Chapter 11

My heart changed its rhythm, my face twisting itself into a disarray of dismay and recoil as an automatic reaction was to move away from him. My eyes immediately moving towards the lighter within his hand as I picked my arm up quickly, I shouldn't smell like smoke at least. I knew I didn't it I shouldn't at least.

Why was that scent on me? What was with it? I felt like choking upon never having been exposed to such a smell before. Was it from that other student's presence? They wouldn't smoke so much they'd get caught immediately so their scent shouldn't of drifted towards me at all.

Shuichi moved himself to sitting on the bed next to me, reaching towards me as I pulled away from him disgusted at the false accusation. There was no point in trying to fix someone's accusation once they decided that was what had happened anyway, "Sit still. It's not so easy to do from this position." Shuichi grumbled running his hands through my hair.

I resisted myself and my body's need to bury my face in his jacket. I knew I was relying on him, he was showing that he was a decent person, but the disappointment was running through me the way a mouse hunted cheese, "I'm not..." I whispered as I could see those shining green eyes glance down at me while working his fingers gently throughout my hair with more virtuosity than a woman.

"I know...I can smell it.." He whispered, his frown increasing as though I was the one lying and pointing fingers. I glanced up towards him still working his fingers through my hair mumbling about how soft it was but at the same time how I should learn to do this myself. I saw Shuichi glance away a slight blush on his face as he realized he made a mistake in his wording. I stared down at the bed unsure if I should feel sad because he doubted me or happy that he was worried about my lifespan.

"I understand what you're trying to tell me. I'm not." I whispered, I met his eyes and kept them. I knew I had to keep them, if I broke away from the lock then it would mean I was lying. He nodded getting up and walking over towards the garbage can. I watched him walk as his red hair swung back and forth.

"I know...I can smell it." His voice rung in my ears once again, it wasn't fair. His voice was smooth, suave even, and definitely coercive. I pulled the blanket up and covered my head with it. "Isabell?" Shuichi asked he was whispering as if he suspected something was wrong.

"She's not home right now please leave a message." I muttered trying to suppress my embarrassment.

"Come on, the poison side effects should almost be gone by now. Now isn't the time to start regressing, especially back into the mental state of a little kid." Shuichi sighed I could feel his hand gently tugging on the blanket he was definitely closer and sitting on the bed again.

"Okay think.." I thought to myself putting up my fingers. "Monday I arrived and went straight to bed because I couldn't handle it from walking around in the city I knew I'd fall asleep and that was dangerous, Tuesday I met Shuichi in school, was the next thing on Wednesday or Tuesday? I couldn't think of it...but Aunt Anna came home and gave me a room. I spent all night out with Yuoko." I thought to myself rubbing my head as I tried to get the time's right. "So today was Friday? Friday right? Which meant I had the whole weekend to myself or to hang out with friends...well if this wasn't like being back home and in the middle of nowhere." I continued my thoughts imagining the arcades I used to go to when I was little hopefully this town had some I love arcades. I shook my head going back to the problem at hand.

Aunt Anna was never home, Elizabeth had locked the bathroom showers and only turns the water on for herself, the night Aunt Anna was supposed to be home I spent the entire time with Youko and it was alright because I had perfume on but it still seriously bugged me.

"Hey...Isabell, I may not know a lot of women personally but I'm pretty sure this is strange behavior." he sighed "Even for being poisoned. " He sighed. "

You're still messing around with that mortal?" I heard a window slide open as I heard a 'shh' sound.

"Who is that?" I asked pulling down the blankets as Shuichi smiled at me.

"Look who's hallucinating." Shuichi smiled as I glanced towards the window, now open.

"That window wasn't open." I stated as Shuichi looked up.

"I opened it" Shuichi laughed.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" I struggled with my less often serious tone.

"No, but why were you hiding in your blankets." Shuichi asked a hint of thankfulness hidden deep within his eyes.

"I won't tell." I muttered looking away as he sat on the hospital bed once again. I was automatically tempted to push him away and tell him 'what are the chairs there for? Decoration?' as I glanced up towards the forest-colored eyes as I searched for the word that I was looking for. He was scrutinizing me to try to figure out what was wrong. "What?" I mumbled not sure if I would regret asking or if I should have left it alone.

"What's. The. Matter?" he said sternly as I touched my face, it was overly warm from all of that blushing and jumping to conclusions. He probably was wondering if I was getting a fever from the poison side effects.

"Don't get too close." I muttered as he leaned closer.

"What speak up." he said calmly.

"Don't get too close you said I smell!" I shouted pushing him away feeling a blush creep up my cheeks.

"That's what's bothering you?" The redhead turned himself away, "Haven't you ever been camping? Actual camping without all the luxuries? I mean it can't be much worse than camping in the middle of the woods and coming home sometimes dripping in blood." Shuichi sighed staring at the roof.

"In blood?" I asked staring at him as he flinched, it must've been a slip of the tongue as if he never planned to say it to me.

"Hunting. Big mess let me tell you. I told them to pack sandwiches, but no we had to experience the outdoors to the fullest." He explained. "If it bothers you that much you can use the shower at my place."

Blush leaped up my face as I felt my hand twitch to slap him, "I haven't even been here a week! I don't know you like that!" I stated as he caught my wrist instantly as if he expected such a reaction out of me.

"But you will" He explained, "You'll make friends and learn and trust people. And here we are now. Sometimes you don't need years to earn that trust." His grip tightened on my hand, "Sometimes that trust blooms over a matter of moments."

A shriek clawed our ears from the room's doorway, "Isabell! What are you doing?" Elizabeth's voice interrupted our conversation as the door slammed open. "You're supposed to be in emergency care, why? Is this someway to escape to find Shuichi you liar..." Elizabeth's voice became a softer as she noticed Shuichi sitting on the bed, his hand around my wrist.

"W-why are you here? And um Isabell, we'll have a talk when you get home." Elizabeth sighed shutting the door her face echoing with her surfacing embarrassment as she ran down the hallway.

"She's probably embarrassed because you saw the self that she hides from you." I turned to him grinding my teeth knowing I would regret it either way later with what I was about to do.

"I already knew about it. I knew how she treated her ex, I was just the next target after they broke up. Was she the one threatening you?" Shuichi asked as I glanced away.

"To me she's just my cousin, I don't really know her either. I think she's trying to draw lines so that we hate each other, the likelihood of us ever seeing each other again is slim once I go home. I'll just disappear again." I turned away my wrist slipping out of his hand.

"Disappear?" Shuichi sighed as if he had an actual interest.

"I'll be back on the other side of the country, somewhere else far, far, far away from here...and none of this will matter. She'll always be around and you'll be here. So you should go after her instead." I felt myself whisper the last part.

"Okay, but don't try to leave." He stood up as I waved the wires that were connected to my arm at him. Time passed as I stared at the roof to the point I was sure the drugs that they had likely administered were making me hallucinate designs onto their roof.

Shuichi's steps clopped back into the room, water dripping off of his coat as he rung out his hair, water ushering out of it, "Sorry I'm back." Shuichi walked in without even looking as he turned around to shut the door, his hair matted hair turning the color of blood. His phone glowing in his pocket as he searched around the room for a towel.

A nurse came into the room to check the vitals and make sure everything was working properly, "We might be able to send you home today." He smiled as I nodded surprised that the decision was made so fast. "I'm surprised on how diluted the poison was when you got here. Whoever is watching over you keep those people close." The nurse laughed before heading out of the room again.

Shuichi brushed his hand against his pocket causing him to sort through the message on his phone. Within a couple minutes the nurse was back in again removing the equipment and handing me a bag of my clothes. I rushed into the bathroom getting changed, someone had gone home and grabbed my street clothes so I didn't have to wear the school uniform around. Shuichi glanced towards his phone again, "Do you remember the way to my house? I can meet you there-"

"I can't just walk into your house. Saying 'hey Shuichi sent me can I hang around in the house until he shows up?'"

"I-." Shuichi stopped pulling his phone out of his pocket. "One minute." He stepped into the hall back in within moments, "Mom says she'll love to have you over." Shuichi smiled. "I promise...I'll be right over. I'll be in the kitchen if you start looking for me." he sighed as I wondered if he could make that promise.

"How can you keep that promise?" I muttered, there was no way someone would be able to keep that promise, especially if this was an urgent matter. He didn't have to sit here with me. That was his choice also, it was his choice to rescue me too. But wouldn't anyone with any sense of justice at all at least think about it? I sighed wondering why this was all rushing to me now. After checking out outside there was taxicab waiting, "It's one of my Dad's friends, it's alright. I'll see you when I get back." Shuichi said as I opened the car nodding and hoping.

I had watched the door shut a while ago and pull away moving through buildings and streets I don't think I had ever seen before. I attempted to fall asleep in the backseat the scenes playing over and over in my head. One of him walking Elizabeth home filling me up with jealousy and the other filling me up with warmth and the idea that I'd get to talk to him more when we got to the house. Well that was until the driver decided to start talking at least. And the first thing out of his mouth was:

"What does the name Youko of the thieves mean to you?"