Right-o! Here's the next installment. And my only comment is...GRR!! I restarted it three times, changed the planned plot at least four, and it still didn't happen the way I planned. If not for Fate, who had to listen to my constant whining about non-functioning plots, and exclamations over sudden, even if short-lived, plot breakthroughs, and poked me until I went back to writing, this chapter probably wouldn't be here right now... And please thank her for editing. She fixed things so that this chapter was actually coherent and understandable...

Random side note. I was bored, and procrastinating, and typing words into a translater site. I suddenly thought, hey, i wonder if Kisu's name means anything? REALIZE THAT THIS WAS COMPLETLY ACCIDENTAL! I created the name Kisu because I liked the way it sounded. Little did I know that it's translation is kiss...

Watermellon: Caffiene is good...

Ciardra: Thanks. I'm sure Kisu would appreciate your comment too, if she wasn't mad at me at the moment and slumming somewhere..........

Asilin: Ha. I didn't think you would. Thanks for the im, too. ::grins::

Darkness Shall Set You Free: Welcome to the group, and having two thingamajigs is confusing enough...

Fire: Ha ha! Have I ever showed that I care about details before this? ::chapter hug:: Yeppers. Another katana is now needed. ::thoughtful:: We could always 'borrow' Hiei's...

Fate: Grr! School annoys me.

Pen: Endure the filler we must. It is sad...

Jasmine: Don't worry about it. Heh. We almost share the mountains.

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Chapter 25

Kisu…

Friday has once again rolled around. Joy. I'm so happy, especially considering that it looks like they want to do something every week from now on…

Yusuke opened the door and stormed in just as I was finishing a knife kata and picking up my weapons. I figured I might as well use the open space to train now that Hiei has challenged me. If it's anything like last time he should leave me alone now.

"Hey, what happened to that big spear thing you used to have?" he said as he threw himself at one of the couches.

I glared at Yusuke's clueless face before replying icily. "Nice to see you, too, Yusuke. And it broke."

He laughed. Smart move. I didn't really feel like dealing with any of his bullshit. I think he got that message pretty quickly though, because he stopped laughing as I continued to stare at him.

"Right," he said, still visibly amused, but now quiet. "Don't think we're gonna let you hole up in your room tonight either."

Before I could open my mouth to respond, he opened his, and yelled to everyone else. "Hey, if you can hear, me get your butts out here!" I managed to resist hmpffing in annoyance.

The gang had slowly been drifting into the apartment all day, and every time someone arrived they bugged me, trying to figure out who else was here and what we're doing tonight, despite the fact that I have been trying to train and obviously have no clue.

Keiko and Botan stuck their heads out the kitchen door. "Why? What's going on?" Keiko yelled back at him.

"Nothing yet! Get out here and find out!"

I was vaguely amused as Keiko marched out, demanding an explanation for why he was being so rude.

He grinned. "Well, it got you out here, didn't it?"

Keiko just sighed and didn't respond. Meanwhile the others had drifted into the room. Everyone was there already except for Kazuma and Shizuru, who hadn't arrived yet, and Hiei. I doubt anyone knows where he is, and personally, I don't really care after this week.

And, speak of the devil-or actually, the minions- the door opened and in walked Shizuru and her brother.

Yusuke jumped up laughing. "Hey, just in time!"

Shizuru looked at him like he was insane, which probably wasn't that far off the mark. "For what?"

"Um. Well." He scratched the back of his head. "I was thinking we could go out or something tonight, since we watched movies last week, and I don't feel like staying in."

Keiko crossed her arms. "And what exactly were you thinking, Urameshi?"

"I was thinking clubbing."

"I'm not going to any of your clubs, Yusuke. They're always filthy."

"Wait! I found a new one! It's pretty much clean. No drugs, only alcohol!"

"Right. And that's so much better."

I don't drink anyways, so I didn't care. I couldn't decide if sitting at home or clubbing would be better. I was thinking neither. Locking myself in my room seemed like it would be my preferred choice, but, unfortunately, I doubt they'd let me choose that.

"I don't know. I think it sounds fun." Shizuru stepped forward with a little smile as she gave her opinion.

I resisted the urge to scream at her. Clubbing is bad. There. I've made my decision.

"Ya!" Kuwabara. Good gods. Seeing him dance is one thing that I would prefer to avoid. "That sounds good, Urameshi." He sidled over to his friend, nudging him in the ribs with a sideways glance. "Is it that one over by the liquor shop?"

Yusuke waggled his eyebrows, about to say something, when a door suddenly slammed open upstairs, and a familiar aura zipped down, conveniently stopping right beside me.

He's probably trying to see just how much of his annoyances I can put up with. Or not. Maybe I'm just being paranoid…

"I am not going," he hissed, eyes burning.

Well, then, smart man, you should have stayed up in your room. No one knew you were there, I blasted at his mind.

He turned his scowl on me, opening his mouth to yell at me next.

Unfortunately, Kurama stepped between us before we could come to blows.

"I think it's a good idea." We targeted him with matching laser beams. He just tried to look at us sternly, but it's not that effective when his eyes are twinkling in amusement. Wow, that's so intimidating. "You two need to practice your social skills." He didn't have to say the 'again' out loud. We all knew what he meant.

Ha. And they actually think Hiei and me can learn to be nice. What makes them think we even want to try?

And, apparently, we missed out on some other part of the conversation while we were having our little powwow.

"Come on, Kisu. We're gonna go get ready." Botan grabbed my arm and started dragging me up the stairs.

I snapped back at her. "And where are we getting ready?"

Shizuru came up behind me. "In your room. Keiko says you have better style than what I've seen." Her eyes flicked over me.

Right. She's only seen me in those junky clothes I wore last week, which are now sitting in my bathroom waiting for me to decide if they're savable or not, and now these paint-stained sweatpants and tank top. I was training. What did she expect?

I didn't bother responding, because we were already at my room.

Keiko opened the door as soon as we reached it, asking, "Do you mind if we borrow some clothes?"

The door shut behind us. I was trapped in a room with three crazy teenage girls who were revved up about going clubbing. I don't know when Keiko got excited about this little adventure, since she'd seemed against it, but she was definitely into it now.

I shrugged in defeat. What could I do? It's not like I had much of a choice. "Sure. Ya. Whatever."

The room immediately exploded into a pandemonium as the three of them shrieked in excitement, or in Shizuru's case just laughed, and stormed my closet.

Ye gads, what have I let myself be pulled into this time?

I sipped my drink again as I let my eyes roam over the hoards of people occupying the room before setting it down. The room was dark, pierced by random spears of color, and pounded with a steady techno beat. I'd laughed silently to myself when we had arrived.

The bartender either thought that I'm older than I am, or is trying to buy me, because I'm positive he would give me alcohol if I felt the need to ask for it.

Right. Not gonna happen. I'm perfectly happy with my non-intoxicating spritzer.

I shifted where I stood at the counter. I'm not exactly comfortable in the outfit I'm wearing. It's not that I don't wear this shirt or these pants; it's just that I don't wear them together.

Whatever. It's better than some of the other things they were trying to get me to wear. And it definitely turned out to be easier to go along with them than to fight it.

They wanted me to do the dress-up thing with them, where they try on multiple outfits before deciding that, oh, now they want to wear the first thing they tried on.

Nope. No way was I going to do that.

They didn't like any of the outfits I wanted to wear, though. Bully for them. Shizuru finally chose a bunch of outfits and made me choose from those. She actually suggested I wear a skirt and show some leg. Is that me?

Ha. No.

I don't even know why she bothered suggesting it. I chose the gray jeans and cropped red tank. I know I look good in those.

But these jeans could definitely stand being a bit looser.

And then they wanted to do make-up. That too, I tried to fight.

It didn't work.

They helped each other with theirs, Shizuru giving them pointers, and then turned on me again.

Botan and Keiko grabbed me and sat me down so that Shizuru could do my face and hair. The only way I would have been able to get out of it would have been to hurt them, and, like I've said, I don't hurt the girls. But that didn't stop me from telling Shizuru that I would kill her if she caked the stuff on. I like a bit of makeup here and there, but more than a little and it's annoying. She just told me to shut up and do the white hair Botan had told her about. At that point I had been so fed up that I didn't argue, hoping it would shut them up and get this over with quicker.

And now, here I am, standing here all alone, in an outfit I don't want to be wearing, with more makeup on than I've ever worn at the same time before, my hair twisted into some strange updo that I wouldn't be able to reproduce even if I wanted to, despite the fact that this is supposed to be a 'social exercise.' Not that I really care. I'm actually rather happy about that little fact. I've barely caught a glimpse of any of them since they all disappeared after we arrived.

Never mind. My blissfully person-free existence has now, once again, come to an end.

At least I can see him coming this time.

It's a little hard to zip around at supersonic speeds when a room is crammed full of ningens.

I ignored him as he came and leaned against the bar next to me.

I thought you'd be gone by now, I thought at him, distractedly.

I caught a glimpse of Keiko dancing with Yusuke before they were enveloped by the mob again.

Damn kitsune said I couldn't.

Did you try?

He glanced at me sideways, definitely irritated.

"Of course you did. What am I thinking?" I mumbled the words out loud, still watching the ebb and flow of the living sea I was trying to avoid.

We both turned as the bartender asked Hiei, "Would you like a drink, sir?"

Hiei was looking away from him before he finished speaking. Guess that was a no, wasn't it.

I hid a smirk as I thought of something. Ahh…The aisuhana can't hold his liquor.

That earned me the same look as the one he gave me a few minutes ago.

I didn't say that.

I know. You didn't say anything.

Then what gave you that idea, he shot, mental voice getting hotter.

I didn't say anything, just turned my smirking face so that he could see it.

His eye twitched. "You! Sake!" The tender who had offered me a drink earlier turned around at Hiei's sudden command. The man eyed Hiei suspiciously.

"You don't look old enough to drink, kid. Show me some ID and maybe I'll get it for you."

Hiei scowled at him, hissing, "Just get me the drink. Maybe I'll let you live."

Even this guy wasn't stupid enough not to see that the black-haired midget probably wasn't kidding.

He raised his hands in the universal peace sign, a little pale around the edges. "Sure dude. Didn't mean to offend you." He paused for a second before asking me. "You want something now, too?"

I was about to shake my head no when Hiei sent me another message. If I drink, you drink. He smirked at me. Unless YOU can't handle it.

Great. Now I feel obligated to prove him wrong and beat him into the ground. "I'll have the same." And the words just slipped themselves right out of my mouth. Isn't it amazing?

Hiei picked the shot up as soon as the man had placed them on the counter and downed it without hesitation. I picked mine up, hesitating a moment.

His smirk grew wider. Scared?

Well, here's hoping alcohol affects me as much as caffeine. In other words, here's hoping I'm immune to it.

I lifted the shooter to my mouth, shooting In your dreams at Hiei, and downed it, ignoring the fiery path it carved into my gut.

Hiei watched me very carefully as I downed my twelfth, or maybe it was fourteenth, shot. I've lost track. We've be going head to head for a while, and I'm pretty sure he's winning…

I'm definitely starting to feel a little light-headed. Hiei waved at the bartender without looking away from me, signaling that we were ready for another round. Joy.

He again drank his without issue.

I, however, was in the middle of swallowing when a pair of hands descended on my shoulders, causing me to splutter and choke.

I spun, almost toppling over. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I stumbled as I slurred my words and bumped into a grinning Yusuke.

"Whoa, Kisu." He caught my elbow just in time to stop me from falling over. "How'd you get so sloshed?"

I shook my head, trying to clear it. "I am not sloshed."

His look very clearly stated that he didn't believe me. "Right. Explain why you just almost fell over then. You never fall over."

Keiko slipped up behind him, touching his arm with a gentle smile, followed by Kurama, who was laughing at something Shizuru had said.

Yusuke leaned over and whispered in Keiko's ear. "I think she had a few to many drinks."

She looked at me questioningly as she whispered back. I think they forget that I can hear much better than they can, even when I'm drunk.

'Cause sweet Kami, I think I am.

Shit.

"I didn't know Kisu drank."

"Neither did I."

I turned my head sideways so that I could only see them out of one eye, but didn't say anything.

Can I have another, Hiei?

His answer sounded amused. Are you sure that's a good idea?

"You can drink another, so I can drink another," I answered, turning my back on the others and facing Hiei as I hit my chest with a hand defiantly.

Are you sure about that?

"Ya. Why wouldn't I be? I'm just as good as you are."

Is that so.

I heard Kurama say something to Yusuke behind us. "Is she talking to Hiei?"

Yusuke's answer was an indistinct mumble of, "Don't know, don't care, but it's freaking me out."

"Yes. It is so. I know everything you do."

His lips twitched. Then why do I keep winning?

I paused, tapping my chin with a finger as I thought, my other arm crossed across my stomach. "Because I haven't had to use it in years?"

You don't sound very sure about that, hanyou. Why haven't you used those skills in so long? I'd expect someone like you to keep their training up.

I was opening my mouth to answer again when a pair of hands descended on my shoulders. Again. I spun to yell at this new invader, but the shouts died in my throat when I found that it was Kurama.

"You look a little out of it, Kisu."

I managed to nod dumbly. Kurama is just one of those people that it's hard to yell at.

"Why don't you go home?"

"Home?"

"Hiei's."

I blinked. "I can leave?"
"Yes."

It took me awhile, but I finally got it. "Yes! I'm leaving then! Bye!" I started to dash past him.

"I didn't say you could go alone."

I turned back, frozen mid-step, to find Kurama's eyes crinkled in amusement.

"You didn't?" I asked dumbly.

"Nope."

I tried to figure out what that could mean. Yep. My brain is definitely intoxicated.

"Hiei's going with you."

"Who said I wanted to go anywhere with that baka?" I responded.

"And why is it me," was Hiei's hissed response.

Kuwabara suddenly stepped up behind the koorime and tapped him on the shoulder. "Because you didn't want to be here to begin with, shorty."

I couldn't help but laugh as the redhead suddenly flew over Hiei's shoulder, causing the bartender to pause in his administrations to tell us that he didn't allow brawls in his club. Wow. I didn't know he was the owner…

I crouched down and poked the boy in the head. "I think you might have deserved that one, Kuwa."

He sat up rubbing his head, glaring over his shoulder at Hiei. "Maybe, but that doesn't make it feel any better."

I laughed. "At least he didn't make you fight him."

Kuwabara shuddered. "Ya. Why? Has he made you?"

I was about to answer when Hiei grabbed my arm and started yanking me towards the door. "Fine. Let's go."

"Hey," I whined. "But I don't want to go."

He glared at me, jaw muscles clenched. "You just said you wanted to leave, half-blood. Come now or I'll leave you here," he growled, yanking me towards his face to do so.

I grinned in his face, completely light-heartedly, and darted my head in to give him a quick kiss on the nose.

If I was sober I would be banging my head on the fridge right now, but I'm not, and Hiei is so going to kill me as soon as we're somewhere he can hide the body.

I heard someone mutter something as Hiei dragged me out of the club, causing everyone to laugh in agreement. I think it was Kuwabara.

"I think I like her better when she's drunk…"

I took a deep breath of the fresh air outside, while I stood in the middle of the street, ignoring the fact that that's where cars drive.

Hiei was leaning against a telephone pole somewhere across the street, waiting for me to smarten up again.

I've never noticed how free drinking can make you feel, probably because I don't drink very often.

I'm not worried. I'm relaxed. And even now I don't doubt that I'll regret it in the morning.

The air is so crisp and cold. I may not like the cold, but I love its smell, and it's definitely almost Winter. Right now I'm actually excited about it. By tomorrow I won't care.

Are you ready to go yet?

I closed my eyes and spun, reveling in the clean air. "No!"

I could hear his 'Hn' all the way over here.

"Can we go somewhere else? I don't want to go back."

I stopped, arms out to my sides, and opened my eyes to watch him.

His face was shadowed, hidden, while the rest of him was illuminated by the streetlight. "You look spooky like that."

He shrugged by way of answer.

I don't want to go back to the apartment. As soon as we go back to the apartment everything will go back to normal. I don't care if the only reason I feel so good is because the alcohol is messing with my brain. I don't want it to end yet. I don't want to go back to the constant worrying and stress and restraints I put myself through.

I was suddenly very aware of the cold; my euphoria dropping a couple of notches as I contemplated what it would be like when it was gone.

"What are the restraints you impose on yourself?" I didn't even notice that he could only have known to ask that question, with that wording, if he had dug through my head.

I hugged my arms around me to protect myself from the cold as my mood dropped another couple of notches, as I shook my head, trying to banish the memories that had just sprung up uninvited.

"I'm not the one that imposed them." I finally squeezed the words out, and looked up at Hiei, feeling more lost than I have in years. I'll blame it on the drink.

Hiei appeared impassive, and unmoved. "Who placed them on you?"

I shrugged, beginning to shiver.

I may be drunk, and my tongue will probably wag a bit before the night is done, but I'm going to try to keep my teeth shut around that bit of information. I struggled to pull my failing shields back up.

I doubt I did very well, but I don't think Hiei dug again once he felt me fumbling with them.

"Then what are they?" I think he realized I wasn't going to answer that question.

To speak or not to speak? I closed my eyes.

And they shot open again when I suddenly felt Hiei's coat settling around my shoulders, taking the edge off of the cold. I hadn't even noticed him wearing a coat.

"Come on. We'll go to the park."

"The park?" I repeated dumbly, looking up at him as he started pushing me in the right direction.

"Yes. The park. You didn't want to go back, correct?"

I nodded, still cold.

"I didn't know there was a park."

He didn't answer, but kept walking. I didn't have much choice but to follow him.

I kept stumbling more and more the longer we sludged along, until I ended up leaning on Hiei for support, half asleep and woozy. I'm kind of surprised that he didn't push me away and make me stagger on my own.

The walk was worth it, though, when we finally got there. No doubt he could have been there in moments if I hadn't been with him.

It wasn't big, but for what it was, it was pretty. The little pond in the middle was reflecting the moon, and some pretty, but simple flowers surrounded it. Around the flowers, there were a few old oak trees.

I pushed away from Hiei, letting his coat slip to the ground as I tottered to the pond's edge.

Sinking down against the trunk of one I looked up at Hiei, laughing again. "It's so quiet."

He leaned against the tree, looking down at me. "It's the middle of the night. Ningens don't come out after dark."

I shrugged, watching the moon's image as it wavered with the water's ripples.

"You know that you'll have a headache tomorrow?"

I nodded, not looking at him, when a thought suddenly popped into my head.

"Hey, you drank just as much as me. Why aren't you drunk too?" I glanced up at him. His face was surprisingly peaceful, softer; some of the hard lines I hadn't even realized were there smoothed away by the moonlight.

"I've lived a while. I've had stronger stuff than that." His eyes were fixed on the lake, thoughtful, more open than usual, probably because he didn't expect me to be watching.

And then his head turned, sharply, suddenly, catching my eyes with his. "Why do you take those pills?" His eyes were hypnotic like that, shielded, but not, reflecting the moon's silver beams.

My mouth even started to open itself to let the answer spill. But it's not something I want all of them to know, even if Hiei wouldn't tell. I snapped my mouth shut, turning my head back to the lake. I may not be completely with it, but I think I have just enough self-control to prevent myself from doing the obviously stupid things.

"That's my past." I hugged my knees to my chest. I know its weakness. I don't care right now. Maybe drunk isn't as good a place to be as I thought it was, just earlier tonight. You relax, but you can't even shield yourself from your most basic emotions. I don't like emotions. I prefer to squash and bury them. "You don't need to know about my past."

Hiei didn't say anything. I didn't look at him. I guess I'm a little more somber now than I was before. I just tried to soak up some of the peace in this unexpected haven and save it for the times to come that I knew I would need it for.

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