For got to mention (I think) that the title of this story (Comfortably Numb) refers to Pink Floyd's song (I know I said this) and the song has to do with a heroine addict (hence the name 'comfortably numb'). I was searching for a title to this story when I was going to the fish store with my dad (it's over an hour away). I don't remember if it came on over the radio or if my dad had the CD on but all of the sudden he began talking about the heroine addict songs of the 80's (he's obsessed with the 80's). So I asked for the song title and there you have it, just like when he was blabbing on the nark he used to have at his high school (the idea where this story came from).

I also apologize if there's a lot of information in this chapter (it's the longest I've ever written). So all of you complaining that my chapters are too short... well, here you go!

PLEASE REVIEW!!!

CHAPTER 2

After School – Kat's House

"So... um... you came home with me. Uh... why?" Kat asked breaking the awkward silence.

Kenshin looked up from the Trigun cel he was inspecting, "My job suggests that I should be with you as much as I can. That way people will think we're really good friends."

"This doesn't mean you have to be my boyfriend or anything does it?" Kat asked not bothering to look up from her homework.

"Well not unless you want me to... It would be a good idea though. People would think that you knew me really well and they wouldn't ask as many questions about where I came from," Kenshin said as he went back to inspecting the cel. 'Where does she get all this stuff?'

"That's true. People would think that you transferred schools to be with me," Kat said and went back to doing her math problem. Her pencil rapped on the paper as she thought out the work.

"I noticed your parents aren't around," Kenshin stated conversationally.

"Their job requires them to move around the globe. They're in Japan right now. I don't see them very often," she replied.

"Who takes care of you?"

"I take care of myself. They send me checks every week," she replied.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Kat snapped. She finished her homework and put away her books and papers, "So how were you assigned to this job?"

"I was an orphan. My step parents were cops so that's how I got into the business. Even though they weren't my real parents I still looked up to them," Kenshin replied.

"And they let you do this kind of work?" Kat asked.

"Both of my step parents were killed at a bank robbery two years ago..." he said sadly.

"I see... I'm sorry," Kat apologized.

"Not your fault," Kenshin replied. He was now studying a shinai that had been resting against the dresser.

"I can make something if you're hungry..." Kat offered. "What sounds good to you?"

"I'm not hungry but thanks for asking. You play kendo?" he asked motioning to the dented shinai.

"I used to," Kat smiled. "I ended up getting too many blisters," she laughed, "I missed a lot of practices too. I guess I'm a bit lazy."

"Would you mind if I tried a few moves?" Kenshin asked as he picked up the bamboo sword.

Kat shrugged, "Knock yourself out."

Kenshin's expression changed as he positioned and cut the air with a few quick strokes. Kat watched with amazement.

'He's so fast! I can hardly see the shinai move! How can he be this good with such a crappy sword?' "So where did you live before you came to CV?"

(A/N: CV is the abbreviation of my high school - Crescenta Valley.)

"Tokyo," he replied as he rinsed the soap off his face.

"What made you come to California?"

"I couldn't find a job in narcotics in Japan so I flew to Hawaii to learn English and train for the job."

"You're Japanese and you have red hair?" Kat asked.

"It's funny how many people miss that. Yes, I have naturally red hair. I don't think anyone in my family had odd colored hair so I don't know why I do," he placed the shinai down.

"How did you get so good at kendo?" Kat asked.

"I had a very good teacher while I was in Japan. He was a lot like an uncle to me," Kenshin smiled.

"I wish I had someone like that..." Kat commented. "It must be nice."

Lavender eyes sparkled, "It is nice."

Kat glanced at the clock, "How long are you planning on staying?"

Kenshin looked at his watch, "I guess it's getting late. I hope I haven't been too much trouble for you."

"It was nice to meet you," Kat stood and watched as Kenshin collected his things. She followed him to the door, "You have somewhere to stay right?"

He smiled, "For the moment, yes. Thanks for asking. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Bye, see you tomorrow!" Kat said as she closed the door behind him. As the door closed Kat smiled to herself. 'Wait until my friends see him tomorrow! He's so hot! Everyone will be so jealous!'

(Next day) First period – Math

"Kenshin," Kat asked, gaining his attention, "How many other classes do you have with me?"

"Ms. Minnor pulled a few strings. I have every class with you this year," he replied.

"EVERY CLASS?!" she hissed so as not to disrupt the teacher.

Kenshin shrugged, "I don't understand it either. I just hope that we don't get tired of each other..."

'You're not kidding! I can't believe that he has every class with me... I bet they rigged it so he sits next to me in every one too. Great...'

Kat thought about this a bit more before yawning, and then she went back to staring off into space.

Nothing about the math room was interesting except for the wall behind her covered in pictures of students. It had been an extra credit project and Kat wondered faintly if her picture was up there yet. She glanced at the rainbow flag and wondered again if her teacher could be gay.

'Well, she says she had a kid doesn't she?' Kat sighed and pondered if you could be gay and still be married to the opposite gender.

Kenshin watched Kat, interested in what she was thinking about. This class was just as boring for him since he had passed it a few years back already. He yawned and counted the minutes left.

The teacher moved to put up the homework and Kenshin watched as Kat's pen scribbled furiously to write down the page numbers before the bell rang.

Kat waved to Vicky, her friend in math, as they parted ways at the door. Kenshin was standing in the hall trying to figure out where they were going next. Kat grabbed the clueless boy's sleeve and pulled him off to the next class.

Second period – Biology

Kenshin yawned and watched as Kat's patience wore thinner by the second. Emily, her ex-lab partner (Kenshin had taken her spot) was attempting to copy off Kat's paper. The moment Emily sat down next to Kat he could almost feel the anger and hatred radiating off Kat in waves. Her glares sent shivers down his spine even though they weren't directed to him.

"Quit being so stingy," Emily said.

"Stingy?!" Kat hissed, "I'm being stingy?!"

Kenshin listened to their short clipped argument on how Kat should let Emily see her paper. Kat refused, and was right to, since Emily had done none of the work. Kat's anger grew and her patience wore thin. He could see the very edges of her ears turn dark red from underneath her hair.

'This shouldn't get Kat that mad... I wonder what it is that makes them hate each other so much.'

"Is there something you need to share with us Katsura?" the teacher asked, having caught on to their argument.

Kat, her wits on end, stood up and growled, "Yes there is..."

The teacher cocked an eyebrow, "Care to share it with us?"

Kat was beginning to calm down and her embarrassment began to grow, "Uh..."

Kenshin decided to pipe up even though it wasn't in his best interest. It was his first day attending Crescenta Valley High and he didn't want to make a scene.

He stood up anyways and lightly touched Kat's arm to let her know he would handle it. All eyes were on him and the teacher waited impatiently for an explanation to the classes' disruption.

"Excuse me but I noticed that Kat and Emily don't get along well..."

Kat wished she could just disappear. She also felt bad that Kenshin was attracting so much attention. She had been called to the office before school started and had been lectured on how she was supposed to make Kenshin blend in as much as possible.

This was not exactly considered as blending in.

"...So I think it would be in their best interests to split them up," Kenshin finished his speech.

The teacher was becoming a bit nervous, the faculty knew about Kenshin and she didn't want to loose her job over something this small.

"Emily, would you please pack up your things and move to the back of the room?"

Emily glared at Kat and Kat smirked back, a little surprised to have won the argument.

Kat smiled to Kenshin and was surprised to find that the period went by a lot faster when she didn't have as many things to worry about.

The bell rung and Kat left the class a lot happier then she had been in a while.

Passing Period – Snack

Kat slammed her locker shut and clicked the lock closed. She turned her attention back to Kenshin, "I can't thank you enough for getting Emily off my back."

Kenshin smiled back, "No problem."

They began heading to the library, where Kat spent most of her free school time just hanging out and talking to her friends.

They were passing buy the main hall's first stairway when Kat spotted someone who she had never seen before.

He was coming up the stairs and the first thing Kat noticed was his purple hair. He was lavender eyed and even skinnier than Kenshin. 'His eyes remind me of Kenshin's. Too bad they're not related.'

"Kenshin, do you have any idea who that guy is?" Kat asked as she stopped in the middle of the hall to point him out.

He sensed her interest in the other boy and grabbed Kat's hand. He grinned, "Let's go see."

Kat struggled to get away but soon found it was hopeless. She was dragged down the hall after the boy she had never met.

They trailed after him until he noticed he was being followed. To Kat's horror, he paused and turned.

"Why are you following me?" he asked curiously. The boy was about four inches taller than Kenshin and two inches taller than Kat.

Kat hadn't expected his answer to come out so gently. He looked tough and it seemed to her that he could attack or bolt at any second.

Kenshin stepped forward, "I'm Kenshin Himura, this is Katsura Okamimure and both of us couldn't help but wondering why we've never seen you before."

The boy before them frowned. He was wearing a white shirt and jeans as well as an odd looking necklace. "I could say the same for you," he spoke back to Kenshin, "I've seen Kat around school a few times so I don't know why you've never noticed me."

"I'm new here. Kat and I have been friends for a while now and she finally got me to come to this school," Kenshin smiled.

The purple haired boy looked them over and said, "I'm Dark Mousy."

Kat smiled, "Sorry I haven't noticed you around school before."

"Probably because my brother just recently dumped a whole batch of purple hair dye on me when I was sleeping," he scowled.

"Wouldn't your roots stay the original color?" Kat asked.

"You'd think so but this wasn't ordinary hair dye. My brother likes to experiment with these kinds of things and this time I ended up being his test subject. Turns out that it can't be washed out," he laughed coldly. "Go figure."

"Who's your brother?" Kenshin asked curiously.

"Niwa Daisuke, I was adopted so that's the reason we don't have the same last name," he explained.

"KAT!" someone yelled.

Kat turned around to see Tanya running down the hall, "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Excuse me, but I have to go to my next class," Dark said.

"What is your next class?" Kat asked.

"Drama, we're rehearsing a play that has to do with angels or something," he said.

"Stop by the library some time!" Kenshin yelled after Dark as the purple haired boy rounded the corner.

The bell rang signaling that they had to be off to third period and Tanya pouted, "It took me all of snack to find you! Where were you? I waited in the library."

"Kenshin made me meet Dark, some new guy," Kat explained.

"Who's Kenshin?" Tanya asked even though she figured that the man standing next to Kat was him.

"He's my new friend," Kat said as she headed down the hall to third period.

"Tell me more later ok?" Tanya said. "I have to go to my next class!"

Kat waved to her and picked up the pace so she wouldn't be late.

Third period – English

"You know his brother Daisuke?" Kenshin asked as he flipped over another card in their game of speed.

"What about him?" Kat asked back as she emptied her hand of cards and drew another five.

"His name is actually Daisuke Niwa," Kenshin said.

"What do you mean? I thought he said it Was Niwa Daisuke," Kat asked. Then she smiled, "SPEED!"

Kenshin threw down his cards in defeat, "Dark is Japanese like me. In Japan, we say the names backwards. He must have been in a hurry to give the name backwards."

"You think?" Kat said not really interested.

"I'm next!" Cody, a student Kat was friends with, said as he took Kenshin's seat.

Kat deled out the cards and began playing the game. Kenshin watched as he attempted to learn the rest of the rules.

'I wonder why Mrs. Shorr lets her class have so much free time.' Kenshin thought.

"Speed!" Cody yelled, happy to have won.

Kat threw down her cards and moved over for the next person to take her place.

Introductions had gone well and everyone seemed to like Kenshin. They were just a little curious as to why he seemed to be a few years older than them.

"I bet you didn't know his name was spelled D-a-r-k M-o-u-s-y," Kenshin bragged to Kat.

"How did you know all this stuff? That's really how his name is spelled? But it's pronounced Daaku Maujii."

"I know. A bit strange isn't it?" Kenshin asked.

Kat nodded and turned to Cody, "Do you know anything about Dark Mousy?"

"Who?" Cody asked.

"Never mind," Kat said. "Do anything exciting this weekend?"

"I got a new electric guitar. I was saving up for weeks and I finally had enough to buy it!" he said proudly.

"That's cool," Kat told him. "I wish I could play guitar. Can't read, write, or play though. Poor me," she joked.

"You really can't play anything?" Cody asked.

"Tried both the piano and the flute. I sucked at both!" Kat laughed.

"It takes practice."

"Practice is something I have no problem with, patience is another matter," Kat muttered. She shifted the desk she had been sitting in back into its proper place and grabbed her backpack as the bell rang.

Passing Period – 3rd to 4th

"Hey Vicky, know what we're doing today?" Kat asked her friend from math.

"I think we're just doing tennis," the small girl replied.

Kat nodded and headed into the girl's locker room. She opened her PE locker and began to pull off her shirt when she noticed something.

"PERVERT!!!"

The other girls in the locker room began to scream bloody marry.

A streak of red blew past two girls entering the locker room and their hair whipped about their faces, "What was that?!"

Kenshin panted heavily as he sat on the stairs by the gym. His face burned from the bright red hand print left there. He wasn't just embarrassed that he had accidentally followed Kat into the girl's locker room; he was ashamed that no one had noticed that there was a guy in there until Kat had screamed.

"Do I really look like a girl?" he pondered allowed.

"Put these on and dress," one of the PE coaches said in clipped speech as he handed Kenshin a pair of PE clothes. He was obviously oblivious of what had just happened and walked away as soon as Kenshin took the clothes.

"Wonder what crawled up his ass and died," Kenshin muttered.

"Don't mind him," a random boy answered him as he passed by, "He's a lot nicer once you get to meet him."

'Somehow I really doubt that...' Kenshin shoved open the doors to the boy's locker room and another coach handed him a lock and pointed him to a locker nearby.

Kenshin opened the locker and threw in a few books then removed his shirt. A few other boys looked up from changing and gawked.

Kenshin's abs flexed ever so slightly as he tossed his shirt into the small locker. His arms didn't have much muscle on them but the ones he did have were rock hard.

There was a slightly disappointed 'awww' sound as he tossed on his PE shirt on. Kenshin looked up to see that more than half of the locker room's occupants were staring at him.

He blushed and quickly changed out of his pants and into the school's PE shorts. Then he darted outside and away from all those staring eyes. 'This sucks... Could this day get any worse?'

Fourth Period – PE

"Kenshin, I cannot believe you're so perverted!" Kat hissed as they lined up on their assigned numbers.

"ORO?!" Kenshin said as he sat down, "I didn't mean to follow you in! I guess I wasn't thinking."

"Damn right you weren't paying attention!" Kat continued to glare at him as they got their rackets and headed to the court.

"All new comers on the first court!" Coach Nelson, Kat's teacher instructed.

"Come on, Kat. There's an empty tennis court over this way!" Kenshin yelled to her. 'I wonder why she isn't following. I hope she's not still mad at me!'

Kat glared at him, golden eyes blazing and she directed her attention to the coach walking through the tennis court gates.

"Today we're working on the backhand," the coach instructed. He went on telling whoever was listening how to hit backhanded.

'She's a beginner?!' Kenshin made the connection. 'Kat doesn't look like she sucks at tennis!'

He watched as Kat attempted to copy what the teacher had just shown them. She hit the ball with grace and poise.

CHINK!

Kat let out a howl of frustration (making a few heads turn her way) as her ball got caught in the fence.

Kenshin couldn't help but laugh as she stalked off to get another ball. He watched as Kat repeated the move. This time it hit the wall instead of the fence and came flying towards Kenshin.

Kat was about to warn him to duck but she paused. He dodged the un-aimed ball with ease and grace she didn't know he had. She gaped at him while he glared back.

"Hit with your palm down."

"What?" Kat asked, still shocked. She shook herself and nodded to the coach. She took her position and did exactly as she was told.

'If she does it right, it should be hard for the ball to gain height.'

Coach Nelson watched as Kat hit the ball with perfect form. His eyes followed the ball's movements.

WUMPH!

Kat blinked in surprise as her ball collided with Kenshin's head.

She gaped and Coach Nelson blinked, "Uh, that's enough for today Katsura..."

She nodded and dropped her racket, "...But you dodged the last one..."

She rushed over and touched his head lightly, "I'm sorry!"

"Oro...?"

"Pansy," some of the other boys muttered.

Passing Period – Lunch

"How come we're in the library at lunch?" Kenshin asked as he rubbed his head.

"I'm not hungry. Why are you? We don't have to be in the library," Kat said.

"No, I'm not hungry. I was just wondering why we're in here."

"I just like being in the library. There's always been something calming about just being here," Kat said as she sat down in an over stuffed navy chair.

She rummaged around in her backpack and pulled out Everything's Eventual (by Stephen King) from her backpack. "You don't have anything to read," Kat noticed. "Why don't you read this with me? I just started the thirteenth story of fourteen in here."

Kenshin shrugged and pulled up a chair next to hers.

His expressions kept shifting from being grossed out to freaked out. It was another of King's famous horror stories and it had both of them on the edge of their seats.

"Interesting," a voice piped up from behind them.

Kat stiffened from being so shocked and scared. She paled and fell forward.

Kenshin on the other hand had snatched the nearest object, jumped over the chair, and held it against the person's neck all in one swift movement.

Dark smirked, "If I had blinked, I would have missed that." He looked down at the pencil case Kenshin was holding to his neck.

Kenshin blushed and handed the case back to the irritated owner at the next table.

Kat was eased back into her chair by Dark, who had managed to catch her before she hit the table. She was still pale and panting hard.

"Are you ok?" Dark asked. "I didn't think I was that scary. Perhaps my good looks startled you more than my voice?"

Kat glared up at him and he just kept on smirking. 'This doesn't seem to be the same boy we met in the hall just a while ago...'

Dark continued to attempt to show off and charm Kat, apparent that he thought he could have anything girl he wanted.

Kat was nibbling at his bait, she thought he was cute, but Kenshin doubted that she would let herself be reeled in.

"Kenshin," a voice whispered from the isle.

He turned his attention to the beckoning voice and wandered off down the isle the voice had come from.

Kenshin came face to face with a blonde boy, not too much unlike Dark.

"My name is Krad and I have information on Dark. He's the state's number one drug dealer and I know that this is the catch you've been waiting for," Krad paused as he caught Kenshin's confused stare.

"My brother is head of the police department. He's only nine but don't underestimate him. My brother graduated as valedictorian from both high school and collage. We moved to America in search of a more demanding job. My brother gets bored easily you see," he explained. "You might say that I'm the eyes and ears of this school. You're a nark aren't you? That's nice to hear, and don't worry, you're secret's safe with me. Dark has been my rival for some time and I've been trying for years to catch him and turn him into the police. Every time I get close enough and think I have enough evidence, he blows me away and tricks the cops. My brother and I have been after him for a long time. Don't mess this up..."

"Kenshin!" Kat called. "Where did you go?"

He turned back to thank Krad for his information but the blonde had disappeared.

Kenshin shrugged and returned back to where Dark was still flirting with Kat. Kenshin was starting to tell that Dark was getting agitated and he guessed it was because Kat still wasn't taking the bait.

"There you are Kenshin! Did you find any interesting books?" Kat asked.

Kenshin grabbed the nearest one he could find and held it up.

Kat flushed bright red.

Kenshin turned the book around and read the title: Sex Secrets. He almost dropped the book in shock. 'This is not my day...'

Kat attempted to clear things up, "Uh... If you want I can use my card to check it out."

"I-it's ok. N-not very interesting," Kenshin stuttered.

Dark slung his arm around Kat for support. His sides heaved in laughter and Kat seemed to be about to crack up too.

Kenshin noticed that she didn't move away from Dark or attempt to shrug him off. 'The only reason she'd do that was if she wasn't getting enough attention. With her parents so far away maybe she doesn't. I bet this is the closest she's had to a hug in a long time.'

Kat pulled out a pen and began scribbling numbers on Dark's arm. His violet eyes watched interestedly.

Kenshin studied the purple haired boy. He was wearing a tight fitting tank top that showed off his collar bone. A leather jacket hung off his shoulders and the same odd necklace hung from his neck.

"That's my phone number," Kat stated as she capped her pen. "I'd give you me cell number but it's never on."

Dark seemed to smirk at Kenshin as if to say, 'hook, line, and sinker.'

Kenshin smirked back. 'The closer Kat is to him, the closer I am to bagging this bastard.'

Fifth period – Health

Kat yawned and looked over at Kenshin. 'The class hasn't even started yet and I'm already bored.'

As the rest of the students filed in, Kat spoke to Brianna about their project and other various things. The bell rung and Mr. Irace went to put a tape into the VCR. The door creaked open and everyone kept talking thinking that it was just someone who was tardy.

"We have a new student who just transferred in. His name is Dark Mousy," Mr. Irace's voice traveled through the room and it fell quiet as every one turned to look.

Kat gasped and Dark waved to her as he sat down in the seat next to her. Kenshin was just as surprised as Kat and he stared questioningly at Dark.

"My schedule changed. I don't have drama anymore so they switched me to health. I have history with Mr. Irace too and I hate him! He's the worst teacher ever," Dark complained.

"So you didn't know we were in this class?" Kenshin asked.

Dark frowned, "I'm not a stalker you know."

"A little paranoid today Kenshin?" Kat teased.

"Only because I was hit on the head with a tennis ball in PE," he snapped.

Dark laughed, "You really did that Kat? Too bad no one was there to take a picture!"

Kat smiled slightly until she caught the glare Kenshin was giving them. She sighed and was glad for once that there was a movie playing (however crappy it happened to be) to take her mind off things.

School's Out

Sixth period finally ended and Kat was very happy that it had. Kenshin was still angry from what ever Dark had said and wasn't talking to her much. She had said good bye to him at her locker and hoped that he would blow off some steam by the next day.

"Maybe I'll call you!" Dark yelled as he ran down the hall.

"What's the hurry?" Kat called after him, surprised that he had just ran by.

"My ride is going to leave me!" he waved and turned a corner.

"Was that Dark?" Tanya asked as she opened her locker.

"Yeah, it was," Kat said as she closed her locker.

"He's cute," Tanya smiled.

"He has my phone number," Kat grinned.

"Lucky!"

"You bet I am! See you later Tanya!" Kat waved as she left.

"Good luck! I hope he calls you!"

(A/N: Working on chapter three as I write this! I'll have it up as soon as I'm done. Until then... PLEASE REVIEW!!!)