Reaching Your Limits: Continual Cycle
Episode 17: Truth or Dare? The Second Stage
Keiko came and st down next to Yuusuke on the resort patio. They had eaten a big lunch just a few moments prior, and it had been decided that everyone would have a few hours to themselves before they would meet up again that evening for their evening supper.
Yukina and Kuwabara had gone to walk in the garden, Hiei vanishing to who- knew-where, while Kurama decided to spend a few quiet moments to himself walking along the beach.
"It's been astonishing, hasn't it?" Keiko commented as she laid her head on Yuusuke's shoulder.
"What has?" he asked her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"Everything that's happened," Keiko replied with a smile. "It's been such a short time, but so much has gone on. It is a little hard to believe at times. I never thought that having two new students at school would affect my life in such a strong way. All of our lives."
Yuusuke nodded, remaining quiet for a moment. "I feel bad for Kurama, for all the things he's had to go through. The worst part is that we seem to of grown apart lately. I didn't even know about the troubles with his mother until the next day when someone else told me. What kind of best friend does that make me?" he said, almost bitterly.
Keiko frowned and hugged her boyfriend. "You aren't to blame. It's just the way things have worked out. You have a larger group of friends now, and Kurama has Hiei to occupy his time just like you have me. I think it's okay for you to grow apart from each other, as long as you remain good friends. Besides, you've both been busy with school and training, and life in general," she pointed out.
"Still, I'm going to do my best to be his friend again. Starting with this weekend!" Yuusuke declared.
Keiko grinned. "Things seem to be going well, aren't they? I'd say the first stage was a success, considering how they couldn't seem to stop stealing glances at each other. The next stage depends on you and Kuwabara," she reminded him.
Yuusuke grinned. "You can count on us," he declared.
***
Of course, it had to be a bathing house, again. Well, really a hot spring this time, but still the same concept. Under normal circumstances, a Japanese male would not find this situation to be a big deal. Kurama had thought that, after his cultural training added to the fact that he'd already been to a bathing house with Hiei, he wouldn't have to worry.
However, he'd been very wrong. The amount of effort it had taken not to look during their first trip to a bath house was insignificant compared to now. To make matters worse, his Youko memory happily supplied images of the body he was refusing to look at.
When the host offered them some cool drinks, Kurama thankfully gulped some back, not caring that they were alcohol.
"It's our weekend off, to do what we want! Remind me to thank Koenma," Yuusuke delcared a while later, swinging his drink around.
Kurama and Kuwabara returned his cheer, both of them almost as drunk as their friend. Although supper had been delicious, and he'd eaten a lot, the alcohol hadn't taken long to affect him. In fact, all four of them seemed to be rather loud... and unsteady. How many empty bottles were there now? Kurama's eyes crossed when he tried to count.
"Hey, hey, Yuusuke, truth or dare?" Kuwabara suddenly exclamed, then continued with a giggle. "Have you and Keiko slept together yet?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but no," Yuusuke slurred. "She thinks we're too young to do it, and I respect her too much to push the issue."
"Especially since she'd slap you into next week," Kurama declared, laughing.
Yuusuke made a face at him. "Oh yeah? Truth or dare, Kurama? Top or bottom?" he demanded.
Kurama blinked and, when the question finally sank into his liquor-drenched brain, flushed scarlet. "That's none of your business," he exclaimed indignantly.
Yuusuke gave him a wicked grin, and Kurama felt his stomach drop. He knew this was bad news. "Then I dare you to get it over with and kiss Hiei," he stated, matter-of-factly.
Kurama blanched and looked over at Hiei. The overly drunk fire demon was staring at a rock for some unknown reason. Briefly, Kurama weighed the consequences of one against the other before he stood, non-too-steady, and made his way over to Hiei.
"Hiei?" he called, getting the other's attention mostly when he nearly fell on top of the other after losing his balance.
The moment those red eyes caught his own, Kurama grabbed Hiei's face and pressed their mouths together. Instantly, his mind was blown away. It was exactly as he remembered, yet so much more, the feel of Hiei's surprisingly full lips against his own. The heat of them, the way they fit so perfectly against his own. Hiei's familiar scent of trees and ash filled his nose, and Kurama had to force himself to pull away or suffocate.
Hiei blinked up at him, looking shocked and dazed. "Why did you do that?" he finally questioned, his words coming out slowly.
"Truth or dare," Kurama replied, breathlessly. "A human game where, if you don't want to tell the truth, then you have to take the dare."
"Why not lie?" Hiei asked, still looking rather dazed.
"Against the rules. Then the game wouldn't be fun. It's my turn now," Kurama explained, forcing himself not to think about the kiss and to especially not grab onto Hiei for another one. Suddenly, a question popped in his mind and he grinned wickedly, turning to face Kuwabara.
"Kuwabara, truth or dare? What are your real intentions toward Yukina?"
The orange-haired youth gulped as Hiei pinned him with a murderous glare which promised many deaths should he not reply properly. "I love her," he finally admitted after many long stretches of gulps and blushes.
"Really?" Hiei questioned suspiciously.
"Of course I do!" Kuwabara exclaimed. Then he grinned and gave Hiei a look. "Hiei, truth or dare? Why do you pretend not to love Kurama, when it's so obvious that you do?"
Hiei froze, staring at him. Kurama found himself holding his breath, his heart punding in his ears. A long moment stretched by, and Kurama realized that Hiei wasn't going to answer. It was a stupid human game, that's what he was probably thinking.
Suddenly, surprising them all, Hiei spoke. "I'm afraid my heart could be broken again," he said almost silently. Then, glaring at them all, he jerked himself upright. "This is a stupid human game! I'm going to bed," he yelled. He managed to make it to the changeroom quickly, stumbling only a few times.
While Yuusuke lectured Kuwabara on tact; not that he was one to talk; Kurama watched Hiei go with sad eyes. To think, all along, that had been the reason. It had never occured to him that Hiei could be... vulnerable. It was just not something one thought of when thinking of Hiei.
Suddenly determined, Kurama got out of the pool and, not noticing the other's confused calls, made his way to the changeroom.
End Episode 17
Episode 17: Truth or Dare? The Second Stage
Keiko came and st down next to Yuusuke on the resort patio. They had eaten a big lunch just a few moments prior, and it had been decided that everyone would have a few hours to themselves before they would meet up again that evening for their evening supper.
Yukina and Kuwabara had gone to walk in the garden, Hiei vanishing to who- knew-where, while Kurama decided to spend a few quiet moments to himself walking along the beach.
"It's been astonishing, hasn't it?" Keiko commented as she laid her head on Yuusuke's shoulder.
"What has?" he asked her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"Everything that's happened," Keiko replied with a smile. "It's been such a short time, but so much has gone on. It is a little hard to believe at times. I never thought that having two new students at school would affect my life in such a strong way. All of our lives."
Yuusuke nodded, remaining quiet for a moment. "I feel bad for Kurama, for all the things he's had to go through. The worst part is that we seem to of grown apart lately. I didn't even know about the troubles with his mother until the next day when someone else told me. What kind of best friend does that make me?" he said, almost bitterly.
Keiko frowned and hugged her boyfriend. "You aren't to blame. It's just the way things have worked out. You have a larger group of friends now, and Kurama has Hiei to occupy his time just like you have me. I think it's okay for you to grow apart from each other, as long as you remain good friends. Besides, you've both been busy with school and training, and life in general," she pointed out.
"Still, I'm going to do my best to be his friend again. Starting with this weekend!" Yuusuke declared.
Keiko grinned. "Things seem to be going well, aren't they? I'd say the first stage was a success, considering how they couldn't seem to stop stealing glances at each other. The next stage depends on you and Kuwabara," she reminded him.
Yuusuke grinned. "You can count on us," he declared.
***
Of course, it had to be a bathing house, again. Well, really a hot spring this time, but still the same concept. Under normal circumstances, a Japanese male would not find this situation to be a big deal. Kurama had thought that, after his cultural training added to the fact that he'd already been to a bathing house with Hiei, he wouldn't have to worry.
However, he'd been very wrong. The amount of effort it had taken not to look during their first trip to a bath house was insignificant compared to now. To make matters worse, his Youko memory happily supplied images of the body he was refusing to look at.
When the host offered them some cool drinks, Kurama thankfully gulped some back, not caring that they were alcohol.
"It's our weekend off, to do what we want! Remind me to thank Koenma," Yuusuke delcared a while later, swinging his drink around.
Kurama and Kuwabara returned his cheer, both of them almost as drunk as their friend. Although supper had been delicious, and he'd eaten a lot, the alcohol hadn't taken long to affect him. In fact, all four of them seemed to be rather loud... and unsteady. How many empty bottles were there now? Kurama's eyes crossed when he tried to count.
"Hey, hey, Yuusuke, truth or dare?" Kuwabara suddenly exclamed, then continued with a giggle. "Have you and Keiko slept together yet?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but no," Yuusuke slurred. "She thinks we're too young to do it, and I respect her too much to push the issue."
"Especially since she'd slap you into next week," Kurama declared, laughing.
Yuusuke made a face at him. "Oh yeah? Truth or dare, Kurama? Top or bottom?" he demanded.
Kurama blinked and, when the question finally sank into his liquor-drenched brain, flushed scarlet. "That's none of your business," he exclaimed indignantly.
Yuusuke gave him a wicked grin, and Kurama felt his stomach drop. He knew this was bad news. "Then I dare you to get it over with and kiss Hiei," he stated, matter-of-factly.
Kurama blanched and looked over at Hiei. The overly drunk fire demon was staring at a rock for some unknown reason. Briefly, Kurama weighed the consequences of one against the other before he stood, non-too-steady, and made his way over to Hiei.
"Hiei?" he called, getting the other's attention mostly when he nearly fell on top of the other after losing his balance.
The moment those red eyes caught his own, Kurama grabbed Hiei's face and pressed their mouths together. Instantly, his mind was blown away. It was exactly as he remembered, yet so much more, the feel of Hiei's surprisingly full lips against his own. The heat of them, the way they fit so perfectly against his own. Hiei's familiar scent of trees and ash filled his nose, and Kurama had to force himself to pull away or suffocate.
Hiei blinked up at him, looking shocked and dazed. "Why did you do that?" he finally questioned, his words coming out slowly.
"Truth or dare," Kurama replied, breathlessly. "A human game where, if you don't want to tell the truth, then you have to take the dare."
"Why not lie?" Hiei asked, still looking rather dazed.
"Against the rules. Then the game wouldn't be fun. It's my turn now," Kurama explained, forcing himself not to think about the kiss and to especially not grab onto Hiei for another one. Suddenly, a question popped in his mind and he grinned wickedly, turning to face Kuwabara.
"Kuwabara, truth or dare? What are your real intentions toward Yukina?"
The orange-haired youth gulped as Hiei pinned him with a murderous glare which promised many deaths should he not reply properly. "I love her," he finally admitted after many long stretches of gulps and blushes.
"Really?" Hiei questioned suspiciously.
"Of course I do!" Kuwabara exclaimed. Then he grinned and gave Hiei a look. "Hiei, truth or dare? Why do you pretend not to love Kurama, when it's so obvious that you do?"
Hiei froze, staring at him. Kurama found himself holding his breath, his heart punding in his ears. A long moment stretched by, and Kurama realized that Hiei wasn't going to answer. It was a stupid human game, that's what he was probably thinking.
Suddenly, surprising them all, Hiei spoke. "I'm afraid my heart could be broken again," he said almost silently. Then, glaring at them all, he jerked himself upright. "This is a stupid human game! I'm going to bed," he yelled. He managed to make it to the changeroom quickly, stumbling only a few times.
While Yuusuke lectured Kuwabara on tact; not that he was one to talk; Kurama watched Hiei go with sad eyes. To think, all along, that had been the reason. It had never occured to him that Hiei could be... vulnerable. It was just not something one thought of when thinking of Hiei.
Suddenly determined, Kurama got out of the pool and, not noticing the other's confused calls, made his way to the changeroom.
End Episode 17