^.^' Sorry guys, 's been awhile, ne? I figured I'd get a jump on this while it was new. Suzaku only knows what's happening with the Dragon . . . if it were up to me I'd delete it but Aya won't let me. It's in the long, slow process of being revamped, does that count? Anyway, enough about my story progress. I still don't know what I want this one called. If you can think of something before me, consider yourself special. ^-^'
Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho is, obviously, not mine. As a matter of fact, it's not yours either! . . . If it is yours . . . email me! Please?
Onto chapter two of 'Untitled'!
I washed the blood off of my hands; a tedious task. The browning stains were practically caked on, and I had to scrape at it with my fingernails. A soft, pleading cry met my ears, and I turned to listen.
"Please, Kazuma," it murmured softly, "Please . . ." before the voice cracked and broke into silent sobs. This was not my fault. Yukina shouldn't have to cry for me—cry! It hit me that there were tear gems, those precious Hiriuseki stones, collecting on the floor out there. I had to do something about that.
My footsteps tapping on the stone ground were slightly annoying to me. Tap, tap, tap. . . that ceaseless, infernal tapping could drive a man insane! I reached the other room, at the end of that long stone hallway, where Yukina was chained to the wall. Her eyes were closed, but gem after gem was sliding down her face, hardening, and tapping to the floor.
Tap . . . tap . . . tap . . .
That infernal tapping again! That was what would drive a man mad. Not footfalls, but the sound of someone you love in pain.
"I'm doing this because I love you," I reminded her for the umpteenth time. I remember saying it over and over only minutes before . . .
"I love you, Yukina!" I screamed at her, swinging the chain back over my head and striking her across the back. She cried out in pain.
"Please, Kazuma—ITAI!" she sobbed, "Stop . . .!"
It's really not fair that she's got to endure this. But Evil is no match for the great Kazuma Kuwabara! It had been nearly a whole year since I'd found out about her relationship with Hiei, that bastard. Life had gone on for all of us. Yusuke stopped mentioning it after a few days, and Kurama knew better than to provoke me. He always knew better.
It had taken me a long time to find that spot in the warehouse again . . . but well worth it. The castle of the Saint Beasts was abandoned. Only a few low-level followers of Suzaku and his heathen brethren dared show themselves to me. And I murdered them all. My spirit sword can outmatch them with ease. I've been training, too . . .
Yukina's eyes rose to meet mine. I kneeled quickly beside her, causing a shiver to run visibly through her body. She tried to look away, but I grabbed a strong hold of her chin and looked into those eyes.
"You would be so much more beautiful," I paused for a moment, savoring the way the words tasted in my mouth, "If the Evil in your eyes, the murder in your eyes, was gone."
She choked back sobs. I'd had her here only a few days. The beating had only begun yesterday, because I felt ready to get rid of the horrible being that was residing in her body. Her pure innocence might be spoiled if someone didn't kill that being. And that someone had to be me.
"You," she choked, "You were never like this . . . you were so different . . ."
I slapped her across the face for questioning my authority. For once, it was me in charge, and no one could change that. Then I grabbed her chin and kissed her, hard. She tried to scream, she tried to break away, but I was firm. Then she bit my tongue as it entered her mouth. . . I bit her back.
Spitting out a mouthful of blood at her feet, I stood up to go clean myself off in the next room. She tried to stretch to wipe the blood away from her own mouth, but her arms were bound fast. I did what I had come to do, I gathered up the Hiriuseki stones that were piled at her feet, and I put them into a brown sack. And I left.
I cleaned my hands and face off in the sink again, as though nothing had happened.
Tap . . . tap . . . tap . . .
I love you, Yukina . . .
Tap . . . tap . . . tap . . .
I love you . . . . . . . Always . . .
"Have you seen Kuwabara, lately?" Yusuke asked. His voice sounded cracked and tired.
Kurama sighed sadly, "No, nor Yukina."
"I bet they'll be back soon," Yusuke said optimistically.
"I hope so . . ."
"We both need sleep," Yusuke said, "its no use in worrying. They're probably having a good time!" He laughed good-naturedly.
"I suppose. I'll get going, then."
As Kurama hung up the phone, he somehow didn't think that Kuwabara had run off to marry Yukina behind their backs. Or even run off to seduce her. That just wasn't Kuwabara's way. He couldn't track the ki anywhere he knew to look, and Hiei couldn't find them with his Jagan. It worried him.
"Kurama," a low voice interrupted the kitsune's thoughts.
Kurama turned sharply, "Oh, Hiei . . ."
"You didn't find them."
As Hiei often did, he stated his questions. Kurama shook his head sadly. It was a question not worth asking. They both knew that time would only tell what had happened.
"I can't believe I told him."
"It isn't your—"
"How is it not my fault? If he didn't know, none of this would have happened. I'm sure of it."
"Hiei, you can't go—"
"This is my fault, Kurama."
"No, it's not."
"My fault."
I lay in the makeshift bed I had: the futon off my own bed at home, lying on the floor. The guys must have been worried about me by then. Shizuru would kill me if she knew, but she doesn't know. I smiled contentedly, because I've gotten away with something. Yukina's stopped crying; because I can't hear her sobs, but the tapping continues on and on . . . it must be my own mind prolonging the sound. It's all my imagination. Even after I fell asleep, the taps plague my dreams. Never stopping, always haunting, harmless and yet potently poisonous taps in my head.
Soon, I was sure, the Evil would have left her. When it did, I would know. Because your lover knows when something is wrong.
I love you . . . always.
Whoot! ^-^ I can finish this in one more chapter. And then I SWEAR I'll finish "WYS dot dot dot," don't you worry. As soon as Ayame gets around to beta reading for me. Blame it on her! Not me! And yes, as a matter of fact I DO realize it's too short! Would ya look at that?
Hiriuseki is the right spelling, isn't it? And 'itai' means 'ouch.' That's really all you needed to know, and putting annoying [1] and [2] would just get in the way of the story's overall mood. I was aiming for insane, bloodlust-y, angsty goodness. Did I get it?
One last thing and I'll leave you alone. Please, when you review me, be HONEST. It doesn't help me if you're a fan of my work, and you always give me good reviews to get on my good side. I know some people do that. But it doesn't help me get better! So don't be afraid to say that something else I've done is a million times better! Or worse! Or even that I suck in general! A bunch of one liner happy reviews don't make me any happier.
I'll go away now!
Flames and Torches,
~Poco a Poco~
Err . . . ignore that. Just call me Ryuu. Or Black Dragon, or BD. . . y'know, whatever floats your boat.