and as Keomi turned and started to walk back down the street Shuichi followed. In her own little odd way she was giving him permission to walk her to the bus stop even though she didn't want to take away time from his family. His eyes followed her movements as they walked in silence, the crunching of their footsteps on snow their only sound between them. Keomi's hand was balled into a fist and shoved into the deepest refines of her pocket to keep her hand warm and Shuichi could tell as he was doing the same with his right hand. He pulled his hand out and blew warm on his hand before smiling a little and reaching into Keomi's coat pocket. He felt her jump and turn to look at him as he scooted closer to her as his fingers reached her balled ones. His large hand overwhelmed her smaller hand and he clenched onto her tightly to preserve the heat. Their arms pressed against each other as Keomi suddenly found herself leaning into Shuichi's warmth. He seemed so much warmer than her that she wiggled her fingers underneath his and he opened his hand a little before she wound her fingers within his making their hands intertwined. She squeezed his hand and pressed closer to his arm and he replied the gentle pressure as they continued to walk down the street. Nothing was said between them as they continued on the way to the destined point.

After walking four more blocks Shuichi and Keomi arrived at the bus stop right as a bus pulled up. Shuichi made sure to give back her purple glove and wave to her as the bus drove off, taking her home for the rest of Christmas break. Balling his hand back up and burying it in his pocket Shuichi turned and started to walk back towards his home where his family waited for his return.

~It's been a crazy week for me! I did find time to write, while I was waiting for my brain to shut up and let me sleep, but the point is I was able to write! So glad I was able to put this up even though Anime con was this weekend. I had a blast and attended some great panels! Lets hope I can use what I learned in those panels and put them to good use.~