Chapter Nine: Oh, Brother!

Kelly smiled her all-knowing smile. The elf's mind was racing and she wanted out of there. So she bowed, squeaked her thanks, and raced from the room. She didn't stop until she was outside. When Kelly caught up to her, the two started walking. Well, Lea did at least. "I won't be able to sleep again tonight," the elf said as she looked up at the ghost.

"Don't you mean morning?"

Lea looked at her wristwatch. It was one in the morning. "It doesn't matter. It still won't happen anytime soon."

Kelly grinned. "Just think! You're falling in love with your rescuer! It's soo romantic. And you didn't think fairy tales came true!" she taunted. Lea knew her friend was teasing, but it didn't make it any less annoying.

"Kel?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut-" The rest of the elf's sentence was muffled by someone's chest. Kelly laughed. This would give her reason to tease for a while. The reason? That someone that Lea had run into, was none other than Kurama. The ghost giggled as Lea looked up to apologize, but backed up instead.

"How do you do that?" she demanded.

"Do what?" the fox asked. Lea looked up at him suspiciously, one eyebrow raised.

"You always just...appear!" Kurama sweatdropped.

"I was looking for you. That's all."

Lea yawned. "Well, I was just heading back, anyway."

The fox nodded and started to lead her in the right direction, but before they got far Kelly grabbed onto Kurama's arm. He looked up at the ghost and she explained, "I'll fly us back. Just grab onto Lea." Kurama nodded and put his arm around the elf's waist. Lea hid her blush as she held on. They were soon flying through the air, the elf asleep with her arms around the fox.

Kelly laughed. "And she said she wouldn't sleep!" When she got no comment, the ghost shrugged and kept flying.

By the time Kelly got them all back to Kurama's, both the elf and kitsune were asleep. She didn't know what to do with them so she decided to get evil and gently set them down on Kurama's bed. She then pulled the covers over them. She looked back at them before she left; both looking so peaceful. A match made in heaven.

"Lea? Le?" Lea opened her eyes reluctantly. She felt warm and at peace for the first time in years and didn't want to move. She was also in someone's arms. She blinked and turned her head. She was in Kurama's arms. He was still asleep and looked almost angelic. Oh yeah, not a chance of moving, now, she thought. She turned her head back, coming face to face with Kelly.

"Lea, get up!" she whispered.

"No!" the elf whispered back. She then closed her eyes.

"It's 6:00AM and you have someone to meet!"

Lea's eyes flew open. "Who?"

"It's a suprise. He really can't wait to see you, though!"

At this point, Kurama was only pretending to be asleep. He didn't want Lea to get up. It was too comfortable.

"He? As in a guy wants to see me? Crazy." But Lea carefully got up anyway. "I better get more sleep tonight," she grumbled. Kurama really didn't want the elf to go. He was starting to get a bit jealous. So while faking sleep, he reached for Lea's waist and gently pulled her back into bed. Kelly looked at him suspiciously.

"Are you sure he's asleep?" she asked. Lea was blushing.

"Yea, of course. It's just like when I was a kid. Mom said that anytime Josh tried to take my stuffed animal away while I was sleeping, I would grab for it. That's what Kurama's doing, only I'm not a teddy bear," the elf explained.

"Oh," the ghost replied. "He must really care about you." Lea shook her head as she tried to get back up. Kurama tightened his grip. The elf breathed in deeply, noting how good the fox smelled. Her blush deepened.

Kelly finally managed to free the elf, much to her dismay. Lea had been hoping to get back in bed. But she pulled the cover over Kurama and smiled. Like a fallen angel, she thought. She couldn't reflect for long, though, for Kelly rushed her out of the room.

Once Lea had showered, she dressed in her favorite outfit. A red tank top, black baggy jeans, and black and red Sketchers. She also put on black and red leather gloves with the fingers cut off and a black choker. She grabbed her bag and baseball cap (which she put on backwards, making sure her bangs were pulled back with the rest of her long hair) as she left the room and made her way to the door. She was stopped by Kurama.

"You're not eating breakfast before you leave?"

"Nah. I'm meeting someone and I'm late enough as it is. See ya later!"

"Yes, I'll see you later. Oh by the way, I'm going to the store today. Do you need anything?"

"Nope. Bye."

Kurama waited until she was half a block away before he followed. "Kelly, where are we going?" he heard the elf ask.

"To the sidewalk in front of a store."

"You got me out of bed for nothing?!"

Kelly chuckled. "You were in bed with a guy. How am I supposed to react?"

"Wait until a somewhat godly hour to wake me? Or, ya know, wait for me to wake up myself?!"

"I guess you're right...I did put you there anyway."

"You better be glad that I'm half asleep," Lea growled. That's when she ran into someone. Someone very familiar...

"Josh!" she cried. "Where'd you-! How'd you-?!" The elf was too excited for words so she just hugged him tightly. Josh lifted her in the air before hugging her back.

"You're here!" Lea finally cried.

"Of course! I had to see my baby sister again!"

Kurama breathed a sigh of relief. He then realized just how foolish he'd been acting. At least I'm hiding behind my usual store, he thought. So he doubled back and acted as if he was just getting there.

Lea saw the fox and waved. "Hey, Shuichi!" He waved back and went into the store.

"Do you think he followed us?" Kelly asked. Lea laughed.

"What's so funny?" Josh asked.

"He's too much of a gentleman!" the elf replied between breaths.

She calmed down giving Josh the chance to pull a small box from his pocket. "This is from mom," he explained. Lea took it and opened it slowly. She gasped. It was a key. "You're new house might need some groceries, though, so let's go shopping before I take you there."

Lea was excited, but a little sad. She'd be leaving Kurama's that night. Oh well, she thought as she followed the others into the store. Josh grabbed a shopping cart and suggested they have a race. "Where to?" she asked.

"The ice cream." So lea stole Josh's while he got another.

"On your mark, get set, go!"

Off they went, Lea laughing and smiling. She looked back to see that Josh had caused a traffic jam. She made it to the ice cream aisle in a cinch. She ran into Kurama again and apologized.

"Sorry, I was racing Josh. He's my brother."

Kurama nodded. "I didn't know you had a brother." But his comment fell on deaf ears as Lea caught sight of how much ice cream the kitsune was getting. When she pointed it out, Kurama explained, "It's for Hiei."

"Jaganshi has a sweet tooth, eh?"

Before anything more could be said, the fire demon himself appeared. "Hn. You two are easily manipulated," he commented. Lea shot him a puzzled look. He smirked at this and explained, "Have you noticed how often you run into the baka fox?" Lea thought for a minute.

"You're behind it?" Hiei's smirk worsened as he turned to Kurama, who'd mysteriously disappeared. Lea looked around, and finding no sign of him, she sighed. Hiei cursed the kitsune, thinking of lost sweet snow.

"Hiei, if I buy you some ice cream, will you leave me and Kurama alone?" The fire demon agreed and handed the elf four big cartons of the cream. Lea grabbed two for herself.

A/N: A little less action in this chapter...but...Oh well...-shrugs- What can ya do? Well, I hope ya'll liked anyway! Please review! God Bless!!!