Paper Voice

A YYH Fanfic

Chapter Eight

Author's Note: From this point on the story is completely made up by me.

By the time everyone reached the city and headed their separate ways it was getting late, Catherine, Katrina and Daiku were staying with Yusuke that night. As soon as they were in his apartment Catherine and Daiku crashed on Yusuke's bed and Katrina curled up on the floor against a wall opposite his bed. The next morning's when the excitement started all over again; Catherine woke with a yawn and stretched. She sat up rubbing her eyes and looked over to see if Daiku was up and screamed she tried to jump out of bed but got tangled in the blanket and landed on the floor head first. "Mrgh, Cat, shut up it's too early for you to be causing trouble," Katrina mumbled from the corner. Daiku shot up, "What? What's wrong are we under atta-"

"Daiku, is that you?" Catherine interrupted him.

"What are you talking about, of course it's me, why wouldn't it be?"

"Look at yourself! You look like you're... our age!"

Daiku looked at himself and grabbed the blanket quickly covering himself better; he didn't know how it had happened but somehow he shot up to 5'7" in the middle of the night and now his clothes don't fit and they must have... torn and fallen off in the night because he was naked now. Last night Catherine and crashed on top of the blankets too tired to care and Daiku had curled up underneath them, luckily. "Uh, Catherine, could you get Katrina out of here and ask Yusuke if he has any clothes I could borrow?"

"You sure you want us to leave?" Catherine asked perversely.

"Yes, I believe he's sure, Cat, now let's get out of here before we see things we shouldn't," Katrina said suddenly awake and heading to the door grabbing Catherine on the way.

"Awww, you ruin everything, Kat."

"Deal with it; hey, Yusuke, we've gotta little problem!"

Later that day, after Daiku was properly clothed, Yusuke said the girls should take Daiku out to get more to wear so he wouldn't have to share his clothes. Katrina and Daiku groaned because they agree: shopping SUCKS but Catherine couldn't wait to turn Daiku into a mannequin.

"Hey, Kat, do you think we should've invited your 'boooyfriend' to come with us?" Catherine teased as they left Yusuke's apartment.

"Cat, that joke is getting so old it's nearly dead. In fact it just croaked," Katrina replied.

"Ha-ha, very funny, see, Daiku, I warned you she sucked at comebacks; I've tried to teach her but she's un-teachable."

"Who are you talking about when you tease her?" Daiku asked.

"Kurama, the guy who looks like a girl the one with long red hair..."

"Oh, yeah, I can see her ending up with him; they would make a great couple. So, Katrina, why haven't you asked him out yet, you guys have known each other for a while now right?"

Katrina looked about ready to punch Catherine and Daiku both and then gave in, "okay, first off, he's not my boyfriend, I barely know him-"

"You've known him for almost three months..." Cahterine interrupted.

"Two, I have a rule for myself when I get a crush on someone, I don't allow myself to have a crush on them until I've known them long enough to decide if I like them for who they are. And I repeat that I barely know Kurama, but yes... I guess I have a crush on him but I want the guy to ask me out. If he likes me then he'll ask me out, call me old fashioned but I prefer it that way and it means that I risk nothing if he doesn't like me."

"Stupid plan if you ask me, if you like him and want to go out with him you should ask him, if he doesn't like you then at least you'll know rather than waiting forever to find out," Daiku said.

"EXACTLY! I keep trying to get that through to her but she won't listen. I've even tried talking to Kurama to see if he'd tell me if he liked her but I wasn't able to find out," Catherine said.

The conversation to a swing into clothes and other things after that because they reached the store they were looking for. Catherine had Daiku model all sorts of clothes for her while Katrina buried her nose in a book praying it would all be over soon and they could find a book store to browse, her collection was already running low, Kurama had suggested some interesting books to her and she wanted to try and find them before anything else interupted her life. Eventually Catherine's stomach growled and they headed to the register to buy the items Daiku and Catherine agreed on then left to find somewhere to go for lunch. Katrina decides to attempt to get back at Catherine so she said, "So, Cat, how's it going with you and Hiei?"

"I haven't seen him lately actually, of course I imagine he hates me, you know how he is and how annoying I can get, but I can't help it his hair is just so COOL! I love the way it defies gravity and has that white starburst in it, and he's fun-size! So I won't give up until I find another guy to chase around," Catherine replied giddily.

"Oh, that reminds me of the conversation you had with Gensu before we left and all the typical craziness happened, I know he said more to you than what you told me. What was the rest of his conversation about?"

"I asked him why a hot young guy like himself was constantly pestering us and didn't he have a girlfriend to occupy his free time."

"Okay, well what else did he say 'cause your reaction was kinda funny."

"He asked if I'd be interested in being his girlfriend. I said no, then he asked if you'd be interested in his offer and I told him that I highly doubted it. Besides it wouldn't have worked out with the two of you being in different dimensions and your policy as well."

Katrina blushed at the thought of an older not to mention hot guy like Gensu showing an interest in her, even if he asked Cat first. "Hey, I saw that!"

"Saw what?"

"You totally blushed! Maybe I should call Gensu right now and see if his offer still stands, Hmm?"

"HECK NO!"

"Ah, so loyal to Kurama are we?"
"I didn't say that I... just... have... l-like you said I have a policy. I barely know Gensu and who knows what he's really like, the thoughts actually kinda creepy."

Daiku cleared his throat, "Um, terribly sorry to interrupt but I think I spotted an ice cream place across the street... if anyone's interested." Catherine barely checks the traffic before she dashed across the street and into the ice cream shop abandoning her friends for her favorite treat.

"Nope, don't worry about us, Cat, we could get hit by a car trying to chase after you, but don't concern yourself with us," Katrina said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Hey, Katrina, can I talk to you real quick, before Catherine notices we're not behind her?"

"Sure, what's up?"

They walk over to lean against a building and Daiku slides down the wall, Katrina following his lead. "Um... does Catherine like it if guys ask her out?"

"Uhm, I don't know that's something you'd have to ask her yourself why, you like her?"

Daiku blushed, "Well, um, yeah, I guess I kinda do. But she'd probably never be willing to go out with me, I'm only fifteen, I'm a little kid compared to you two."
"Hey, she's eighteen yeah, but that's only a three year difference, I had a friend that was eighteen and she was dating a fourteen year old and they had a great relationship, plus she was taller than him. You might be three years younger than her but you're taller and could easily pass for an eighteen year old and besides I doubt that it's illegal for you to date an older woman. You never know until you try, so if you're really interested in her then you should ask her out."

"Well, yeah, I guess you're right, I should ask, I'll never know until I try. And you should do the same with Kurama, forget your stupid policy and ask him out, he seems like a nice guy to me, even if he turns you down I'm sure he'll do his best not to hurt you."

"Okay, we're talking about your relationship situation right now not mine, so I'm gonna go find a book store and you're gonna go ask Cat out. I've got my cell if you guys need me so... yeah."

"Thanks, Katrina."

"Onee-chan."

"What?"

"Call me Onee-chan, no one's ever called me that and I think it would be fun. I've tried to get my younger sibs into the habit but it didn't catch on and you remind me of my little bro. You not only look like him but you're cute and stupid about girls like him too," Katrina teased.

"Alright, thanks for the advice, Onee-chan. Ya know, if it's not too weird I might just stick with calling you that. See ya later, Onee-chan!" Daiku called as he crossed the street to ask Catherine out.

Katrina sighed and got up off of the sidewalk; she wiped off her butt and headed off down the street to see if she could find that book store Kurama said he loved. At Genkai's temple Kuwabara was following Yukina around like a lost puppy and she was laughing and enjoying his company. Genkai was in the arcade kicking Yusuke's butt at some video game or another as Keiko walked in with tea for all of them. Kurama was at work and Hiei was patrolling the boarder keeping an eye out for humans accidentally straying across. When Katrina entered the book store a tiny bell tinkled over the door and she inhaled the scent of old books and dust then headed off to find a quite, secluded spot to make a phone call. Her talk with Daiku reminded her of how much she really missed her family, she had no idea how much time had passed between the two worlds but it felt like she hadn't contacted them in years.

Back at the ice cream shop Daiku took a deep breath and walked over and sat down across from Catherine at one of the outdoor tables. "Hey, Daiku, where'd Kat go? Did she get lost crossing the street or something?"

"She said she was going to find a book store but that she's got her phone if we need to call her. Um... can I ask you something?" Catherine had be watching her ice cream and licking around when it started melting but the tone of Daiku's voice made her look up at him. He gulped and blushed a little, the sunlight reflected off of a window and shone around Catherine making her look like she was glowing. "Woul- well... I mean... Uh... Catherine would... would you like to go out with me sometime?" he gushed. Catherine sat there for a second her ice cream starting to drip down her hand. Daiku started to think that asking her was a bad idea and mentally kicked himself, he sounded like a moron, besides why would she want to go out with a kid like him when she liked Hiei?

"Yeah, sure. How about right now? Katrina's at the book store and we can call her and tell her that we're going on a date and to not wait up for us. What'd you have in mind?" Catherine said.

It was now Daiku's turn to be surprised but he quickly recovered, "Uh, well actually I hadn't thought that far ahead, I thought you'd say no. Um... a movie maybe or dinner or just a walk in the park?"

"Sure."

"Sure to which one?"

"All of them, let's see what's playing if there's anything interesting we can go see it and if there's time we can go to the park before the movie and then to dinner. After that we can head back to Yusuke's and there ya go we had a full day."

"Okay, let's go to the movies then, I guess," Daiku said a little thrown off at Catherine's blunt and sudden idea.

In the back of the book store there was a little room with book shelves along most of the walls and a window seat with nice soft cushions warmed from the sunlight streaming in. Katrina walked over and sat down leaning against the wall, she pulled out her cell and stared at it, I should call Gensu and see if he can connect my call to my parents, she thought instead she put the phone back in her pocket and pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees. She closed her eyes and relaxed in the warm sun trying not to cry because she felt she had no reason too. Yeah, she missed her family but she hadn't been gone that long and Gensu told them that they could go back home so it's not like she'd never see them again, but inside she felt like she did when she was little and spent the night with a friend for the first time: homesick.

"Oh, excuse me I didn't- hey, aren't you the girl from the park that caught my sister when she fell off the playground equipment?" someone asked. Katrina started a little at the sound of someone else in the room, she was sore and a little tired, she must have dozed off. Looking up she saw a handsome young man standing in front of her.

"You mean the little girl..."

"Karin."

"Yeah, Karin I remember, it's nice to see you again... uh, I'm sorry I'm terrible with names."
"That's okay I was rude and didn't give you my name last time we met, I'm Andrew, and you are?"

"My name's Katirna, it's nice to meet you, Andrew, but how-"

"Karin's not really my little sister I just call her that I've been baby- sitting her for most of her life so she's like a sister to me," Andrew explained before Katrina could finish her question. "Mind if I sit down with you?"
"Oh, no, that's fine, I was just thinking and I must have dozed off, It's really comfortable here."

Andrew sat next to Katrina, a little closer than she would have liked but she was against the wall on one side and she didn't feel like being rude and asking him if he would scoot over a little.

"What were you thinking about, you look like you might have been crying are you okay?"

"Oh, I didn't know I'd cried, um... well, I haven't been here in Japan for very long my friend and I only got here a few months ago but... and I know this is probably stupid but... I already feel kind of homesick. Funny really since when I was younger I couldn't wait to graduate and move out and now barely three months later I want to go ho- home," Katrina's voice broke and she felt tears trickling down her cheeks. A warm, soft hand brushed them away as Andrew whispered, "Hey, hey, it's okay, don't cry.,. It's fine to be homesick there's nothing wrong with that. You'll be okay, you said you came with your friend right, so you're not alone and it's not like you can never see your family again right?"

Katrina nodded and took a deep breath but she couldn't stop the tears, the sadness was overwhelming and she couldn't hold it in. Andrew pulled Katrina's legs over his lap and gently positioned her so that she was resting her head on his shoulder, "It's going to be okay, you're going to be okay, just let it out if you need to, it's alright to cry." Katrina almost wanted to laugh just a second ago Andrew was telling her not to cry; now he was saying it was alright too. She felt uncomfortable being held like a child by a stranger but he was so warm and comforting to her that she relaxed and let her guard down. He leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead like a big brother or father, then he kissed her eyes and the tip of her nose. Andrew's lips softly trailed off her nose and down along her cheek... then before Katrina realized what was happening he was kissing her lips. She tried to pull back but the wall was behind her and he was preventing her from moving, Katrina panicked as she felt his tongue part her lips and enter her mouth. Biting down hard on his tongue Katrina tasted blood and felt Andrew pull sharply back.

"What was-" Katrina didn't get to finish because Andrew suddenly had her pinned beneath him on the window seat his lips pressed hard against her and his hands trying to explore up her shirt.

Katrina wanted to scream, to punch him, kick him, something but her mind wasn't connecting with the rest of her body and she was helpless and terrified when Andrew was ripped off of her and she heard him shout, "What the H*^&!" Katrina sat up just as Andrew was pinned to a bookshelf by another young man; a young man with long red hair.

"If you ever come near Katrina-chan ever again, I will not hesitate to-"

"Kurama?" Katrina asked as she spit Andrew's blood out of her mouth.

Kurama turned around still pinning Andrew to the wall and his glare changed to a look of concern, "Katrina-chan, are you okay?"

"Now... now I am wha- look out!" Kurama turned and was punched in the face by Andrew, he dropped him and Andrew took a swing at Kurama again. But Kurama was faster and caught his blow this time and twisted Andrew's arm behind his back, "I suggest for your sake that you leave immediately and never come back," he said in a polite but angry voice. When he let Andrew go he fell to the floor but scrambled up and ran out of the store flicking Kurama and Katrina off. Once he was gone Kurama turned back to Katrina and inspected her from where he stood assessing the damage done to her. "I'm alright, Kurama, I bit him that's where the blood was from. What are you doing here, Uh! Thank you for doing that I mean, I- I just froze he caught me off guard and I... I don't know what happened." Kurama continued to stare at her and she started getting self- conscious and blush then he asked if she would mind if he sat down. She nodded and he came over and sat a respectable distance from her, she wanted to curl up in his arms and cry again but felt that after what had just happened and that she didn't want to upset Kurama it was best to stay where she was at. The he startled her, "Would you like... a... hug, Katrina-san?"

"You... you can call me chan or just Katrina or even Kat if you want to... and... yeah, I'm not usually into hugs but, I could really use one right now. Thanks," she said as she scooted closer to him and he tentatively wrapped an arm around her and gave her a gentle and quick hug.