Note: FF.net removed this entire story, so I lost all of my reviews for Chapter 1, so, if you feel so inclined, go and review that chapter again. And then this one. Merci! Gracias! Danke! Other forms of "Thanks!"
Disclaimer: Same as before. Not mine.
Again: SLASH!
Time: OK, this one occurs after the Saint Beasts arc and after Yusuke's woken up again and after he walked Keiko home. He's back at Kuwabara's.
Talking to Ghosts (2/2)
(Yusuke's point of view)
He's a real idiot if he thinks I don't know. If he thinks I don't see it when he glances at me. When he smiles so sweetly when he thinks I don't see him. Like the first time he saw me when I returned from Genkai's.
Ugh, Genkai's tournament. *That* was fun.
Sometimes, I wonder if he remembers that he appeared to me underwater as I prepared myself to die then and there. If he knows it was he who gave me the strength to continue.
Bones cracking... I wish I could have done the same to Rando.
I wonder if he knows that he's staring at me again.
"Hey, Kuwabara, blink or your eyes'll pop out," I tease, sitting on his bed across from him. I returned to his room after walking Keiko home.
"Huh?" Slowly, he blinks. "Oh, sorry. Just thinking."
"Don't snap any brain cells with that. You don't have too many left, after all."
"Oh, so *very* funny, Urameshi!"
The teasing goes on for a bit until it suddenly peters out, and I almost hesitantly ask, "Why'd you do it?"
Confused, he blinks with a frown.
"Why'd you risk your life to give me your life energy? You could've died."
"Nah, I would never've died. I'm stronger than you, remember?"
"Oh, is *that* why I always kept beating you into the ground?"
"Ha ha." He's silent for a minute, looking intently at me before softly muttering, "I couldn't stand to have you die again." A pause. "I was a disgrace at your funeral."
"I know. I was there."
He frowned at me. "Really? Another Reikai thingie?"
"Something or other. Yeah, I was around the entire time that I was asleep."
A faint pink staining his cheeks, he sputters, "Th-the whole time? Like, even just before y-y-you woke up?"
Hesitating only a moment, I nod, staring straight into his eyes.
"Oh."
"Thank you, by the way. For saving my life three times now." At his red-faced, embarrassed confusion, I added, "At Genkai's Tournament, after Suzuka, and...the kiss. Waking me up. Thank you, Kuwabara."
He looks down at the floor. "Urameshi... Can... Can you call me Kazuma instead?"
I smile. "Will you call me Yusuke?"
Slowly, his eyes lift to look into mine, and he smiles. "Yusuke." It sounds like he's swirling my unfamiliar name on his tongue, and I suddenly recall the vague memories of warm lips upon my own.
"Kazuma," I state clearly. "A name for a guy who'll buy mangas for a kitten and get beaten up because of a promise."
"You know about that?"
"Told ya' I was around. Saw the whole thing and even tried to stop you from hitting ole Buck-Tooth."
He chuckles. "Yeah, I heard. Or felt. Or something."
We are silent again, and he fiddles with a cuff of his shirt.
"Kazuma..." I murmur. "Why did you kiss me? You could have just gotten Keiko to if you actually understood and believed the dream. You stared at me long enough to have called Keiko and have her over in time."
No answer for awhile, and I'm about to change the subject when he blurts out, "Because I wanted to!" Blushing again. "Sorry."
"Don't be. Otherwise, I would've been fifty years older when I woke up." I pause and then impulsively add, "Not bad for my first kiss. The parts I remember at least."
"Yeah." He laughed. "My first kiss was with a boy who was in a coma. Memorable at least."
"Memorable for you. Some of us were still asleep."
He blinks and then slowly smirks, leaning out of his chair. Expecting his intent, I smile back at him. He slowly but confidently moves from the chair to next to me on the bed and leans toward me. Impatient, I thrust my face forward, and our lips meet.
Warm. So very warm. And soft. So different from his craggy features that I begin to caress as we deepen the kiss. A little awkward as we adjust to each other, but, soon enough, we reach a rhythm of sorts with our kisses.
Plural: *kisses*.
Some soft and slow, some eager and thrusting.
Eventually, he pulls back, and I realize that he's positioned practically on top of me. Not minding very much though.
Suddenly, his brows furrow. "But I thought you and Keiko..."
I laugh. "Yeah, everyone thinks that! Nah, we're almost like brother and sister. I mean, I've known her my entire life, so we know everything about each other."
"Oh."
I smirk. "So, no school for a week, at a truce with you. What should I do with my time?"
He pulls back. "Who said anything about a truce? I *will* beat you!"
"Ha!" Unexpectedly, I peck his cheek and wriggle out from under him. I stand. "You couldn't beat a rug!"
"What!" He follows as I race out. "I'll beat you right now, Yusuke!"
My smile widens. "Catch me if you can, Kazuma!" I shout, laughing.
I run outside, thrilled to be so very much alive again.
And all because of him.
Argh! I tried angst, but, as you can see, it petered into mindless fluff. Oh, well. Reviews, feedback, criticism, and free food can be sent to Scarby13@hotmail.com or just by pressing that convenient little button down there.
"Push the button, Frank!" "I *am* the button..." (MST3K, anyone?)
~Clamat, sed ubi asinus est?~
