"Making love out of nothing at all,
Out of nothing at all, out of nothing at all…"

-Air Supply

Dread sunk its teeth deep into Davina's very soul as they approached the entrance of Yureihana Park, all the fear she believed that she had managed to sufficiently bury swiftly surfacing in a mere instant. She racked her brain for a viable excuse to flee, but nothing came to mind. Instead, she willed herself to be strong, attempting to swallow the worry that eagerly threatened to consume her at the mere thought of returning to the place she had witnessed what could only be described as a break in reality.

As if driven by some otherworldly sense, Shuichi seemed to pick up on her discomfort almost immediately, but was kind enough not to question it. Instead, he offered her a disarming smile, his gaze soft and reassuring. Her face must have been far more revealing than Davina had anticipated—while she was skilled at a great number of things, keeping her visage clear of emotion was undoubtedly not one of them, despite her best efforts.

"No need to be worried," Shuichi said quietly, his tone gentle. "I can assure you that this place is beautiful, despite the connection with less savory concepts."

A soft mental sigh of relief escaped Davina upon the realization that Shuichi believed her sudden anxiety was born of the known association with the higanbana flowers. He might have been wondering if she were foolishly superstitious, but in all honesty, she would rather that idea than to reveal the true nature of her fear to him—he would certainly think her insane if she did that. Believing it best to follow along with the proposed narrative, Davina responded agreeably, quietly hoping that nothing strange would occur during their venture into the park.

Much to her surprise, Shuichi offered her his hand to hold, and for a long moment, she hesitated. She accepted this contact and found comfort in his touch, the warmth of his hand cradling her own providing a much needed sense of security.

"Trust me, you have nothing to be afraid of," he encouraged, and she couldn't help but smile at him for being so endearing, even if his words did little to quell her concern. Together, they moved forward, heading towards the dark lake housed at the park's center. Seeing that black water, even at a distance, made Davina's stomach churn, but she pressed onward, not wanting to ruin the intimate moment they were sharing.

With Shuichi at the lead, they claimed one of the benches that stood alongside the water, and sat together, hand in hand. Despite her lack of desire to look, Davina couldn't tear her eyes away from the lake, half expecting that alien creature to once again emerge from its secret depths. She could feel Shuichi's curious stare bearing into her, but couldn't pull her gaze away. An uneasy silence followed, and when nothing uncouth appeared forth from the water, she felt the tension in her body begin to slow drift away. Perhaps she was being foolish—letting this childish fear of monsters get the best of her certainly wasn't doing her any favors, and she hated the idea of it tainting Shuichi's perception of her.

The quiet was broken when Shuichi spoke up, commenting on how peaceful it was, and Davina felt herself nod in agreement, forcing her mind to consider their surroundings from an external point of view and tapping into her previous experience born of the park prior to the appearance of that strange creature and its odd gift. She was finally able to pull her gaze away from the water and in doing so, met his eyes. Again, he fixed her with a warm smile, and she felt one of her own emerge across her lips. This seemed to be the sign Shuichi had been waiting for, as he rose to his feet and gently pulled her up alongside him. They began to walk, and with each passing lap, Davina felt her anxiety grow lax. They conversed nonchalantly as they continued their efforts, and Davina found pleasure in the fact that Shuichi kept his hand firmly laced within her own for the duration of their journey.

As she slowly let go of her worry, a sudden rush of hunger flooded Davina with a force she hadn't even considered. Her stomach thought it best to announce its intentions, releasing a fairly loud gurgle that echoed between them. Shuichi chuckled at the sound, his amusement overshadowing the sensation of mild embarrassment she then experienced.

"Shall we leave here and grab something to eat?" he asked quickly, trying to keep a small, bemused smile clear of his lips. Davina nodded in swift agreement, and they began their venture towards the park's exit. Finally, Shuichi's hand released forth from her own, and while her palm was heated and almost sweaty from sharing contact for so long, Davina found herself mildly disappointed in their disconnection. The moment they reached the sidewalk, an audible sigh of sheer respite involuntarily fled forth from her lips—now that they were out of Yureihana Park, she felt reinvigorated, having shaken off her mental distress.

It was a short walk over to the downtown district, and by Shuichi's instruction, they ventured down a block Davina had yet to explore. The buildings here were considerably larger and appeared older, with architectural elements far less modern than those of its exterior counterparts.

"This is considered to be the historic district of Kaiden," Shuichi explained, as if somehow perceiving her thoughts. He pointed towards an impressive building that dominated the end of the street and announced that as their current destination. It appeared to be a temple of sorts, and, thanks to her personal guide's familiarity, Davina learned that it had once served as a shrine to the Kami Izanagi, but had been renovated and restored to house the Kaiden Museum. Part of the original temple was still intact and served as a sacred space to honor Izanagi, the thought of which made her feel contemplative. She made a mental note to visit the shrine when the opportunity arose, curious to see it for herself.

As they neared their goal, a line of food stalls came into sight, neatly lined up alongside the street side, just in front of the museum's entrance. A collective of delicious aromas perfumed the air, delightfully invading Davina's nose and prompting her mouth to water.

"Are you in the mood for anything in particular?" Shuichi inquired, glancing over at her and raising a curious brow.

"Not really," she retorted with a mild shrug. "Everything smells amazing, so I'll trust your judgment on which one we pick."

Without hesitation, Shuichi led her over to the stall advertising tempura, and Davina couldn't help but chuckle at his instantaneous reaction. They had a wide array of options on offer, and after making their selections, they paid for their meals and stepped off to the side to await the preparation of their food. Despite plentiful protests, Shuichi insisted on paying, prompting Davina to grumble, but grudgingly permit.

"Think of it as a thank you for being so kind and cooking for me the other night," he offered with a satisfied smirk, an amused twinkle clear in his green eyes.

"I guess I'll allow it," she retorted, trying to force a stern tone and failing wholeheartedly. "But next time, it's my treat. Agreed?"

"If you insist."

The chef who managed the stall was quick to complete their order, and in no time, their meals were ready for pick up. Together, they ventured over to the small seating area across the street and sat themselves, then swiftly dove in.

Davina, who was nearly ravenous, eagerly tore into her tempura shrimp and vegetables—as expected, it was absolutely delectable, and she relished each and every bite. Shuichi did the same to his squid, with similar vigor. They ate in comfortable silence, polishing off their food in a matter of minutes.

With a contented sigh, Davina downed the last bit of her water and wiped her mouth clean with a napkin.

"That was amazing," she said, feeling pleasantly full. "Some of the best tempura I've ever had."

"I'm glad you think so," Shuichi replied, appearing pleased at her praise.

Now that it was growing later in the evening, the area was quickly starting to crowd up. With it being a Friday night, many people were out and about, preparing to start their weekend off on a high note. When Shuichi suggested they head back to her apartment to escape the oncoming masses, Davina was more than happy to oblige. They discarded the remnants of their dinner and began walking towards the exit of the historic district. Only a few blocks away from returning to the residential area of Kaiden, Shuichi briefly paused his stride, a thoughtful look forming upon his face.

"Any chance you'd like to take a short detour before we make our escape?" he inquired curiously. "The club that Kuwabara works at is only two blocks over—we could stop over and surprise him."

Davina couldn't help but smile at the idea. "I think that's a wonderful idea—should we…bring him something? Food? Snacks, maybe?" It was a somewhat maternal suggestion, but it just seemed right.

Shuichi nodded, appearing to favor her suggestion. "I'm sure he'd appreciate the thought."

With a plan in the place, the pair abandoned their current direction and cut across the outer edge of downtown, stopping over in a small convenience store. With Shuichi's help, they picked out a small collection of sweet and savory snacks, coupled with a few bottles of melon Ramune soda that Shuichi knew to be Kazuma's favorite. Davina paid before Shuichi could so much as utter a word, and, although he shot her a playfully stern look, he said nothing. On impulse, she stuck her tongue out at him in a teasing gesture, prompting him to smirk. With their selections in tow, they headed in the direction of Yori No Hi, the one and only dance club in all of Kaiden.

The building that housed the club was vast, and the collection of people lined up waiting to gain entrance was just short of impressive. Kazuma stood just abreast of the entrance, dressed in a pack of fitted black jeans and a matching t-shirt that bore the establishment's name across the chest. His counterpart, a small, unassuming older man nearly a foot shorter than he stood, was beside him, quickly scanning IDs of impending patrons. He failed to notice them as they approached, but Shuichi called over to him, quickly gaining his attention. His face, which had been morphed into a hard scowl, altered immediately into a wide grin as he recognized them.

"Hey guys!" he nearly yelled, fixing them with an enthusiastic wave. He briefly turned to his coworker to inform him that he would be gone for a moment before racing over to meet them. "Wasn't expecting to see you out and about—were you planning on heading into the club?"

"Actually, we just finished dinner and were returning to Davina's apartment, but since we were in the area, we wanted to stop over and say hello," Shuichi explained quickly.

"We brought snacks!" Davina tacked on, lifting the considerably full paper bag of goodies she held out for Kazuma to take. In that moment, his entire face lit up. He accepted the care package with a big smile as he chuckled.

"You guys are the best," he practically gushed, his pleasure at this unanticipated boon causing Davina to grin. "And you must be psychic or something—I'm starving, and my break isn't for another two hours!"

"Well, hopefully this will help hold you over until then," Shuichi replied, reaching over to clap his friend affectionately on his arm.

"Thanks," Kuwabara said with a short laugh. "I gotta head back, but I appreciate you both stopping by. You ready for tomorrow? Yukina should be here in the morning, so I'll text ya once I know what the official plan is."

"Sound good," Davina responded, while Shuichi nodded his assent.

"Alright! I'll talk to you guys then! See ya!" With a quick wave, Kazuma spun around on his heel and headed back towards his post. Having completed their current mission, Davina and Shuichi took their leave of the area, once again heading in the direction of her apartment.

. . .

While their adventure into Yureihana Park had been a bit more somber than Shuichi had anticipated, he still found himself in quite a pleasant mood as they ventured forward with their current plans. He was undeniably hungry himself following their walk, and was eager to acquire some sustenance to quell his urge. Dinner was a casual affair, and he was pleased to know that Davina approved of his choice. He had made the suggestion to visit Kazuma on a whim, but found himself glad for the idea—a little pick me up for a friend was always worth the effort, and the little short detour only seemed to further improve the climate of the evening.

They had to pass on by the entrance to the park upon their efforts to return to Davina's place, and even though she gave the walkway a wide berth, none of the previous inklings of concern surfaced, much to Shuichi's relief. However, while they were making their way past, he caught a strange scent on the wind that immediately caused tension to gather within the very base of his spine—that odor, while exceptionally faint, was undoubtedly not of the Human Realm. It was so minute, that even Shuichi failed to realize its existence for a brief moment, but once realization sank in, he was swiftly on the alert. The smell originated forth from the park's entrance, and while he failed to detect any sort of otherworldly energy lurking about in the near distance, it still came as a source of concern.

"Everything okay?" Davina suddenly questioned, prompting Shuichi to snap back into the hold of reality. His gaze met hers, only to realize that a fair amount of distance now existed between them—apparently, he had halted his stride just abreast of the iron arch, falling behind his companion.

"Of course," he quickly responded, fixing her with a small smile as he began to walk once more, quickly regaining her side. "Just…lost myself in thought for a moment, that's all."

He hated to falsify the narrative, especially to Davina, but couldn't very well express the nature of his honest concerns. He would have to pay a visit to the park in his own time to explore, desperately hoping that what he discovered, if anything, wasn't an imminent threat. Of course, with the establishment of protection laws and the strict enforcement of punishment should anything uncouth occur, negative activity regarding apparitions in the mortal world was exceptionally low in recent years, but that did not guarantee that nothing ill willed was ongoing. With the dissolution of the barrier, demons were able to move freely into their sister realm, but, for the most part, avoided doing so, preferring the climates of their motherworld to that of those in the mortal one. Regardless, Shuichi knew he wouldn't be able to tread easily until he had thoroughly investigated and was assured that no threat existed.

Once they were once again within Davina's apartment, Shuichi did his best to shake off the feeling of trepidation and maintain a decent mood. He didn't want to risk spoiling the remainder of the evening by dwelling on his unanticipated discovery.

"So, what shall we do now?" he questioned, curiously awaiting the response of his companion.

. . .

After their brief stop-over to visit Kuwabara, Davina's mood was just short of jovial. Between the pleasure of her highly desired company, a delicious dinner, and a quick visit with their friend, their evening had improved considerably. Seeing Kazuma's face at the surprise delivery of their little care package was a wonderful thing to witness, and, now that she was privy to his place of employment, Davina was already making mental plans for future surprise drop offs. The effort was well worth it—giving little gifts was certainly Davina's tried and true method of showing her love and appreciation for the people she held dear enough to call friends, and it never ceased to amaze her how such tiny acts of kindness made people so happy. This contemplation made her mind wander as to what things she could gift Shuichi in the future, and it consumed her thoughts as they continued their walk to her apartment.

A brief chill settled over her bones as the entrance to Yureihana Park came into view once more, but, in Shuichi's company, she felt secure. Of course, she still gave the opening a considerable distance as they moved passed, opting to focus on her current thoughts rather than acknowledge her surroundings.

'A book, maybe? Snacks are always a good idea…flowers? Is it weird to gift a guy flowers? Maybe a…'

Her mind immediately turned to high alert when she realized that her companion was no longer by her side, the realization which prompted her to immediately halt her step and search for him. She found him paused just outside the park's iron arch, a solid twenty feet or so of space now between them. The look on his face was nearly unreadable, but there was an odd sternness in his eyes, which were digging hard into the pathway that fed into the park's inner sanctum.

"Everything okay?" she blurted out instinctively, wondering if he too had seem something strange. Her voice appeared to snap him out of his trace-like state.

"Of course," he replied swiftly, smiling over at her disarmingly as he quickly closed the gap between them and reclaimed his place at her side. "Just…lost myself in thought for a moment, that's all."

Davina wanted to say something, but kept silent, believing it to be the best choice, lest their evening take an awkward turn. The remainder of their walk was had in comfortable silence, and once they had reached the stairwell of her complex, she released a small sigh of relief. Together, they made their way up to her apartment, and once inside, they settled in on the couch.

"So, what shall we do now?" Shuichi asked, eying her curiously.

"Erm…maybe another movie? Or, listen to some music? Play some videogames?" she offered lamely, tossing out the first few things that came to mind.

'Or push me down on this couch and kiss me until I can't see straight?'

She kept that last suggestion to herself, but felt her cheeks grown mildly warm just at the thought. "I bet you I can absolutely destroy you at Super Smash Bros," she tacked on, hoping that the issue of a challenge would distract him from pointing out her suddenly flushed face.

A smug smirk suddenly appeared across Shuichi's lips. "Is that right?"

"Try me and find out," she replied, meet his stare and holding it firmly.

He chuckled softly at her response, then nodded his head in agreement.

"Very well—I hope you're prepared to lose."

"I wouldn't count on it."

With a plan in place, Davina rose from her seat and made her way over to the television to get everything ready. After turning on her Wii and slipping in the appropriate disc, she grabbed the remotes and returned to her position, holding one set out for Shuichi to claim. As the game loaded, Shuichi proposed making their endeavor a little more complex.

"Perhaps we make a little bet on who emerges victorious," he suggested thoughtfully, that same haughty smirk clinging to his lips. His words immediately intrigued Davina, who inquired as to just what terms he was considering.

"Well, if you win, what would you like as your prize?" he asked curiously.

She considered this, and, after a long moment of contemplation, suggested a shoulder and neck massage. It was the most innocent thing she could think of, after vetoing a number of things far more scandalous, and the thought of those strong hands rubbing the tension right out of her was undeniably appealing.

"That's fair," he replied, nodding his head.

"And you?" she asked, eager for his response, but trying to maintain her composure.

"A kiss," he said, without a moment of hesitation. His bold reply sent a sudden shiver racing down the length of Davina's spine—she certainly hadn't anticipated that as a response. For a second, she thought he was teasing, but, judging from his solid gaze, he was entirely serious.

'Damn it, now I don't want to win,' she thought, even as a slightly nervous chuckle escaped her.

"I find your terms agreeable," she offered, joking holding out her hand for him to shake to seal their arrangement. Shuichi took her hand in his and shook it firmly before she grabbed her controllers and selected the melee brawl option.

"Best of luck," he said as the character selection screen came into view. Since Davina was player one, she quickly moved her cursor down to select Bowser as her pawn. He was her go-to character, and, after years of using him to literally mop the floor with her brothers when they played, she felt confident in her choice. Shuichi moved to make his pick, and Davina couldn't help but smirk when he selected Fox from the Starfox series—that had been Murphy's personal favorite, and she knew from experience just how to dominate this match. Fox certainly had an advantage over Bowser, but Davina was ready to kick ass and take names.

"I hope you don't work your hands too hard," she teased him as they selected a battleground and waited for the match to start. "You're gonna need them nice and limber for my massage."

Shuichi chuckled at her taunting, but before he could reply with a witty retort, the match commenced. Davina did not hesitate to unleash a world of hurt, her nimble fingers dancing over the controller, pulling off combo hits and evasive maneuvers with ease. To his credit, Shuichi put up one hell of a good fight, but in the end, Davina all but massacred him. The melee match was over fairly quickly, and Davina cheered when her character was declared victorious. Shuichi appeared surprised at her prowess, but didn't protest her win.

"Best two out of three?" she suggested quickly, not wanting things to conclude so swiftly.

"Let's do this," he replied agreeably, his tone determined. "Hope you enjoyed your win, that's the only one you'll be having tonight."

"Ooooh, trash talk from the one who lost," she retorted with a laugh as they waited for the next melee to load up.

Two out of three turned into three out of five, and before either of them realized it, two solid hours had gone by. Shuichi had performed admirably, managing to win several bouts, but, in the end, it was Davina who won the lot. Again, she cheered as her victory was announced across the screen, feeling rather pleased with herself.

"You got one more in you, or are we going to call this thing?" she asked curiously, secretly hoping he would accept defeat, as her hands were beginning to ache from holding the oddly shaped Wii remotes.

"I know when I'm beaten," he replied, placing his controllers down upon the coffee table. "Besides, if you'd like a decent massage, I need my hands in the best working order, don't I?"

"You do—well done, young grasshopper," she said joking as she placed her own controllers beside his discarded one, making a reference to the old television series, Kung Fu. It was more a force of habit than anything—her dad, who had been a huge fan of the show, had spouted this quote off more times than she could count during her childhood, so much so that she and her siblings had taken to using it, specifically when they had just gotten their asses kicked while gaming. Once the phrase left her lips, she felt almost foolish, worrying that Shuichi would think her comment in poor taste instead of understanding the reference.

"Enjoy your victory while it lasts," he replied with a chuckle, failing to comment on her previous remark.

"I'll enjoy it more once you get to rubbing," she retorted with a giggle, any tension she had been holding onto dissipating in that moment.

"Find me some lotion, pin up your hair, and let's get to work."

"Yes, sir," she said with a small smirk as she rose to her feet, which had gone somewhat numb after sitting in the same position for an extended period of time. Davina ventured into the bathroom, and returned shortly, wielding a bottle of peppermint lotion and a hair clip. She pulled her hair into a loose bun and snapped the clip into place to secure her hair, then handed Shuichi the bottle.

"Do you mind sitting here, on the floor, or would you prefer the couch?" he asked, pouring a decent amount of the sweetly minty lotion onto his palms in preparation.

"Floor's fine," she replied, lowering herself to the ground in front of where he sat upon the couch. "Better angle for you, I would think."

Carefully, Shuichi placed his lotion slathered hands upon Davina's shoulders, causing her to gasp from the sudden cold sensation upon her skin. He began to firmly knead her skin, the strength of his hands delightful against the tensions in her muscles. A deep sigh of enjoyment emitted forth from her lips almost immediately, and her eyes slipped closed instinctively. His thumbs pressed firmly into her flesh, working the lotion into her skin, his hands gradually making their way from the curves of her shoulders to the base of her neck. When he happened upon a certain spot, a small moan escaped Davina before she could even think to silence it. Shuichi seemed to take that as sign to continue his ministrations, and did so happily, focusing on that particular area for several minutes.

While she hadn't been anticipating a lengthy massage, Shuichi rubbed her for a solid twenty minutes, working until the last lubrication afforded by the lotion had dried up. He withdrew his hands just as Davina opened her eyes once more, releasing a happy sigh in response.

"That was amazing," she said, turning to look up at him with a pleased smile across her lips. "Thank you."

"Glad you enjoyed it—spoils of victory, and all of that," he replied, offering her a hand to help her rise from her position on the floor. She accepted, and once again on her feet, she claimed the spot beside him on the couch once more, this time, leaving little more than an inch or so of space between them.

"I enjoyed our evening together," Shuichi offered, reaching over to place his hand atop hers and give it a light squeeze. Encouraged by this gesture, Davina took the opportunity to move her hand further into his, intertwining her fingers with his own. Judging by how he willfully accepted the contact, she didn't see any harm in the action.

"As did I. I hope we can do it again soon, but I know it's getting late, and you have a early morning tomorrow."

"I'd like that, and yes, unfortunately. I do suppose I should be heading home now."

A long silence followed his statement, but neither party moved to separate their hands or stand. On impulse, Davina leaned into Shuichi, placing her head upon his shoulder, just as she had the evening they had watched Howl's Moving Castle together. He let out a little sigh at the touch, and rested his head against hers, the faint aroma of his cologne kissing her nose in a pleasant manner. For a long minute, they lingered just like that, quietly enjoying each other's company.

Despite not wanting to disrupt the moment, Davina knew that every second they remained in their current position was detrimental to Shuichi getting enough rest for the day ahead, so she grudgingly pulled herself away from him and rose to her feet. He followed suit, and together, they walked over to her foyer to say their goodbyes.

"Hopefully, work goes fast for you tomorrow," she said with a smile as she pulled open her front door.

"I certainly hope so—I'm definitely looking forward to what comes after," he replied, stepping through the door way and into the exterior of the open air corridor. He fixed her with a sweet smile, which encouraged her to indulge one final impulse before they parted ways for the night.

"Shuichi?"

"Yes?"

With a forwardness Davina did not know herself to possess, she leaned forward, breaching her companion's personal space and placed a firm kiss on the soft flesh of his cheek—the urge to go for his lips was maddening, but proved too daunting for her to follow through with, despite the desire to do so. Regardless, her gesture was met with that same warm smile as she pulled away and met his gaze. Something flickered deep within his green eyes, but only for the briefest second.

"Consolation prize," she explained with a mild chuckle, attempting to keep the mood light despite the fact that her heart was beating so rapidly, she was certain it was on the verge of erupting forth from her chest. "Be safe getting home."

"Until next time," he said, suddenly reaching over to tuck a stray strand of her copper hair that had escaped the hold of her clip behind her ear. The momentary warmth of his fingers against her cheek caused a strange flutter within her belly, but she did her best to ignore it.

"Goodnight, Davina."

"Goodnight, Shuichi."

He left her doorway then, and she closed and locked the doorway behind him, resting her back against the length of the door as her hands came up to cover her mouth and cheeks. After waiting several seconds to make sure he had cleared the stairs, Davina let out a loud squeal, muffled by her palms. She couldn't believe that she had dared to be so forward, but she certainly wasn't disappointed with her choices. And if anything, she was even more eager for tomorrow, for getting to see him again.

The thought of what lie ahead dominated her entire mind, and, knowing that she would need some time to wind down before she could sleep, Davina headed into her bathroom to relieve herself and wash her face. She ventured into her bedroom to change into something comfortable to sleep in, then back into the kitchen to make herself a cup of chamomile tea. She returned to her bedroom and attempted to read more of her book, but found herself unable to concentrate on the story. After several attempts to focus, she abandoned her current efforts, finished the last of her tea, and laid down, hoping that she would quiet her thoughts long enough to fall asleep. It took a good while, but eventually, Davina nodded off, all the while captivated by thoughts of what was to come.

. . .

Author's Note: Another chapter for the books…I have to say, I wasn't quite picturing this being so much of a slow-burn story, but hey, life's a journey, not a destination. Next chapter is in progress, I hope to have it ready in another week, give or take. I may or may not have started re-watching all of Yu Yu Hakusho for the umpteenth time these past few days, which certainly helps with much needed inspiration. All feedback is appreciated, and I hope you all are doing well out there. Thank you, as always, for your patience, dear readers, and please stay safe.