"Hold on to your heart,
hold it high above flood waters,
hold on to your heart,
never let nobody drag it under."

-Man Man

Once those remaining in the group had reconvened, the plan to head to Hoshi Square was shared and swiftly agreed upon. Davina had to admit to herself that she was having a great time, far better than she had first anticipated. Spending time with Botan and the other girls had been more enjoyable than she had expected—even Keiko was starting to grow on her as the day progressed. She was far more personable in Yusuke's absence, and Davina found herself pitying her to some extent—from what she knew, she and Yusuke had been friends since childhood, and given all the evidence that their relationship wasn't going well made her feel sad on her new associate's behalf. She quietly hoped that things would improve, fully understanding just how devastating it would be if things continued down their current path.

Now that Shuichi was back in her vicinity, Davina found herself eager to further indulge in his presence. Once more, they claimed the tail end of the group as they made the short trip over to the city square, bringing up the rear as everyone moved onward.

"How did your pool game go?" Davina asked curiously as they walked.

"Games, you mean. I won the first and the third, but Shizuru bested me in the second and fourth," he offered with a shrug of his shoulders. Davina suddenly felt like a jerk—she certainly hadn't meant to be away for so long. Perhaps it was just her brain playing games with her, but she could swear that there was an air of mild disappointment clouding the space over them.

"Well, that's great. I'm sorry I was absent—I got a little distracted," she admittedly awkwardly.

"No need to apologize—I'm glad you were enjoying yourself." His words rang true, quelling the worst of Davina's concerns. "Although I'm happy to have you back around."

His statement prompted her cheeks to flush, but thankfully, the heat was minimal.

"So, what is Hoshi Square?" she asked, interested in learning more about their intended destination and what it held in store.

"It's a park near the center of the down town district," Shuichi explained. "Rather small, but quaint. There's always some manner of festival or event going on there."

"Sounds charming."

"It is. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

"Even more so because I'll have you for company," Davina offered softly, fighting the urge to look away even as the warmth flooding her face worsened. She wasn't making an attempt at flirting, just indulging in a sentimental moment. Shuichi accepted her statement with a gentle smile, suddenly reaching over to claim her hand with his as they walked.

"I'm glad you feel that way," he replied, fixing her appendage with a firm squeeze as his gaze bore down into hers. The contact that linked them lingered, but only for a moment longer before he withdrew his hand from hers, lest it draw unwanted attention upon them. Davina was sad to feel it go, but refused to dwell on the loss.

The sight of Hoshi Square came into view shortly following their exchange, and Davina's gaze combed over it from afar with wonder. The perimeter of the park was lined with poplar trees, all in varying shades of fall hues, which created a natural sort of fence to define the park's boundaries. True to its name, the location itself was a simple square, although far bigger than she had come to expect from Shuichi's explanation. A long cobblestone path ran the length of the square, intersecting directly down the very center of the park, where all paths converged into a wide circular veranda. Given the presence of the ongoing autumn fair, the interior was populated by a number of booths, offering carnival games, pop up shops, and a collective of seasonal treats and beverages.

The sky that had looked problematic earlier in the day had brightened considerably over the passing hours, now nearly free of the dark, drab clouds that had previously painted the vast expanse. It was now late afternoon, nearing early evening, and the sun was slowly beginning its descent, the mild breeze hanging within the air providing a comfortable temperature. No longer in need of her jacket, Davina shrugged off the article of clothing and tucked it carefully onto the strap of her purse. Once night fell, she'd probably need it once more, but for the moment, she was content.

Once within the Square, the group decided to go their separate ways for a while. It was a move that surprised Davina initially, but when the realization hit that she would have Shuichi's attention all to herself, she was far from displeased. Yukina and Kuwabara immediately headed over to peruse the snacks while Shizuru and Botan headed for the area that housed the games. Keiko took off of her own accord, presumably to look for her significant other among the many bodies that occupied the park. There was quite the number of people milling about, mostly families with small children in tow, but surprisingly, the crowd did little to curb Davina's pleasant mood.

Shuichi suggested they check out the shops, since they started closest to the park's entrance and work their way forward. Davina was quick to agree, and they began their venture there, eying the multitude of wares on offer with curious eyes as they wandered past.

As they walked, Davina's gaze was captured by one of the booths selling trinkets, spying a small jade statue of Inari, the Shinto god of prosperity, among the bric-a-brac presented. A small fox, which were believed to serve Inari as his messengers, was carved into the base, and Davina felt the urge to purchase the figure. Seeing as Inari was one of deities her late grandparents had aligned with, she thought it fitting to bring it as a gift the next time she visited the village of Chihayaakasaka and leave it at their resting place to honor their memory. Carefully, she picked up the minute statue, bringing it closer for further inspection.

"Found something you like?" Shuichi asked from alongside her, bringing her back into the fold of reality. She smiled over at him and nodded, showing him the item she had found. He eyed it curiously, prompting her to provide an explanation for her interest.

"My grandparents, when they were alive, made their living as farmers," she offered, meeting his gaze as she spoke. "Inari was one of the patrons they prayed to—I just paid their village a visit not too long ago and visited their graves. I think this would make a lovely present for the next time I visit."

"I think that's a wonderful idea," he replied, smiling warmly over at her. Encouraged by this, Davina sought the shopkeeper and made her purchase. While she was waiting for her parcel, Shuichi found something that caught his eye on the far end of the table. He moved to take a closer look, returning shortly with a figure of a deity she did not recognize. It was female, and posed as if she were dancing joyfully, carved out of porcelain. Davina quirked a quizzical brow, looking to her companion for more information.

"The goddess Uzume," he explained, handing over the item for her to get a closer look. "Deity of happiness and good health. My mother was very sick, some years back. I almost lost her several times, but despite her illness, she never lost faith. We would often pray to Uzume to give her the strength to fight. It appears as if the goddess was kind enough to hear our pleas."

"I'm glad she made it through," Davina said softly, feeling a sudden rush of heartfelt sympathy. "I can't imagine how hard that time must have been for you." Despite her distant relationship with her own mother, she couldn't imagine how bad it would feel if she were in such a state.

"They were some of the darkest days I've seen in all of my life," Shuichi admitted quietly, but smiled disarmingly over at her. "But she's in good health now, and stronger than ever. I'm grateful every day for that."

Davina handed back the figure to Shuichi, who decided to purchase it as a surprise gift for his mom. Once they had completed their transactions, they continued onward, enjoying the comfortable silence that hung between them.

After viewing the rest of the shop booths, the pair made their way over to the dining area, where they grabbed a quick snack of fresh made kuri dorayaki to share, accompanied by iced milk tea. The warm, chestnut flavored buns paired with the refreshing, creamy beverages were a delightful combination, and by the time they had made their way towards the start of the game booths, everything had been happily devoured.

At Shuichi's suggestion, they stopped to partake of some of the novelty festival games, if only to have the full experience of the fair. Since Davina hadn't attended one since her childhood, she was quite the eager participant. He outdid her at the shateki booth, the little cork projectiles that fired forth from the toy rifle hitting their mark almost every shot. His efforts won him a cute panda figurine, clasping a rose within its tiny paws. He handed it over to her with a flourish, smiling with satisfaction at his victory. Davina couldn't help but share his mirth, accepting his gift with a small laugh. She went to hand it back to him, only for him to shake his head.

"Keep it," he offered, still smiling. "Think of it as a souvenir of our time together here."

Davina felt a rush of warmth flood her chest at the kind gesture, and accepted the present with a shy smile. Determined to bestow the same upon him, she tried her hand at the wanage booth and emerged triumphant, one of the rings she tossed ensnaring a figurine of a pink rabbit. The purveyor announced her as a winner and handed her the prize, of which she quickly passed to her companion with a smirk.

"Couldn't leave without getting you a souvenir, too," she retorted playfully, causing him to chuckle. He accepted her present with amused eyes, carefully tucking it away within the confines of his bag.

. . .

The fair was turning out to be wonderful interlude to what had already proven to be quite an interesting day. Shuichi was pleased to be back in Davina's company, and silently grateful when their group decided to disband for a short while so that he could lay the sole claim to her attention. Together, they wandered the shopping area of the spread, both making purchases of items that held personal value. It had been strange to share the memory of his mother's illness with her, but seeing as she had willfully divulged a piece of her own private thoughts with him, it had only seemed fair. His story was mostly true—his mother may have ultimately been healed through the strange power of the Mirror of Forlorn Hope, thanks to the willing sacrifice of both himself and Yusuke, but before that odd interlude, he and Shiori had prayed to Uzume nearly every day.

In truth, Shuichi did not place much hope in such faith, but the fact that such a practice brought his mother a sense of hope in the face of such dire straits was more than enough to convince him to participate. An icon of the goddess already dwelled within the Minamino-Hatanaka home, dwelling within a small cabinet near the foyer, but he knew his mother would be thrilled at this unexpected gift all the same.

After sharing a delicious snack, Shuichi suggested they play some of the available games, knowing that Davina would appreciate such a thing. She had disclosed to him that it had been many years since she had last been able to attend a festival of this caliber, and, after seeing the curiosity in her expression as she studied the booths from afar, he was more than happy to indulge her. They played a round at the shooting booth, of which Shuichi all but annihilated her at—his aim was near perfect, and he was quickly announced as the winner at the conclusion of the game. His success netted him a prize of a panda figure, with he immediately handed off to Davina with a winning smile. She studied it for a brief moment and smirked before attempting to hand it back to him, but he refused, informing her that it was hers to keep. She smiled at the sweet gesture, her eyes lighting up at his offer, After tucking it away within her bag, they moved onward to play another game. Davina proved to be untouchable at the ring toss, besting him swiftly. She mimicked his earlier generosity, bestowing her winnings upon him in a similar sentimental gesture. Shuichi couldn't help but be amused at this candor, pocketing his new souvenir with a small chuckle. They walked what little remained of the gaming area, and then decided to claim a vacant bench along the parallel walkway to take a short break.

"So, what do you think of Tuesday night?" he asked quietly, deciding it best to get an official time and date set for their impending date. He was free of all obligations that evening, so it seemed fitting and that would leave the following night free for him to make his journey into the Demon Realm to pay Hiei a visit.

"Tuesday night?" Davina echoed, sounding confused.

"For our date," he explained, watching realization dawn across her visage. Perhaps she believed him to be joking when he suggested such a thing earlier, but he had every intention of following through with his declaration.

"That's perfect," she replied shyly, trying to hide her smile even as her gaze met his and held it firmly.

"I'll meet you at your apartment at six, if that's acceptable."

She nodded quickly in agreement, unable to school her face any longer, her lips curving into a happy, inviting grin.

"Works for me—I'm looking forward to it."

"As am I," he retorted, mirroring her smile. The urge to press his lips against her welled up within him once more, inspired by their current closeness. He fought it back, not wanting to push his own desires forward and potentially disrupt the moment. But there was a notable change in the environment of this budding bond that hung between them—he could practically taste it. He wanted more of it, more of her, and although the pace of things was painfully slow, he saw it as a challenge with a more than desirable reward awaiting him should he have the fortitude to exercise patience. During his life as an apparition, gratification was everywhere, and almost always instantaneous. Of course, such ease of access proved to be most entertaining, but there was little to no chase involved, and thus, less satisfaction when the prize was netted. Even in his mortal coil, he never had to put forth much effort to win the attention of female companions—they flocked to him with ease. While he certainly hadn't had the same number of women during his time as a human, no where even close, he found them more than willing to indulge his wants with almost no effort on his behalf. This venture with Davina was an experience he had yet to have, and he was rather enjoying the change, finding himself wanting to please her, and not solely in a physical sense.

They sat in comfortable silence, watching the world as it moved along around them, quietly enjoying the peace. Shuichi reached over to clasp her hand in his own, and she accepted his touch with no resistance, fixing his appendage with a small squeeze. The contact lingered, and Davina sighed softly, smiling to herself. In the light of the slowly setting sun, she looked almost ethereal, her copper hair appearing to glow subtly against the autumn hues of the trees that sat behind her. Shuichi couldn't help himself, studying the curves of her face with intent eyes. There was no doubt regarding her physical beauty—it wasn't conventional, but unique solely to her, which made it all the more appealing. The soft freckles littering her cheeks and the bridge of her nose gave character to her face, and Shuichi felt a brief tingle flood his lips at the thought of kissing each one.

"Shuichi! Davina!"

The sound of a familiar voice calling out their names from a short distance immediately drew Shuichi back to reality, his gaze immediately reaching for the source. The tone was riddled with mild panic, which quickly put him on the alert. It was Botan who came racing towards them, a look of distress contorting her entire face.

"Is everything okay?" Davina immediately asked, her words bathed in obvious concern as she quickly withdrew her hand from Shuichi's and stood up. Shuichi followed close, the pair of them approaching their companion without hesitation.

"Yusuke and Keiko got into a big fight," Botan explained, her lips pressing into a deep frown. "I'm not sure over what, but they started yelling, and Yusuke just…stormed off."

"I'll see if I can locate him," Shuichi offered, but Botan shook her head. "He's probably long gone by now—but Keiko's really upset. Shizuru is trying to calm her down."

"Maybe we should try and find Kazuma and Yukina," Davina suggested, her tone gentle.

"I think that's a good idea—I think we may want to call it a night, or in the very least, figure out a different plan," Botan responded, sounding somewhat shaken.

"I'll go hunt them down," Davina offered, sounding eager to be of assistance—or perhaps it was to distance herself from the dramatic situation that was unfolding. Regardless, both of her companions nodded their consent, and she commenced her search, disappearing into the nearby throng.

It was obvious that Botan was troubled, so Shuichi thought it best to make an attempt to calm her down. He placed a friendly hand on her shoulder and fixed it with a reassuring squeeze.

"Things will work themselves out," he offered encouragingly, giving her a small smile. "Yusuke and Keiko may get short with one another from time to time, but they always come back around."

"I don't know about that this time," Botan said, her tone calmer, but forlorn. "I've never seen them act like this before—Yusuke was…pretty nasty to her."

"Perhaps it's just because of stress—they are planning a wedding, after all."

"Not according to Keiko—every time she tries to even talk about the planning, he finds some excuse to avoid it."

"Well, from what I understand, she's still pretty upset with him for participating in the Makai Tournament. Maybe that's what has them at odds with one another."

"It could be…but regardless, Yusuke shouldn't be acting like that. I know Keiko can be overbearing at times, but this was just…downright mean. He made her cry!" Botan exclaimed, suddenly angry.

"I'm not siding with him in this matter, but honestly, whatever is going on between them, it's their business, not ours," he stated firmly, causing Botan to sigh in defeat.

Thankfully, Davina reappeared in that moment, with Kuwabara and Yukina in tow. All wore similar expressions of worry on their faces, although Kazuma's eyes were glittering with silent, seething rage.

"Is Keiko okay?" Yukina asked immediately, her tone heavy with concern. Botan just shook her head in response.

"Let's go find them and go from there," Shuichi suggested, earning a collective nod from the group. With Botan at the lead, they made their way back to the dining area of the park, where they came upon Shizuru attempting to comfort Keiko while sitting on a bench. Her misery was written all across the expanse of her face, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She appeared absolutely defeated, her shoulders slumped as if all the fight had gone out of her.

Shizuru noticed their approach and all but sighed in relief at the welcoming sight of reinforcements.

"Here's come the cavalry. Why don't we get out of here?" she suggested swiftly, her hand resting securely on Keiko's shoulder. Keiko nodded in agreement, but remained silent, wiping at her eyes with a napkin that was clutched tightly in her hand.

"Let's go back to our place," Kazuma offered, looking to his older sister for her approval. Shizuru nodded, returning her attention to her friend.

"Come on, Keiko, let's get moving," she said softly, pressing a hand firmly against her back to prompt her to stand. She rose to her feet with the elder Kuwabara sibling at her side, and they began the exit forth from Hoshi Square. Shuichi and Davina brought up the rear, and he took the opportunity to touch base with her, hoping she was okay with the sudden alteration of plans.

"Are you okay with this change?" he asked quietly, keeping his tone soft as to not alert the others in front of their conversation. Despite appearing unsure, Davina nodded her head, meeting his gaze as they walked onward.

"If I were in Keiko's position, being in the public eye is the absolute last place I'd want to be," she replied, her tone matching his. "Hopefully, we can help calm her down. A distraction would be good to keep her mind off the fight."

"I was thinking that same thing. I'm sure we can all think of something to occupy her."

The walk to the Kuwabara residence was had in tense silence, but thankfully, it didn't take overly long to reach their destination. Their home was only a handful of blocks from the street in which Shuichi and Davina both resided, contained within a simple but well kept complex.

Once inside, Shizuru sat Keiko down at the kitchen table while Yukina grabbed her a glass of water. She had since stopped crying, but sat there listlessly, her gaze sullen and lips pressed into a tightly knit line.

"Why don't we play a game?" Botan suggested, looking hopefully over at the others.

. . .

Davina carefully weaved through the throng of festival goers, adamantly searching for any sign of Kazuma and Yukina. Even in the state of worry that had consumed her in light of current events, she couldn't help the deeply seated sense of dread that had accompanied it. Things had been going so well—she only hoped that this unanticipated clash wouldn't ruin what had, up until that very point, been a wonderful outing. But as she continued her hunt, she realized how thinking such a thing made her feel like…well, an insensitive asshole, to put it bluntly. Keiko was upset, and while she didn't really know her, Davina pitied her for being put in such an awful position, and by her partner, no less. That was something she could certainly sympathize with, given the experiences of her previous romantic relationship. However, she didn't have the opportunity to delve farther into such thoughts, as she had finally managed to spot her companions, catching sight of Kazuma's distinctive hair color from a distance. She walked swiftly in their direction, grabbing their attention with a quick wave as she approached.

"Hey, Davi, what's—"

"Keiko's…in a bad way. Botan found us and said she and Yusuke had a fight. A nasty one," she explained quickly, feeling bad for interrupting her friend, but knowing that urgency was called for. "Botan thinks we should reconvene and figure out where to go from here."

Fury blossomed within Kazuma's eyes, his cheeks immediately flushing crimson with rage.

"That little punk! I'm going to kick his ass from here to—"

"Is Keiko okay?" Yukina interjected, her crimson eyes growing wide as her mouth pressed into a thin frown, her brow furrowed with concerned.

"I'm…not sure," Davina admitted sullenly. "Botan said Shizuru was taking care of her while she came to find us, so I haven't seen her. But personally, I can't imagine that she is, given the circumstances."

"Let's go find them!" Kazuma barked, his tone heavy with infuriation. Davina took the lead, guiding them back to the place she had left Shuichi and Botan. It appeared as if they were in mid-conversation, with Shuichi making an attempt to comfort his friend, who still appeared quite shaken. They approached, and Yukina once again inquired as to Keiko's state of being. Botan's response to her question was unfavorable, but before anything else could be said, Shuichi suggested they locate their missing members and go from there. Everyone hastily agreed, and Botan took them to where Shizuru and Keiko were waiting.

Davina's heart sank at the sight of Keiko, who was obviously far from okay. Her pain was obvious, and her face was swollen from crying. Shizuru was doing her best to calm her, but having little luck in achieving said goal. Following a brief conversation, a new plan was formed, and the group swiftly took their leave of the square, their new destination being the Kuwabara residence. Davina hung towards the back of the gathering as they maneuvered onward, trying to process the collective of different emotions that had suddenly washed over her.

Shuichi slowed his stride to keep pace with her, glancing over at her with a watchful eye.

"Are you okay with this change?" he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper. His concern for her well-being was touching, and despite being uncertain with the current situation, she nodded her head in agreement.

If I were in Keiko's position, being in the public eye is the absolute last place I'd want to be," she admitted quietly. "Hopefully, we can help calm her down. A distraction would be good to keep her mind off the fight." It was a fair idea, but Davina knew the action would prove far more complex—there was little one could do to divert themselves from focusing on the source of their pain when said anguish was a direct result of their partner, but surely it couldn't hurt to try.

Shuichi agreed with her proposal, thinking it to be the best plan of action. Thankfully, the remainder of their walk passed by quickly, and before Davina realized it, they had reached their destination. As it were, Kazuma didn't live too far from where she and Shuichi both resided, his home only a few blocks further from their own. Their apartment complex was dated, but well maintained, and once inside, Shizuru took the lead yet again, sitting Keiko down in the kitchen while Yukina grabbed her some cold water to drink. She accepted the glass, taking a few sips, but remained silent, that look of devastation plastered firmly upon her visage.

Botan was the first to make a suggestion of playing a game, and Kazuma was quick to voice his support for her idea.

"Oh, I know what we could play! Rock Hero!" he chimed in enthusiastically, racing over into the living room to prepare his game console and set up all the necessary implements.

"What is that?" Yukina asked, intrigued.

"A video game that you play as members of a band—you sing and play along with instrument controllers," Shizuru explained quickly, her gaze still focused on Keiko. Luckily, Kazuma made quick work of readying everything, and returned to announce that they were ready to begin.

"Keiko, I know you're really good on the drums, so why don't you take that position?" he suggested, glancing over at her hopefully. Even in her current disposition, Keiko attempted to fix him with a small smile, despite the hurt in her eyes. She remained silent, but ventured over into the living room, taking a seat on the couch that had the drum set controller perched before it.

Kazuma continued to assign positions, claiming the microphone for himself, with Yukina and Botan on the bass and guitar. Shuichi and Davina claimed the adjacent loveseat, sitting closely together to afford enough room for Shizuru, who announced that she would join them shortly after whipping up some tea for everyone. By the time they has selected a name for their band and completed the character creation, Shizuru had rejoined the ranks, passing out a hot beverage to everyone. Davina gave her a thankful nod and took a quick swallow of the sweetened green tea, her dry mouth appreciative for the reprieve. After completing her rounds, Shizuru claimed the seat alongside Davina, and settled in to watch the show.

Their first song was selected by Kazuma, a product of his favorite metal band, Megallica. Davina was vaguely familiar with their material, and curious to see things unfold. He chose 'Trust and Destroy' as his debut song, and while his voice certainly couldn't match that guttural tone of the lead, he did a decent job—Keiko made easy work of the drumming, and Botan absolutely killed the guitar excerpts. Even Yukina, despite struggling to learn her way around the controller at first, came in strong once she got the hang of things, earning their fictional band a great score at the completion. Before the song concluded, Davina snuck a glance over at Shuichi, who appeared amused at the scene as it unfolded. The length of his thigh was hugging hers in a delightful manner, and she certainly wasn't displeased at this favorable position.

For the next song, their altered their positions, with Botan taking over the mic and handing off her guitar to Davina to play while Kazuma claimed her previously occupied position on the loveseat. She was mildly disappointed to leave the comfort of Shuichi's side, but eager to keep the ball rolling—their distraction appeared to be working, at least somewhat, and Davina didn't wish to upset the cart. Botan selected 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar, and sang it almost to perfection. Yukina did much better on the second round, now understanding the mechanics, and while Davina was admittedly rusty, after a few small mistakes in the first verse, she got her fingering down—it had been several years since she had last played Rock Hero, and she had never been truly able to master the guitar controller. That had been her brother, Murphy's, forte—she was far better on drums. Jax was always eager to sing, and even though he sounded awful, he never failed to amuse.

After a few more songs, Shuichi announced that he wanted to participate. He stood up and approached Yukina to claim the mic, a gesture which surprised Davina—she hadn't anticipated that he would be willing to perform, but she was more than curious to hear him sing. Not wanting to miss the oncoming sight, she proceeded to hand the bass off to Kazuma, and returned to the loveseat to afford herself a decent view. Her heart skipped a beat at the song he selected—'Stellar', by the band Incubus. She had entertained a mild obsession with them during her early teenage years, harboring a massive crush on the head singer, Brandon Boyd, for several years. The fact that the current object of her affections was on the verge of singing one of her favorite songs from that particular band had her fighting to suppress a grin.

"Meet me in outer space,
we could spend the night,
watch the earth come up…
I've grown tired of that place,
won't you come with me?
We could start again…"

A shudder raced down the length of Davina's spine as goosebumps erupted across the flesh of her bare arms in reaction to hearing Shuichi sing—he sounded exceptionally similar to the singer himself. Between the vocals and the lyrics, Davina couldn't tear her eyes away from him, attempting to hide her reaction by rubbing casually at her arms to discourage the tingling skin.

"How do you do it?
Make me feel like I do…
How do you do it?
It's better than I ever knew, ooh…"

She swallowed hard, involuntarily biting down on her lower lip. How in the hell did someone already so attractive in an impressive number of ways just become even more attractive? It hardly seemed plausible, but the effect he was having on her in that instance was undeniable. Davina could feel Shizuru's gaze on her, studying her reaction, but even the presence of observant eyes couldn't deter her attention in that moment.

"Meet me in outer space…
I will hold you close, if you're afraid of heights…
I need you to see this place…
It might be the only way,
that I can show you how,
it feels to be inside of you…"

A sudden breath caught hard in Davina's throat as Shuichi turned to casually glance over at her as he sang that particular line, her heart beat echoing loudly in her ears. It seemed as if he could sense the effect he was having on her, and smirked for a brief moment before the chorus hit and his attention returned to the screen before him. She tried to maintain her composure, but she could feel the heat licking her cheeks and sighed in defeat. Shuichi finished the song and placed the mic down on the coffee table, returning to her side with a small, knowing smile of satisfaction. He slipped down beside Davina, reuniting their previous closeness without hesitation. The smell of his cologne kissed her nose once again, and she could swear she felt a sudden weakness in her knees as their eyes locked and gazes held firm.

"Everything alright?" he asked her innocently, despite his mildly smug look suggesting that he knew otherwise.

"P-peachy," she retorted swiftly, trying to keep her tone steady.

. . .

Author's Note: Things are heading in quite an interesting direction, and while I've loosely planned out the important events, I'm really just letting the creative muse drive the writing, which hasn't blown up in my face…at least, not yet. A few things to clarify—Rock Hero is only a fictional game to serve my purposes, but based on the existing games of both Guitar Hero and Rock Band in real life, so I utilized songs that are actually available on either title. Save for the Megallica one, of course. I also learned that Megallica is meant to be a portmanteau (a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others—going to be transparent here, I had to look up the definition for that one) of Megadeth and Metallica. And here I honestly believed that Kuwabara's favorite band was simply a fictional play solely on the band, Metallica. So, it only seemed appropriate to mash together the title of a song from each band, hence 'Trust and Destroy'. Anyway, getting away from my rambling on, we will be venturing back into plot development very soon, with several key events set to occur over the course of the next few chapters. As always, my gratitude to all of you wonderful readers, a special thank you to those who were kind enough to review and follow/favorite the story. The next chapter is decidedly spicy, so I hope you are all excited for it. Take care out there!