Blurring the Lines
4 Keiko's Confession
All basic disclaimers apply; I don't own any Yu Yu Hakusho characters. All ideas and original characters used are property of Beware of Mage and Tsuki Ryu Productions. Oh, yeah I don't own any of the lyrics I print; I just think they add a nicely atmospheric touch, and belong to musicians whose music I adore. Have fun reading!!
Kohaku Frost
-President of Beware of Mage and Vice President of Tsuki Ryu Productions
Hello! I'm gonna keep this short; hope everyone liked the last chapter. Lyrics and story coming up! 7/19/03
"For so long my life's been sewn up tight inside your hold
And it leaves me there without a place to call my own
I know now what shadows can see
There's no point in running 'less you run with me
It's half the distance through the open door
Before you cut me down
Again
Let me introduce you to the end
And I feel the cold wind blowing beneath my wings
It always leads me back to suffering
But I will soar until the wind whips me down
Leaves me beaten on unholy ground again
So tired now of paying my dues
I start out strong but then I always lose
It's half the distance before you leave me behind
It's such a waste of time
'Cause my shackles
You won't be
And my rapture
You won't believe
And deep inside you will bleed for me
So here I slave inside of a broken dream
Forever holding on to splitting seams
So take your piece and leave me alone to die
I don't need you to keep my faith alive
I know now what trouble can be
And why it follows me so easily
It's half the distance through the open door
Before you shut me down
Again
Let me introduce you to the end
'Cause my shackles
You won't be
And my rapture
You won't believe
And deep inside you will bleed for me
Though you know you care
'Cause my shackles
You won't be
And my rapture
You won't believe
And deep inside you will bleed for me
And my laughter
You won't hear
The faster
I disappear
And time will burn your eyes to tears"
"Shackled" Vertical Horizon
The doorbell pealed as Keiko finished practicing on her piano and remembering Hiei's note, she steeled herself for a confrontation. Keiko patted down her brown hair and straightened the clinging red dress that her mother had gotten her for her sixteenth birthday. She had hoped that Hiei would have arrived before Kurama so that she wouldn't have to face her former friend alone, but it appeared that she would be flying solo. She walked to the door quickly, and opened it to find, as she had feared, Kurama. But she had not even suspected: Yusuke stood beside Kurama, tears running down his cheeks and a red mark on the side of his face.
Kurama pushed past Keiko and Yusuke followed like a whipped puppy. Kurama appeared to have changed quite a bit from the last time she had seen him. His hair was a tangled mess and there were dark circles around his beautiful green eyes, eyes that weren't so beautiful anymore. The green was dulled by nights of restless sleep and rivers of tears that couldn't flow anymore. Yusuke looked little better. His cheek was red where Keiko guessed correctly, Kurama had slapped him; he was looking at Kurama like a lovesick cow and it was obvious that Kurama didn't want him. The red headed young man turned to Keiko with a type of panicked desperation in his eyes and voice.
"Keiko, I feel I must admit my sins. Yusuke and I have been having an affair for the last year and a half." He paused. "Keiko, betraying your trust the way I did was – no, is - unforgivable. I do not ask to be forgiven at such an early date, but I need Hiei to forgive me." Kurama reached out and gripped Keiko by the shoulders tightly and forced her to look into his eyes. Eyes smarting with the pain, she tried to pull away, but he only tightened his grip.
"I don't understand Kurama. What is it that you expect me to do?" Keiko managed to pull free and she backed off a few steps. A strange, frightening look came into Kurama's eyes, making them appear glazed. Yusuke's shoulders shook and he smiled blearily at his former fiancée.
"Keiko, you've gotta take me back and give Hiei up. It's that simple; Kurama loves Hiei, I love Kurama, Hiei loves you, and you love me. It makes no sense to hang on to someone you don't love." Yusuke made it sound so easy, but Keiko hadn't heard a word after 'Hiei loves you'. These words seemed to settle around her like a warm glow, explaining the feeling of happiness she had been floating in for the last three days: Hiei had been being so considerate because he loved her. Keiko stumbled over to an armchair and sat down, shock making her knees weak for a reason she couldn't understand. Kurama and Yusuke came and sat on the couch across from her, both of them looking at her with intense impatience.
Well, they could just sit and be impatient for all Keiko cared. She needed to think this over. She needed to know if it was true that Hiei loved her, she needed…
In her mind rose Hiei's face; the large eyes the color of blood, lit with a fire that could never be put out, a fire that she had always known in her heart burned for her. She had always known that; whenever she had looked in those hypnotic red eyes she'd seen the truth, the love Hiei had denied for the mistaken hope that Kurama would change, but at the release of such forceful restraint, Hiei was having trouble not letting all his dams break. He wanted to tell her his dreams, but Kurama continued to stand in the way. Keiko's mind was made up and her heart was set.
"You're wrong Yusuke. I don't love you, Kurama doesn't love Hiei and I won't be hanging onto someone I don't love, because Hiei would never let me go, and I would die before I let someone take me from the one that holds my soul." Kurama's face lost all color and as Keiko stared in his eyes something seemed to shatter. Before she could defend herself, Keiko felt the hot sting of Kurama's whip cut through her soft skin. She heard Yusuke scream and then she heard a chant and gazed into deep blue eyes as the darkness spread, ultimately covering her chocolate gaze.
* * *
The poor girl was lucky the seer had warned Angel of Kurama's actions. As it was Angel had almost been too late to save the lovely young woman. As Angel had traveled through the warp spell she'd heard Keiko's words. Oh if only the human had the courage to tell Hiei! The fire demon still hadn't recovered from the shock of hearing that Keiko had been harmed by his former lover.
Hiei sat at Keiko's bedside, cradling her hand in both of his, occasionally brushing back the dark brown locks he'd come to adore. Angel watched as for the hundredth time he stroked her hair, still unaware of her confession of love. It was so sad, watching them there, they fit together perfectly, and Angel wanted nothing more than to bring them together, but her hands were tied. All she could do was make the girl's last moments worth dying for; and hope that Hiei would forgive her for not being able to save his beloved.
End Chapter Four - Keiko's Confession
I intended for this chapter to be longer, but whatever. Everybody remember that spell book that Angel gave Hiei? Good, it'll come into play in the next chapter for sure. R&R!!! 7/21/03