Lone Wolf: Chapter 8 is here after...over a month. Sorry!
Hiei: Thanks to the reviewers.

Chapter 8: Late-night Surfing

"Should we ask why Rika's asleep and why you're carrying her?" Takato asked Ryo as the older boy reached the summer house. "If you must," Ryo replied exhausted, having carried the redhead all the way back from the lake. Jeri got up and opened the door for him, "Aww. You two look so cute." Ryo didn't even bother mumbling a reply. He walked inside and up the stairs to his room.

Takato sighed, "Give it a rest, Jeri. It's getting a bit old." "Aww. You're no fun Takato," came the reply, complete with puppy dog eyes. Takato groaned, "It's like the puppet all over again...but worse." (A/N: He's referring to how Jeri's always like 'Aww,' not the puppy dog eyes.) Jeri giggled and gave him a hug. She dragged him inside afterwards.

Ryo placed Rika on her bed and tucked her in. He laughed quietly to himself, "Sometimes I really wonder why I go through so much trouble for you." He proceeded to the bathroom with pajamas in hand to change and brush his teeth.

Takato hung up his jacket; Jeri followed suit. "Hey, Takato?" Jeri called his name. "Yeah?" the brown haired boy turned his head. "Should we play matchmaker? For Rika and Ryo?" "Why?" came the reply. "I don't know. They're just perfect for each other," she answered, walking over to her bed and sitting down. "How about 'no'?" Takato said, slightly annoyed, "Stop butting into their business. If they're meant to get together, then they will...eventually. It's Rika we're talking about here and I personally don't like pissing her off."

Sometimes she seems more interested in their relationship than ours.

Takato walked over to the window and looked out. It had gotten dark - really dark. The wind had kicked up and a storm was brewing.

Maybe it'll pass by morning.

The boy sighed, "Jeri? What are we?" Jeri looked at his back quizzically as he was still looking out the window, "Silly, we're humans of course." She giggled. "I meant it as in are we friends, rivals, that kind of thing. Relationship-wise. What are we to each other?" came the reply. The humor Jeri had put into the situation quickly vanished; Takato's voice sounded so far away to her, as if he had no clue who he was or where he was going, or anything. Jeri started to get up but the second she did, Takato turned around, all traces of being lost, gone. She ran over to the goggle-head and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Wow, it actually worked," Takato said happily.

"...What...worked?" Jeri began, then gasped, "You little...GOGGLE-HEAD! You were faking that?" "Goggle-head?" Takato made a 'what the! you're turning into Rika' face, "Oh, and yes. I was. What can I say? I missed your kisses and attention." Jeri pouted, "You could've just asked."

(A/N: What a boring segment. Stupid writer's block.)

It was late in the night, a little after two. Everyone was asleep, not a creature was stirring...except for Rika. The red head rubbed her eyes groggily and opened them. The blinking numbers on her alarm clock read 2:13. Outside, the rain was coming down - hard and fast with occasional flashes of lighting and thunder. The rain was stirring too...but it's not a creature. Rika made her way to the bathroom, grabbing her pajamas that were thrown carelessly at the foot of her bed while she was at it. She changed into the sleep-wear and brushed her teeth. There was no way that she would be able to fall back asleep with the storm and all. Besides, she didn't want to go back to Shinjuku with a mouthful of cavities.

She returned to her and Ryo's shared room. Walking over to the latter's bed, she saw that he was huddled up in a ball, his blankets kicked into a corner. Rika bent over, pulling the sheets over the sleeping boy, brown hair messier than ever. A small smile crossed her face.

Big baby. Now if only he were sucking his thumb...

Lucky for Ryo, he wasn't or Rika would have gotten quite a few embarrassing pictures of the Legendary Tamer to send around the net.

Nah. I wouldn't be so cruel...or would I?

She shifted her feet so that she stood at the foot of his bed. Rika sat down and watched him. She had to refrain from letting her hand run wild in his soft brown hair...and from inserting his thumb into his mouth.

After about half an hour of staring at Ryo, Rika got up and walked over to the computer and turned it on. Logging onto her instant messaging program, she saw that Henry was on and active. Yet another creature was stirring in the dark summer house. She sent the boy downstairs a message.

"And you're up so late why?"

As she waited for a reply, Rika thought about the many features of the vacation resort: television sets, computers with Internet service, food, drinks. The list went on and on. Not to mention that the computers just so happened to have the same instant messaging program that she used, installed; talk about convenient. (Ryo actually downloaded it.)

No need to bother downloading.

Henry answered, "I could ask you the same question."

The duo continued talking like this for another fifteen or so minutes. In the end, Henry finally decided to go to sleep; Rika never got an answer to her question.

Still wide awake, with the storm continuously making a racket on the other side of the window, Rika opened up an internet browser. She checked her email; there were no messages. The girl went off to find some games to play, noting how fast the connection was while she was at it.

It was almost 4:30 and Rika's eyes were finally growing tired. She turned the computer off and began making her way to her bed. At the same time, Ryo started to toss and turn. He got up, eyes half opened, and walked slowly toward Rika.

Sleepwalking?

She was about to climb into bed when she felt two arms wrap around her waist, Ryo's arms to be precise. His head fell against her shoulder and he was asleep again.

Oh, boy.

Rika tried gently prying his arms off her but to no avail. They were simply...stuck.

Dream World

"Let go, Ryo," a fiery haired girl said. "No," came the reply, "Not until you say 'please.'"

"I said 'LET GO!'"

"No. Say 'please.'"

"No. Now let go."

"Say 'please.'"

"Never. Get your hands off of me."

"A-ki-ya-ma," the girl spoke, distinguishing each individual syllable, and gritting her teeth.

"Is it really that hard to say please?" the boy cocked his head to the side.

"Yes. Now let go."

Normal

Rika ended up pulling her comforter off the bed and draping it over both of them. She sat down, Ryo mindlessly following. Rika had no choice but to lean against him. She sighed.

I'm tired enough. I'll probably be able to just fall asleep.