A Promise Kept

Untitled


Author's Note: Just to let you know, this fic is taking place in the future, so everyone is in High School now. Just starting actually.

Author's Note 2: Sections in bold italics are flashbacks and/or dreams


A Promise Kept
- Chapter One -

He felt comfortable, despite the fact that he was injured, and the dark-haired boy nuzzled deeper into the soothing hand that was gently caressing his face. The lap which cushioned his head was warm and he couldn't help but sigh in contentment as a pleasant scent invaded his nostrils.

"You smell good." he murmured, almost lost in the haze of oblivious sleep.

"I thought you said you couldn't stand my scent?" a soft, feminine voice asked curiously.

"Keh...I lied."

~*~

"Yusuke? Yusuke wake up, please?" Keiko spoke to the boy who's head she cradled in her lap. Worriedly she stroked his cheek before looking up at the others who were crowded around them. Her eyes locked with a pair of emerald green ones that were filled with concern.

"Keiko." Kurama knelt beside the girl. "It'll be alright. Yusuke is much too hard-headed to be kept down for long."

As if to prove Kurama right, Yusuke groaned slightly as his eyes slowly fluttered open.

"See?" Kurama said, smiling at the obviously relieved Keiko.

~*~

He floated beneath the realm of the unconscious, familiar vs drs drawing him ever closer to the surface of wakefulness. A soft, female voice, somewhat muffled, called out to him, beckoning him and he groaned in response. Still caught up in the pleasant sensation of having his head cradled in her soft lap, he nuzzled deeper and sighed.

"Ka-gome."

With a sharp gasp, the softness supporting his head vanished. His head connected with unyeilding stone, the impact jarring him fully awake. He winced, rising up to a sitting position and rubbed the back of his aching head with one hand.

"Ouch." Yusuke muttered, then looked up from his seat on the ground to find Hiei, Kurama and Kuwabara looking at him, their faces wearing varying expressions.

Hiei's was stoic, but it also held a hint of surprise as one of his brows was raised slightly. Kurama's face was filled with concern as well as a hint of confusion while Kuwabara just looked mad. Wait a minute, what did he have to be mad about? And just where were Keiko and Botan? He noticed Kurama's eyes glance over to the right and Yusuke turned to see Botan following a fuming Keiko's retreating back. Scrambling up to go after the two girls, Yusuke was suddenly confronted with the brunt of Kuwabara's fury.

"What's your problem, Urameshi?! Are you cheatin' on Keiko or something? Who is this Kagome chick anyway?"

"Shut up, Kuwabara!" Yusuke shoved past his red-faced friend, ignoring his words as he continued to chase after Keiko.

"Keiko! Hey Keiko, wait up!" Yusuke called, but to no avail. Keiko simply kept her pace up as she walked away from him, followed closely by Botan.

Suddenly Yusuke grew annoyed, the words slipping from his lips before he realized it. "Oi, wench!"

Keiko and Botan both froze in there tracks and there were collective gasps from the vicinity of the other three Renkai Tentai members. By now Yusuke had reached Keiko.....just in time for her to spin abruptly around, her arm following through with the motion allowing her open palm to make contact with Yusuke's cheek.

Slap!

As always, the force of one of Keiko's slaps knocked Yusuke flat. The young brunette then bestowed her fiercest glare at the downed young man. "Jerk!"

"Ow..." Yusuke said, rubbing his reddening cheek gingerly.

Keiko turned away slightly as tears welled up in her eyes. "Just....just leave me alone, Yusuke." And with that, she fled the temple, followed closely by Botan.

Yusuke sat on the ground, a bewildered look on his face. "What the hell was that for?!" he asked as he climbed to his feet again. In an instant Kuwabara was at his side, glaring at him. Yusuke stepped back, glancing at Kurama and Hiei, who both were glaring at him as well.

"Hey, what's with all the glaring? You guys are beginning to creep me out."

"Well Yusuke, it is rather unwise to utter one girl's name while you are laying in another's lap." Kurama spoke softly. "Or call her 'wench' for that matter."

"What?! What the hell are you talking about, Kurama? I haven't done either of those things!"

Kurama blinked.

Kuwbara gaped.

Hiei continued staring stoicly, eyebrow raised slightly.

"Are you saying you don't remember saying either of those things?" Kurama asked, recovering a second later.

"Are you saying I did say those things?" Yusuke countered, glaring back at the kitsune.

"Actually...yes, yes I am."

"Dammit Urameshi, quit messing around and just admit it! You're cheating on Keiko, aren't you!" Kuwabara bellowed, stepping forward with clenched fists.

"Whoa! Hold on a minute, Kuwabara!" Yusuke tried to placate his friend. "I"m not cheating on Keiko, alright?"

"Then why did you just call Keiko a wench, huh? And who the hell is this Kagome chick?!" Kuwabara shot back.

"I don't know anybody named Kagome. And I'd never call Keiko that!"

"Well, you just did!!"

With each retort, the two childhood rivals moved closer to one another until Kurama stepped between them, placing a hand on each young man's chest. "I believe we should look at this from a rational point of view." the Kitsune spoke, looking from Kuwabara to Yusuke. "You say you don't remember calling out a girl's name, nor calling Keiko a wench?"

Yusuke nodded.

"And yet, we heard you plainly. Hmm, this is strange."

"No shit, Sherlock. What was your first clue?" Yusuke's sarcastic reply took Kurama by surprise. His friend had never really spoke to him in such a way before. Something was definitely wrong.

Yusuke shook his head slightly, as if to clear it, before looking back at Kurama. "Maybe I should go talk to her." the youth muttered glumly.

"It would seem unwise to do that, Yusuke, seeing as how she just told you to leave her alone."

As bad as he hated to admit it, Kurama was right. Damn it. He needed to give Keiko time to cool down and forgive him for....well, basically for something he didn't remember doing.

"Hn. I for one have had quite enough of this spectacle. Do as you wish, but I shall not remain here longer than is needed."

"Well, go on you little runt. Ain't like we needed you here in the first place!" Kuwabara threw a glare in the fire demon's direction, then blinked when he realized there was nobody there.
"Damn it, I hate that guy!"

~*~

The blue-haired ferry girl walked quietly beside her friend, not really knowing what to do or say. Casting a glance every so often in the brunette's direction, Botan sighed. She had never really been in this situation herself, having yet to find any certain guy who interested her in that way. Though, Botan thought, I can definitely understand Keiko's reason for being upset. If she'd been in Keiko's place, she would have let Yusuke have it too.

They continued to walk through the forest, away from the shrine in silence. The birds had begun singing again once the battle had resided and the peace had been restored. A gentle breeze blowed through the trees, drying the tears that were trailing down Keiko's pale cheeks. At last, when Botan began to wonder if they would walk all the way back to civilization in silence, Keiko spoke.

"Why, Botan?" Keiko cast a tear-filled glance at--in her opinion--one of her closest female friends. "Why would he do this to me?"

"Keiko..." Botan trailed off, not finding the words needed to assure her heartbroken friend.

"I mean..." Keiko continued, facing forward again as she trudged on. "He's never called me anything like that before. Even when I've slapped him he's never called me a..." Botan noticed the slight flinch Keiko gave, as if she'd been struck by the very memory of Yusuke's words.

"And just who is 'Kagome' anyway!? Botan, I don't understand!"

At this, Keiko finally broke down, prompting Botan to draw the sobbing girl into a gentle hug. They remained that way for some time, until Keiko's tears had receeded and her sniffling had stopped. With reddened eyes, she looked back to her friend solomnly, moving Botan to find the words she felt would put her friend's mind at ease.

"Oh Keiko, I'm sure Yusuke didn't mean anything by what he said. I mean, he had just been blasted across the room by a pretty good burst of spirit energy. And despite popular belief, Yusuke's head is not made of wood."

The last line succeeded in its purpose and drew a small giggle from the other girl and Botan smiled.

"Now, dry those eyes and let's get you home. I'm sure Yusuke will be itching to apologize to you in the morning at school."

A deep sigh and a nod later, Keiko and Botan were once again moving through the forest and toward civilization.

~*~

That night.....

Yusuke Urameshi exited the bathroom, having finished bathing the dirt and grime from the day's battle at the shrine from his skin and hair. Dressed in his normal light blue pajamas, the young Spirit Detective padded barefoot down the cold hardwood floor of the hallway to his bedroom.

Once there, he set his alarm clock for 6 a.m. It was the first day of High School tomorrow and he didn't want to be late. Not because he wanted to make a good impression, no. He wanted to be there first thing so that he could apologize to Keiko for saying something that he still couldn't remember saying. Sighing exasperately, Yusuke climbed into bed and pulled the covers high. A few short moments after laying his weary head down, he drifted off into a deep slumber.

~*~

The wind drifted gently through the branches of the tree in which the young man sat, deep in thought.

"So...she is dead." He muttered to himself, sounding tragically sad.

From out of nowhere, an object flew through the air, aimed directly at the perched young man's back. Without caring to look, he reached behind him, catching the object deftly. Bringing it around, he examined the object--a pear--with puzzlement. From below, a young woman carrying a bag of food approached the tree.

"I'll give you that one." She called up to him.

"What's up with all that food?" Suspicion filled the young man's voice as he replied.

"The villagers gave them to me." She explained. "Come down here. Let's share it!"

They sat together at the base of the tree, the young woman munching contentedly on the pear as the young man crouched, studying her in suspicion.

"What are you scheming, you witche ase asked suddenly.

"Nothing. It's just that... you don't like me much, do you?" She asked.

"You make me sick!" He practically screamed.

"Hey you..." she replies, offended. "The one you hate isn't me but that woman, Kikyou."

"Feh!"

"I am Kagome! Not Kikyou! Can't we at least be a little friendly with each other?" She pleaded, looking to her left...only to find that he'd abandoned his post. Looking up, she spied him back in his tree, back to her as he lay on the branch.

"Feh! Are you stupid? I could care less whoever you are, so long as I get my hands on that jewel!" He passionately retorted.

"Ah, is that so?" the girl's voice shot back. "But no matter how strong you are, all I have to do is say 'osuw-'

~*~

Yusuke awakened with a start and quickly experienced the most awful sense of imbalance as he felt himself tip precariously sideways. Then came the steely grip as a hand suddenly wrapped around his upper arm as he was steadied back on his -- tree limb?

"Whoa!!" Yusuke shouted, his eyes widening comically as the sleep-induced fog lifted from his mind and he realized just where he was.

Looking up, his astonished gaze connected with a pair of bright red eyes.

"Gah!!" Startled, Yusuke flailed again as he lost his balance. Once more the strong grip steadied him.

"H-Hiei!?"

"Hn. Why did you bother getting up here, if you're only going to fall out?" Hiei shook his head in slight disgust. "Baka." he muttered.

After calming his nerves somewhat, Yusuke looked around and found that he was in the tree outside of his bedroom window. How did I get here?! He thought. Looking up with disbelief at the fire demon standing beside him on the tree branch he was now perched upon, Yusuke did the only thing the situation called for.

He freaked.

~*~

Buffybot76: I'll have to warn you that due to the excessive amount of other fics I have going it may take me awhile between updates. I have one more chapter already written out and that is it. But don't worry, I do plan on finishing all of my fics. In fact, I - *is rudely interrupted by an irate Spirit Detective*

Yusuke: Hey! What's the big idea sticking me up in a tree?! What are you trying to do, kill me?!

Buffybot76: *feigns innocent expression* Would I do that to you?

Inuyasha: Keh! Hell yeah. Look what you did to me!

Buffybot76: *sighs* I explained that last chapter. Plot forced me to do it. Pay attention! It's not like I wanted you to die! And like I said, you will be coming back...sort of.

Inuyasha: *snorts* Yeah, in this baka's dreams or when he's knocked unconscious!

Yusuke: *glares at Inu* Shut up! *turns to author* And what's the big idea? Making me have dreams about mutt-boy, here?! *points at Inu*

Inuyasha: *growls* Oh, that's it! *leaps for Yusuke*

Kagome: *walks in, quickly observes the situation and - * SIT!

Inuyasha: THUMP OW!

Yusuke: *laughs insanely down at the subdued hanyou* Oh man, that was PRICELESS! *calms down from laughing fit* *glares at author* Now back to business. You didn't answer me before. What's the deal with me waking up in a tree? I could've broken my neck!

Keiko: *hmphs* It's a shame you didn't. Call me a wench? Yusuke, you jerk! How could you?!

Yusuke: *gapes at Keiko* But I already told you I didn't!

Kurama: *coughs politely* Actually Yusuke, you did. We all heard you.

Kuwabara, Hiei and Botan: *all nod in agreement*

Keiko: *tearful voice* Yusuke...I don't think I want to see you anymore.

Yusuke: But you don't...But I didn't....You can't....I ....Argh! *looks at author* WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!

Buffybot76: *gives mysterious smirk* You'll see.... *turns back to readers* Anyway.. I hope you guys liked this chapter, and I know it's probably only gotten more confusing, or maybe some of you figured out what's going on already, I don't know. Either way, I hope you enjoyed it and let me know if you liked it or not.

Yusuke: For Pete's sake, review so I can find out what the hell is going on, people!!!

~*~