Authoress here.

End of story, end of story! And I'm listening to Sandstorm! Whoo! (dances around)

START CHAPTER

Yu Yu Hakusho

"Okay...that was...better, I guess."

Ayame bit her lip and stared at the archery-style target she was supposed to be hitting. Over the past few weeks, her aim with her newly discovered electrical powers had been improving, but she still needed practice. Yusuke had volunteered to help train her since their powers worked in ways that were much closer than the others.

"Yeah, but I still missed," Ayame replied dully.

Yusuke came up behind her and positioned her arms by putting his around her. "Try from this angle."

"Okay..." Ayame replied, somewhat abashed. Yusuke had been dropping small hints that he liked her ever since what had happened with Raidon; just little things like doing favors specifically for her, making a special effort to have their fingers brush whenever he handed her something, and things of that nature.

The problem was that she didn't know if she would like him better as a friend or a boyfriend. She had never had a boyfriend before, so in some ways she was innocent to how it worked. What was flirting and what was just being friendly?

She had made Yusuke tell her in detail what had happened in the moments where Raidon had taken over her body since she couldn't remember herself. It seemed, however, at the same point every time he had told the story that he was leaving something out.

Right when he figured out that Raidon's spirit had entered Ayame's body, his description had become vague. He said something about her acting differently then before, then moved on to everything else. What had happened?

In her distraction, she didn't even notice when her violet tinged lightning completely missed the target.

"What happened there?" Yusuke asked, looking at her curiously.

Ayame slowly lowered her hands. What better time than now, when they were alone, to talk about it?

"Yusuke, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure," replied the teen. He dropped to the ground and patted the tiles in front of him, grinning in his cocky way. "Pull up some floor."

Sinking down to the ground, Ayame fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve.

"Something wrong?"

Ayame chose her words carefully as she replied, "Do you remember telling me about...what happened when Raidon took over me?"

Yusuke's expression changed to one of stony-faced hatred for the now deceased demon. "How could I forget?"

"You're leaving something out," Ayame blurted suddenly. Yusuke's eyes locked to hers. "I don't want to pry, but I need to know all the details. Don't leave stuff out."

"I'm don't want to talk about it right now," Yusuke replied quietly.

Ayame's expression changed abruptly. "You are keeping something from me."

Yusuke sighed and put a hand to his head. This conversation was giving him a headache. How could he forget what happened? The memory was still fresh in his mind.

Her soft pink lips pressing against his, the hair on the back of his neck prickling, her arms linked gently around his neck...

A faint pink hue rose on the apples of his cheeks, and he pressed his fist to his mouth and glanced away, embarrassed.

"Yusuke..." Her tone was quiet and unsure. Then, sitting up straighter, she declared firmly, "Fine. I can wait until you're ready to tell me, but I can't imagine what could make a guy like you blush."

With that, she turned and walked towards the target again. Raising her hands, she rubbed her palms together until the distinct crackling noise of electricity filled the room. Holding her hands upward, a jagged spider web of electricity shot upwards, swirling like a tornado, until it hit the metal blades of a utility ceiling fan and shot outwards towards the remaining five targets. She hit each one dead on, slicing an uneven hold through the center of each. There was a moment's pause, then a resonating thud as all five targets fell over backwards onto the tile floor.

Without looking over her shoulder at him, she turned and headed towards the doorway.

Yusuke sighed as she left. Girls are so... Unable to think of a word to describe his emotions towards Ayame and all others of her sex, he hesitated a few minutes before making up his mind to chase after her. He had decided by that point in time that she was one girl he wasn't going to lose.

The few minutes head start had paid off. Ayame reached the exit far before Yusuke did, but her progress was slightly hindered by Hiei and Kurama standing before her. She met Kurama's eyes first, then Hiei's. After a second or two, she stepped slowly backwards. One step, two steps...

"Leaving?"

Even without turning around, Ayame knew who it was behind her. "I figured I would," she replied, careful to keep her voice controlled and to not give anything away.

"Ayame..." Yusuke paused. Now or never. "I need to talk to you. In private." He gripped her shoulders, her protests falling on deaf ears, and steered her into an empty office.

"Yusuke, is now really the time?"

"Do you want to know what happened or not?"

"Yes."

"I...I'm gonna tell you what happened, and then I'm gonna get really embarrassed."

Ayame's heart thudded as she turned to face him. "O-okay."

He looked diagonally down at the floor. "You...Raidon as you...kissed me."

The blush that spread across Ayame's face was bright and instant. "I...I did?"

He nodded, the bits of his hair left untamed by gel flopping into his chocolate brown eyes.

Summoning all her courage, Ayame braced herself for the answer to what she was about to ask. "If...it had been me...would you have minded?"

A sudden realization dawning upon him, Yusuke looked up at her, the cocky, crooked grin returning. "Nope."

Her heart fluttered, and suddenly she realized she was leaning towards him. "Then you won't mind if I do now...for real this time."

Yusuke slowly reached out for her, his hands sliding from her waist to her mid-back. Her hands found his shoulder, resting there for a moment and then slinking around the back of his neck. Their eyes fluttered closed simultaneously, and their lips finally met in a much denied, true kiss.

After they drew apart, Ayame said quietly, "So...we're going out now, right?"

"Damn straight," Yusuke muttered, claiming her mouth once more with his own.

Standing by the door, Kurama smiled at them through the glass. Hiei stood beside him like an omnipresent shadow.

"It's about time they did that," the fox remarked happily.

"Hn," Hiei grunted, rolling his eyes. "It won't last forever."

Kurama smiled at his friend's pessimistic view. "All the more reason for them to cherish it now, before it's gone."

If he knew Yusuke as well as he thought, however, he would be too stubborn to let go of Ayame for quite some time. Good.

END

There! The last chapter is done, and with that, I finish the story. What a great feeling!

Review or eat toenails.

Choose wisely.