Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ A Beautiful Thing ❯ Chapter 11

Seara ~ it would be great if you could send me pics of yu yu hakusho. I really do appreciate the love and support you've given me with this fic.

animehasmylife ~ thank god it wasn't deleted! I would have spazzed.

Nenagh24 ~ you're story was deleted? That sucks ass! Did you talk to the admin?

KanolaGirl ~ *sigh* yeah the story will be over after chapter twelve. This will be the first story I've ever completed since I started writing. The new story will be out right after this one's done. Check it out, if you want. ^^

Pita911 ~ *sniffs haughtily* I'll have you know that I spell check this thing to death. Anyway, glad you liked it.

animefreak11 ~ well, good news. No more broken floppies! Seeing as how I've already broken all the floppies I own…

ihavetoomuchHWgurl ~ yeah those crazy social chicks. They're nuts. Anyway, what was up with homecoming? That sucked. *mutters* stupid ani, forgetting the tractor.

Kurama13 ~ here's the update; sorry it took me so long. (always does.)

Anime_Addicted1 ~ mwahaha I'm not evil! O.o

AMK ~ I liked how this story was coming together at the beginning, but these last couple of chapters have been kind of … hard to think of. Probably why they took me so long to write.

A/N: Surprise! I'm not dead! *dodges a rock* -.- cute.

Chapter Eleven

I yawned, stretching my arms up over my head. When my eyes opened, I blinked furiously to try and get used to the sunlight that was streaming in through a nearby window.

Sometime during the night, Hiei, Kuwabara and Kurama had left. Me and Urameshi, I guess, had fallen asleep watching the movie that I had put in.

What had happened while the two of us were sleeping made my cheeks turn a light pink as soon as I saw. We were hopelessly tangled together, and his knee had somehow ended up between both of my legs. Last night, my head had been resting on his shoulder. This morning? Urameshi's flat on his back and holding me flush against him with one arm. His chin is resting lightly on top of the crown of my head, and my face is currently buried in the crook of his neck. I have no idea how I ended up facing him, anyway, but… whatever. Doesn't really matter. I noticed how both of my hands were clutching the front of his t-shirt, and how gently -but possessively- he held my head to his chest.

Beginning to feel a little awkward, I began to pull away, careful not to wake Yusuke. I kept my eyes trained on his sleeping face while cautiously inching out of his seemingly iron grip. Just as I had been about to swing my feet onto the floor and stand up, Urameshi reflexively tightened his hold on my waist. Effectively being pulled back down, I was literally dragged back to square one.

Two and a half hours later, I was beginning to get a little frustrated. I had done everything short of ripping his arm off and beating him over the head with it.

"You…stubborn…pig," I ground out, still trying to squirm away. "At least give me the damn remote!"

He was sitting on the remote. Dead to the world, and sitting on the remote.

After about two more minutes of waiting, I stubbornly set my jaw and muttered, "That's it." Praying to any kind of god that was listening for Urameshi to not wake up, my hand shot towards the small part of the remote that Yusuke wasn't sitting on.

`Thank god,' I thought with relief when the remote began to pull free. I froze when my fingertips brushed against his ass. Squeezing my eyes shut, I mumbled, "That didn't happen."

Beneath me, Yusuke was looking at me with a look of mixed emotions. `Oh, damn it, I woke him up.' He arched an eyebrow. "How often to you feel people up when they're sleeping?" His tone wasn't derisive, though it was heavily laced with sleep.

"I wasn't feeling you up!" I blushed, even though my eyes were slightly narrowed. "Now lemme go, you ass!"

"That's funny," he grinned. "A minute ago I was a stubborn pig."

I sweatdropped. `Oops. Didn't know he could hear that.'

He took his time in letting his arm fall from my waist, and I sprung off of the couch as soon as I could, remote in hand.

I shook the black device at him, and said, "You were sitting on the remote, you big duffus! You should have moved your butt." Deciding that I was a pretty good distance away from him, I sat on the floor and crossed my legs. I furiously flipped through the channels on the television in order to avoid eye contact.

He was quiet for several moments before he said lightly, "You would have touched it anyway," and rose to his feet.

My mouth dropped open as I watched him amble into the kitchen. "I what?" I sputtered.

Yusuke swung his gaze back over his shoulder and grinned cheekily. "I said, you would have - "

"I heard you," I interrupted him with a small wave of my hand. Then I quickly frowned. "I so wouldn't have done it anyway."

Urameshi muttered, "Butt toucher," under his breath and pulled open the refrigerator door.

~

*Flashback*

I awoke for the second time that morning, only this time to the feeling of a burning sensation that shot up my side. My eyes quickly opened, and I almost jumped when I saw Yusuke sitting next to me.

He took his index finger off of the tattoo on my hip. "Hunh," was all he offered as an explanation.

"What do you want?" I mumbled sleepily, wanting to go back to sleeping on the floor. Yusuke didn't say anything, and I closed my eyes. "Urameshi?" I asked softly. Even though I couldn't see him, I felt his eyes on me and I shifted uncomfortably under the pressure of his gaze.

Seeming to shake himself out of his thoughts, he blinked and shook his head. There was an angry set to his brow, but I knew that it wasn't aimed towards me. Emotions flitted across Yusuke's eyes, but they were all gone so fast I couldn't read them. "I gotta go somewhere today," he said suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"It'll only take me an hour or two, though." He lightly toyed with a strand of my reddish hair, twisting it around his finger.

"Oh." My eyes still closed, I leaned towards his touch.

"So don't worry about me if I'm gone later," Yusuke said lamely, fumbling for things to say now.

I smiled a little. "Okay."

*End Flashback*

He had been gone for a little over three hours now, but I'm not worried. It gave me some time to think about stuff. The stuff that's been bothering me ever since I was talking to myself on the bus.

Personally, I think it's obvious that I like Yusuke more than a friend. I don't know why I didn't see it sooner. `As if the occasional make-out sessions weren't a clue,' I snorted.

I doubted that Yusuke knew how I felt. I mean, dude, I barely even knew myself! I only wish that I knew if Yusuke liked me or not. That would make this whole thing a hell of a lot easier.

`I like Yusuke,' I thought with wonder, and I smiled.

I had been staring absently out the window for the longest time before I caught sight of something that made my blood run cold. Urameshi was crossing the street with some girl that I didn't recognize, holding her hand and smiling brighter than I've ever seen him smile. I leaned a little further out of the building so that I could watch them, my interest piqued even though I was beginning to feel a little sick. When the two of them reached the sidewalk beneath his building, they remained holding hands. I felt my heart break a little for every second that they stood there, talking animatedly.

The girl looked to be about my age, with shoulder-length brown hair and warm brown eyes. She was wearing the Sarayashiki high school uniform.

My jaw dropped when the girl stood on tip-toe and kissed Yusuke on the cheek. A soft, surprised "Oh" escaped my lips, and as if he could hear me, Yusuke tilted his head back and looked up at the window I was looking out of. His eyes widened, and I could see the guilt swirling in them from up in the apartment.

I heard him mutter a string of curses, say a quick goodbye to the girl he was with, and then I watched him tear into the building.

Quietly, I slipped back into the apartment and slid down the wall so that I was sitting down. How ironic. I finally admit that I like the guy, and then I see him with some chick.

`Probably his girlfriend,' I thought to myself darkly.

Well, he's coming up here, now. I could hear him thundering up the stairs already. Heaving a sigh that held nearly all of my sadness and frustration, I pulled myself back up. I felt like crying.

Taking one last look around Urameshi's apartment, I set one foot up on the windowsill. When the front door was ripped open, I leapt outside. I heard Yusuke yell after me, but I paid no mind.

~

Good news - I don't feel like crying anymore. In fact, just to show you just how much I don't feel like crying anymore, I'm going out to pick a fight with Melissa again. You remember Melissa, right? Yeah, it's really a bummer that she'll be needing to put that nose cast back on.

I hitchhiked all the way back to Melissa's school, too upset to even care that I could have taken the damn bus. The whole trip took me about an hour, and when I got to my old high school I stalked right up to Melissa's locker and waited.

Kids were pouring out of their classes already, and the hallways were filled with the noisy chatter of high school kids ready to go home for the day.

I actually heard Melissa before I saw her. Believe me; you could hear that bitch from a mile away. She's got the stupidest laugh that you've ever heard, and she's the kind of girl that's gotta be the loudest one in the goddamn hall.

It really sucks for Melissa that that hour long walk did nothing to help my mood. When she saw me standing there, with my arms folded and my eyes filled with fire, she immediately blanched and turned around, double timing it back down the hallway.

I heard her mutter, "Oh damn," when I caught her by the upper arm.

"Hey to you, too." I punched her with a solid right hook, putting all of my pent-up emotion behind it. Melissa stumbled backwards and landed on the ground, gently rubbing the bruise forming on her cheek. I cocked my head to the side and said, "I hate boys." I hated Melissa, too, but this fight was about boys.

What in the world was I supposed to feel? I was so confused! I thought I liked the kid, but now… who was that girl? Why did he leave me alone for so long to hang out with her? Obviously he doesn't feel the same way that I do. Did. Whatever.

`Argh, my life is shit!' I punched Melissa again after she got to her feet, then backed off and waited for her to stand.

Holding her bleeding nose, Melissa mumbled, "Roxy, wad da hell isth yo' poblem?"

I frowned at her, "I really liked him," I said, more to myself. I glanced up at my foster sister and shook my head a little bit. "I did. I really liked him." I shrugged, trying to rid myself of this new and unpleasant feeling that I had. "Guess I learned my lesson, huh?"

"Wad do I haf ta do wid dis?"

Sighing, I shoved my hands into my pockets. I was sick of this fight already. "Absolutely nothing." I turned away, and halfway down the hall I yelled, "See ya later!" over my shoulder.

Melissa did nothing but stare after me in disbelief.

~

Me and my motorcycle sped down Maya's disgustingly long driveway at speeds that should have had me thrown in jail had I been on a main road. After that half-assed and rather pointless scuffle with Melissa, I had went back to my old parking garage and hopped on my dad's motorcycle. Then I headed out to Maya's deserted place, with every intention of staying there for a few days. Seeing as how I wouldn't be going back to Urameshi's for a while.

After pulling up to Maya's front door and turning off the engine, I pulled the spare key out from underneath the "welcome" mat and let myself in. I flipped on a couple lights here and there, and pulled open the refrigerator door in the kitchen.

A pint of chocolate ice cream and a Scooby Doo marathon later, I was feeling much more like my normal self. This discovery, of course, led to three TV dinners and some ultimate ps2.

~

That night, I returned to Code Red for the first time in a few weeks. I nodded a quick hello to the bouncer out front, and then shoved open the double doors. I was greeted by flashing lights and the large crowd. Wincing at the bright lights in my eyes, my movements stilled for a second while I tried to catch my balance.

"The lights get me every time," I muttered to myself, shaking my head to clear it.

I heard a deep chuckle from somewhere behind me, and before I even turned around I knew that it was Charlie. Remember Charlie? How can you not love that guy?

"Roxy!" he shouted over the blaring music. "Long time no see."

The heavy beat of the bass hammered through my veins as I smiled back at my old friend. "Sorry. I've had a lot of stuff going on lately."

Charlie frowned and asked, "Anything I should be worried about?" He put a gentle hand on my lower back and urged me forward through the crowd.

"Nah. I'm finished putting up with it, anyway," I said as quietly as I could over the music.

I could hear him smiling. "Sounds like guy trouble to me."

I nearly came to a dead stop in the middle of the dance floor, but managed to just keep walking with my mouth hanging open. Snapping it shut, I replied heatedly, "Now where'd you get that idea from? That's crazy talk, Charlie." Yeah, but by the way I was talking, it sounded like I was pretty riled up by it either way. My guess is that Charlie saw right through it.

When we reached the bar area, I slipped behind the counter and threw on an ugly green apron over my black t-shirt.

"Can I get you anything, boys?" I asked these two middle-aged men that were sitting on the stools. They were obviously drunk.

One of the guys wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Anything, pretty lady?"

My eyes narrowed, and I bent down so that my forearms were resting on the countertop. "Watch it, asshole. I'm fifteen."

That woke his friend up a little bit, who immediately turned around and faced the dance floor, already searching for some older chicks. However, the guy who addressed me still continued to look me up and down. "You don't look like no fifteen year old, sweetie."

I curled my hands into fists, but kept them on the counter. "You wanna fight about it? Do you want a drink or not?"

The drunk guy nudged his friend in the side, chuckling. "I don't think the chicky likes me, Danny."

"Can you blame me?" I mumbled under my breath, and straightened up. I poured myself a cup of pop and sat down on the bartender's stool. My peace was short-lived, however, when Mr. Big Dumb and Ugly decided to start talking to me again.

He grinned at me in a drunken kind of way, and leaned over the counter. "So, pretty lady, watcha got underneath that shirt?"

Inwardly, I was rolling my eyes and thinking, `A BRA, you idiot!', but instead, I raised my glass to my lips and said loudly, "Mace."

On some level, I noticed that Charlie had left. `Probably to go check on something in back,' I thought with indifference.

"Ooh, I do like a feisty one," the man joked, trying to impress his friend.

`You won't be happy till I've hit you, will ya, you old fart?' I wondered.

"Come `ere chicky, gimme a kiss," he shut his eyes and leaned forward even further. In a flash, I had reflexively swung my fist and I didn't even notice I had until I felt it connect with his jaw.

"Roxy!" Charlie bellowed. I'm lucky like that.

"Sorry," I sighed.

Charlie wasn't looking very happy. "How many times do I have to tell you, child? You can't punch the customers." He made a face. "It's bad for business."

"Right, Charlie."

He took a deep breath, and with a start, I realized that I was going to get another one of those "do not hit the patrons" speech.

With a look akin to panic, I quickly pointed my finger at the drunken guy who was sitting there, rubbing his jaw. "He provoked me!" I exclaimed. In my mind, I began to mentally sing the "liar liar pants on fire" song.

"Is this true?" Charlie asked me, looking back and forth between me and the man.

"Yes." No.

"You're not lying to me, are you Roxy?"

"No." Maybe.

"Can you swear to me that this will never happen again?"

"Absolutely, Charlie." No promises.

I almost laughed when my friend turned to leave with a very confused expression on his face.

Without anymore problems for the evening, I finished up my shift at around midnight. I headed out the doors after cleaning up the bar area a little, and made a beeline straight for my motorcycle. Something out here didn't feel right.

It was eerily silent out here, and even the crickets weren't making any noise. Something bad was going to happen, I knew it. There seemed to be a blanket of weird vibes hanging over the parking lot.

When I got to my motorcycle, I fumbled for my keys. In my haste to get away, I dropped them on the pavement. Bending down to get them, fear gripped at my heart when I noticed just how alone I was out here.

Everything went black.

End Chapter.

A/N: yeah. I know. I make you guys wait for a frickin decade, and then I leave you with this totally awful cliffhanger. Sorry for the long wait, the last chapter WILL be out within the week. I feel so awful about taking so long to update. Makes me want to kick my own ass.

babi blu.