Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Right Thing ❯ Chapter II ( Chapter 2 )

The Right Thing:

Chapter 2

The next morning dawned cool and cloudy. Yusuke, still asleep on his futon, was oblivious to the incessant pounding on his front door. He snored on, loud and long, as the knocking grew to a crescendo.

"URAMESHI! OPEN THE FREAKIN' DOOR!!!" Kuwabara pummeled the door with his fists, causing it to shake and creak on its hinges. He had been standing here for at least 10 minutes, banging out a melody on the Spirit Detective's front door. Growling, he banged a few more times, then sighed. His hand drifted down to the doorknob and alighted gently upon it. Without even thinking, he turned the knob and the door swung easily inward. Jumping about a mile in the air he exclaimed, "Geez! Doesn't he even lock the door?!"

Settling down somewhat, he closed the door behind him and shrugged off his coat, setting it on the couch. Wandering down the hall into the inner recesses of Yusuke's home, his feet padding softly on the wooden floors, he grumbled to himself, ranting on about the idiots in this world and how they were going to be the death of him someday. Entering Yusuke's room, without bothering to knock, he opened his mouth and inhaled deeply, intending on giving the sleeping boy a piece of his mind. But his breath caught in his throat as he looked down at his slumbering friend.

The soft gray light of morning sifting in through the blinds hit his head square on and made his hair gleam in the dull rays. His eyes fluttered lightly in his sleep, long lashes tickling his pink cheeks, as his lean chest rose and fell in time with the snores and rumblings issuing forth from his open mouth. One muscular arm was thrown out wide and Kuwabara was fascinated by the play of light and shadows over the toned skin.

He stood there and stared for what seemed like an eternity before finally shaking himself out of his daydream with a pounding heart. What was he thinking?! This was Urameshi he was staring at! Rubbing his eyes he stepped forward and yelled, "Urameshi! Wake up!"

With shout to wake the dead and a heck of a lot of swearing, Yusuke sat up and blinked sleepily at his tall friend, pissed as hell over having been awakened so rudely. "Whaddya want Kuwabara?"

Grinning cockily, the orange-haired boy explained his plans of wanting to go to the movies, and Yusuke half-listened, still mostly asleep. "Yeah, yeah, sure," he replied when Kuwabara was done, waving his hand in dismissal. "Gimmie five minutes to change and I'll go with ya."

Kuwabara wandered back down the hall and grabbed his coat off the couch, slipping it back on and pacing around the room impatiently. He glanced at his watch and gave a strangled cry. The movie started in ten minutes! It would take them at least that long to get to the theater! Yelling to Yusuke, who came bursting out of his room two seconds later, the two teens raced down the street at top speed, both swearing up a storm at the other and blaming them for the turn of events.

When they finally skidded to a stop in front of the theater eight minutes later, both were out of breath and panting clouds of steam into the crisp, early morning air. Slipping into line, Yusuke glanced over at the taller boy. The long run had caused pinkish-red spots of color to bloom on both his cheeks, and the still rising sun glanced off his hair and stained it the color of fire. His eyes were shining and his mouth was turned up in his trademark grin, a small chuckle escaping him. "Well, we made it!"

He looked down at Yusuke and found him already looking up at him, and giving him the oddest of looks. "Urameshi?" he questioned, cocking his head to the side.

Starting, Yusuke came back down to earth with a thud. "Umm…nothing!" he replied, waving his hands. "Let's get the tickets and go see this movie!" And he turned around as the people in front of them went inside and handed the ticket man his money.

Scratching his head, Kuwabara wondered what that was all about; he was never very good at deciphering other people's feelings and right now was no exception. So, sighing to himself, he followed Yusuke up to the ticket booth. But the ticket man pushed away his money and waved him on through. "You're already paid for. He's got your ticket, so go ahead on in."

Kuwabara looked over at Yusuke, who was standing by the entrance to the theater and smirking widely while waving two movie tickets in the air. Huffing, Kuwabara stomped over to him. "Urameshi! Why'd you do that?! I could've paid for myself!"

"Geez man, chill out. I had some extra cash and it was burning a hole in my pocket. If you're so outraged, you can buy the snacks, okay?" And still smirking, he strolled on into the theater, hands in his pockets. Surprised, Kuwabara followed, frowning in confusion. Today was turning out to be very weird, and it was making him jumpy; he sat down next to Yusuke in the theater and held out the popcorn. Eyes on the screen, Yusuke reached over to take it, and his hand brushed up against Kuwabara's.

It was as if electricity sparked between them. Both boys jumped slightly and turned to look directly into the eyes of the other. There was a connection between them now, and Kuwabara's sixth sense was screaming. The little hairs on the back of his neck were standing straight up and he felt Yusuke's hand tremble slightly. Both stared for a few seconds before Kuwabara hastily pulled his hand back, cheeks turning pink, and focused on the movie. He was thankful for the dark of the theater to hide the pink on his face.

Next to him, Yusuke also turned back to the screen and, unbeknownst to Kuwabara, his cheeks were also tinted a bright shade of pink. He touched one of them lightly and was surprised at the heat radiating off of it. Shaking his head furiously and sending pieces of dark hair flying, he shoved the incident out of his mind and centered his attention on the movie and shoving as much popcorn as he possibly could into his mouth.

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"Nah! It sucked! That was the lamest movie I ever saw!" Kuwabara shouted as the two boys left the theater.

"You're too stupid to realize a good movie when you see one!" Yusuke threw back at him.

The two friends started off towards their house, bantering good-naturedly back and forth about the movie they had just seen. Their laughter rang out often and several times, so did their curses. But everything was said in fun, and both knew that other really didn't mean 90% of what they said.

Turning off when he reached his house, Kuwabara waved his goodbye and Yusuke continued on alone. He grinned for a few seconds after his friend left, then once more he was overtaken by an onslaught of depression. The few hours he had spent with the carrot-headed boy had served as a useful distraction to take his mind off his most recent blunder. But now that the loud, Spirit Sword wielder was gone, all his guilt was back.

Whether he was awake or dreaming, all that played through his mind was Kurama's face; the pain, horror, and obvious betrayal written all over Kurama's face tormented his mind and haunted the insides of his eyelids. Wherever he looked, Kurama was there. Whatever he felt, it was spiked with an undercurrent of guilt.

Knowing that he was the cause of all of Kurama's pain was unbearable to the street-wise teen. He mounted the steps to his house, knowing in his gut what he must do. Shakily he sat down on the couch and picked the phone up off its receiver. His trembling fingers dialed Kurama's number and the ringing of the phone caused his stomach to jump into his throat. "Hello?" came the soft voice on the other end.

Yusuke almost forgot to answer. The voice seemed so…happy. "K-Kurama?" he started. "It's Yusuke.

There was nothing but silence on the other end.