A Snag in Love
By: Amethyst Tiger
Chapter: 1
Keiko Yukimura paced back and forth in front of Genkai's temple. The old woman who owned it
sat on the temple steps, quietly sipping tea and watching the aggravated girl. Keiko had come a few hours
ago, asking where Yusuke had run off to this time. Genkai had refused to lie to her and told her that he
had gone off to the Makai to train. Keiko had not taken well to this and Genkai did not blame her. Yusuke
had a habit running off without telling anyone, but lately he had been doing it more and leaving for longer
periods of time, despite his promise to stay around more.
Genkai looked up as Yukina appeared by her side. The koorime girl looked worried.
"How is she?" She asked softly.
"Hm…she won't stop pacing. She's very angry, and rightfully so. Yusuke is being more of an
inconsiderate dimwit than usual." Yukina nodded in agreement. Yusuke was her friend, but he really
wasn't being fair to Keiko.
"I spoke to Kurama only a few minutes ago. He said he and Hiei would go to the Makai to find Yusuke."
Now the girl sat down next to the woman and wrapped her arms around herself.
Genkai noticed something in Yukina's voice when she spoke of Hiei. The fire-demon still refused
to tell her that he was the long lost brother that she had been searching for, but Yukina was smart.
"You know." Genkai said simply. She did not look at the one whom she spoke to, but merely sipped her
tea and watched Keiko. The koorime girl nodded.
"Yes…I know. And I understand why he does not wish to tell me about our relation, but it's sort of hard to
miss. I can feel something inside my heart when he is around. I know when he watches me, looks over
me…he protects me." Genkai nodded silently. She was happy for Yukina. The girl had been so sad not
knowing the whereabouts of her twin, but since she had found out, well, the sadness that had shone so
obviously in her ruby eyes was not as evident.
"Will you tell him that you know?" She smiled sadly and gently shook her head. Suddenly, a shimmer
caught Genkai's old, yet keen eyes. She watched as two tears fell from Yukina's pale cheeks and
transformed into sparkling gems at their feet. The old woman patted the koorime's knee. "No need for
crying Yukina. You must trust that the love and the bond which the two of you share, will not fail to bring
you together in the future." And with that, Yukina's tears ceased and Genkai picked up the gems and held
them in her palm. A small burst of ki enveloped them, and they disintegrated.
They looked back simultaneously at Keiko who was still pacing. Genkai imagined that she would
continue her merciless assault on the ground all night if she had too. No sort of coaxing would ever
convince her to do otherwise. She sighed. Yusuke was in for it this time. For someone with an explosive
temper like Keiko, she was actually pretty patient and understanding of Yusuke. She knew well enough
that Yusuke had become a youkai and thereby had a need to train, challenge his own abilities. He wanted
to be stronger and to be with other demons. Keiko knew and understood all of this. She had told him so,
but Yusuke was taking advantage of it and she could no longer contain her temper
Genkai looked up abruptly.
"They're back." Yukina also looked up from her folded hands.
"What?" Then she saw them in the distance. The shadows of night were masking them well, but their
figures were silhouetted by the moonlight, which shone brightly above them. There were three of them.
Kurama's long, flowing hair easily identified him, and Hiei's spiky hair was just as betraying. Yusuke
walked in the middle of them. His hair was lacking its usual slicked back style and looked like it could
stand a tango with a hairbrush sometime in the near future.
Keiko stopped as she too, saw them descending the temple steps. Her arms were folded at her
waist and she stood perfectly erect. She did not move, nor did she blink. Even when Yusuke left Kurama
and Hiei's side and approached her steadily, she only stared him. Silence was present for quite some time
before Yusuke placed a hand on her arm.
"Are you ok?" He asked gently. "Kurama and Hiei came and got me. They said that there was a problem,
but everything looks alri-"
"A problem? Yes Yusuke, I'd say there was a problem." Keiko's voice cut him off as she took a step back
in order to escape from his touch. Yusuke looked somewhat confused.
"Why? What's the matter?" Her eyes flashed.
"You, Yusuke Urameshi, are the problem!" Now Yusuke was more surprised than anything else.
"Me? What did I do?" Keiko shook her head.
"Everything!"
"I don-"
"Your doing everything! You disappeared last month with no explanation what so ever! I completely
understand that…if it's Reikai business, but Yusuke, you don't just run off because Koenma happens to
send you on a mission! No! You run off because you want to go visit the Makai and train and fight and who
knows what else! Business is one thing, but going off for your own pleasure and leaving me here to worry
about you, is another! How could you do this to me Yusuke?"
The boy was shocked at her sudden outburst. For a while, all he could do was open and close his
jaw. Finally he found the words to speak.
"Keiko, I can explain."
"Oh, is that so? Ok, explain Yusuke. Explain to me why you keep disappearing without my knowing.
Explain to me why, when you do this, you do it just for the hell of it. Explain to me why you don't seem to
give a damn about how I feel about all of this!"
Keiko was screaming at him now, her voice echoed everywhere and none of them had ever heard
her this angry before. Kurama and Hiei moved over to where Genkai sat next to Yukina. The ice maiden
grabbed for Genkai's hand, as she did not like the argument that was taking place. Kurama watched this
with his usual calm expression and Hiei with is usual stoic one.
"Keiko is right though." Kurama said softly. Hiei nodded.
"Yes." He agreed. Yusuke was just being irresponsible and now was paying the consequences for it. The
couple fought all the time, however, none of them had ever heard Keiko so very serious and enraged.
"I think you're blowing this out proportion." Came Yusuke's sudden reply. He had gathered his wits now
and was no longer caught off guard. Keiko's eyebrows raised at this comment. She narrowed her eyes at
him, an expression practically daring him to say more. Yusuke, not being one to back down from a
challenge, did.
"Keiko, I'm sorry you feel this way, but, damn, what do you want me to do? Stop training? I'm not perfect
and my life doesn't revolve around you!" Suddenly, the sound of a slap echoed through the air. Yusuke put
a hand to his offended cheek.
"What the hell was that for!?" Keiko glared at him.
"For being a self centered bastard! I NEVER asked you to be perfect! I NEVER asked you to stop training,
or to let your world revolve around me! I just wanted you to, oh, I don't know… maybe stick around long
enough for me to ask you about invitations, seating, food! We have a frickin' wedding in three months
Yusuke! Three! What don't you understand about that?"
Yusuke stared at her, once again at a loss for words. He glanced then, at the engagement ring on
her finger. He had given it to her last year. He'd nearly forgotten about it. His thoughts took a sudden jolt
as he realized that he had forgotten about his own wedding. Perhaps, maybe, he had been spending a
little too much time in the Makai. An idea came to him and he couldn't help a small smile.
"Keiko…listen, maybe you're right." She looked at him and her expression shifted to one of surprise.
"I am?" Yusuke nodded.
"Yeah, but I have a solution to our problem."
"You do?" He nodded.
"Why don't we have the wedding in the Makai? Hell, why don't we start our life there? Technically, I'm still
the heir of Raizen's territory. I'll just take it over and we can live together there."
All was silent, and Keiko just looked at him blankly for a moment.
"Yusuke. We can't have the wedding in the Makai. We can't live in the Makai." Her tone was calm and
very to the point. The human turned youkai, blinked.
"Why?" Came the question. Little did he know that such a seemingly insignificant three-letter word could
cause such a horrible out-burst. "
Why? Yusuke, this is what I've been talking about! You haven't been around long enough to even pay
attention to what's been going on. My father suffered a stroke two weeks ago. He's in the hospital. Mother
is going through an emotional break down and it's all I can do to get her to eat! Also, what about college? I
didn't graduate at the top of my class, and go to one of the best universities around, to forget all of my
dreams and plans for the future, so I can go and be widely known as 'The Great Urameshi's Wife'! I mean
how in the hell would I explain all of that to my family? My God Yusuke, I don't understand how you can be
so clueless! All you care about anymore is training, and screwing around in the world next door! Wake up,
because you were human before you were demon, and your life is HERE!"
Yusuke's fists clenched at his sides. He was nearly shaking with rage and the words that tumbled
out of his mouth did not fail to surprise him, as well as everyone else.
"Then maybe it shouldn't be." He said, and he immediately regretted it, but was too proud to take it back.
Keiko looked as though someone had just pulled the heart from her very chest.
"I…I mean…you…" Words fell clumsily from her mouth. She looked at his eyes, which were still holding
anger and then at the ground. Suddenly, she looked up at him and then down at her hand. Quietly, she
slipped the ring from her finger and held it up at eye level.
"Very well. This belongs to you now." Yusuke stared at the glimmering object that she held in her slim
fingers. Keiko's eyes told him that he could have a second chance, if he refused it, but…what if they
ended up spending the rest of their lives like this? Arguing all the time, what if eventually, they stopped
loving one another? Slowly, he reached up, and took the ring from her fingers. Keiko swallowed hard and
nodded. Unshed tears glistened in her eyes as she took one last look at him, before she walked passed
him, and down the temple steps, not even sparing a glance back at her former fiancé.
Yusuke suddenly, turned and began walking away as well.
"Yusuke, wait!" Kurama called after his friend, but the boy did not respond. He merely disappeared into
the dark forest that surrounded Genkai's temple. The kitsune started after him, but stopped when he felt a
stern grip on his for-arm. He looked back at Hiei, who's red eyes spoke volumes that only he could read.
Kurama nodded. They looked back then at Genkai and at Yukina. Genkai wore her usual expression,
though her brow was slightly wrinkled in worry. Yukina pulled a handkerchief from her kimono and dabbed
at her eyes. However, this could not stop the tears from falling once again. She looked to the two demons,
but focused mainly on Hiei.
"What…will happen now?" She managed to whisper between her soft sobs. The fire demon smiled
slightly, showing as much sympathy for his dear sister as he dared.
"It's up to them." He answered. And as though the heavens had felt the tragedy that had just taken place,
it started to rain.
By: Amethyst Tiger
Chapter: 1
Keiko Yukimura paced back and forth in front of Genkai's temple. The old woman who owned it
sat on the temple steps, quietly sipping tea and watching the aggravated girl. Keiko had come a few hours
ago, asking where Yusuke had run off to this time. Genkai had refused to lie to her and told her that he
had gone off to the Makai to train. Keiko had not taken well to this and Genkai did not blame her. Yusuke
had a habit running off without telling anyone, but lately he had been doing it more and leaving for longer
periods of time, despite his promise to stay around more.
Genkai looked up as Yukina appeared by her side. The koorime girl looked worried.
"How is she?" She asked softly.
"Hm…she won't stop pacing. She's very angry, and rightfully so. Yusuke is being more of an
inconsiderate dimwit than usual." Yukina nodded in agreement. Yusuke was her friend, but he really
wasn't being fair to Keiko.
"I spoke to Kurama only a few minutes ago. He said he and Hiei would go to the Makai to find Yusuke."
Now the girl sat down next to the woman and wrapped her arms around herself.
Genkai noticed something in Yukina's voice when she spoke of Hiei. The fire-demon still refused
to tell her that he was the long lost brother that she had been searching for, but Yukina was smart.
"You know." Genkai said simply. She did not look at the one whom she spoke to, but merely sipped her
tea and watched Keiko. The koorime girl nodded.
"Yes…I know. And I understand why he does not wish to tell me about our relation, but it's sort of hard to
miss. I can feel something inside my heart when he is around. I know when he watches me, looks over
me…he protects me." Genkai nodded silently. She was happy for Yukina. The girl had been so sad not
knowing the whereabouts of her twin, but since she had found out, well, the sadness that had shone so
obviously in her ruby eyes was not as evident.
"Will you tell him that you know?" She smiled sadly and gently shook her head. Suddenly, a shimmer
caught Genkai's old, yet keen eyes. She watched as two tears fell from Yukina's pale cheeks and
transformed into sparkling gems at their feet. The old woman patted the koorime's knee. "No need for
crying Yukina. You must trust that the love and the bond which the two of you share, will not fail to bring
you together in the future." And with that, Yukina's tears ceased and Genkai picked up the gems and held
them in her palm. A small burst of ki enveloped them, and they disintegrated.
They looked back simultaneously at Keiko who was still pacing. Genkai imagined that she would
continue her merciless assault on the ground all night if she had too. No sort of coaxing would ever
convince her to do otherwise. She sighed. Yusuke was in for it this time. For someone with an explosive
temper like Keiko, she was actually pretty patient and understanding of Yusuke. She knew well enough
that Yusuke had become a youkai and thereby had a need to train, challenge his own abilities. He wanted
to be stronger and to be with other demons. Keiko knew and understood all of this. She had told him so,
but Yusuke was taking advantage of it and she could no longer contain her temper
Genkai looked up abruptly.
"They're back." Yukina also looked up from her folded hands.
"What?" Then she saw them in the distance. The shadows of night were masking them well, but their
figures were silhouetted by the moonlight, which shone brightly above them. There were three of them.
Kurama's long, flowing hair easily identified him, and Hiei's spiky hair was just as betraying. Yusuke
walked in the middle of them. His hair was lacking its usual slicked back style and looked like it could
stand a tango with a hairbrush sometime in the near future.
Keiko stopped as she too, saw them descending the temple steps. Her arms were folded at her
waist and she stood perfectly erect. She did not move, nor did she blink. Even when Yusuke left Kurama
and Hiei's side and approached her steadily, she only stared him. Silence was present for quite some time
before Yusuke placed a hand on her arm.
"Are you ok?" He asked gently. "Kurama and Hiei came and got me. They said that there was a problem,
but everything looks alri-"
"A problem? Yes Yusuke, I'd say there was a problem." Keiko's voice cut him off as she took a step back
in order to escape from his touch. Yusuke looked somewhat confused.
"Why? What's the matter?" Her eyes flashed.
"You, Yusuke Urameshi, are the problem!" Now Yusuke was more surprised than anything else.
"Me? What did I do?" Keiko shook her head.
"Everything!"
"I don-"
"Your doing everything! You disappeared last month with no explanation what so ever! I completely
understand that…if it's Reikai business, but Yusuke, you don't just run off because Koenma happens to
send you on a mission! No! You run off because you want to go visit the Makai and train and fight and who
knows what else! Business is one thing, but going off for your own pleasure and leaving me here to worry
about you, is another! How could you do this to me Yusuke?"
The boy was shocked at her sudden outburst. For a while, all he could do was open and close his
jaw. Finally he found the words to speak.
"Keiko, I can explain."
"Oh, is that so? Ok, explain Yusuke. Explain to me why you keep disappearing without my knowing.
Explain to me why, when you do this, you do it just for the hell of it. Explain to me why you don't seem to
give a damn about how I feel about all of this!"
Keiko was screaming at him now, her voice echoed everywhere and none of them had ever heard
her this angry before. Kurama and Hiei moved over to where Genkai sat next to Yukina. The ice maiden
grabbed for Genkai's hand, as she did not like the argument that was taking place. Kurama watched this
with his usual calm expression and Hiei with is usual stoic one.
"Keiko is right though." Kurama said softly. Hiei nodded.
"Yes." He agreed. Yusuke was just being irresponsible and now was paying the consequences for it. The
couple fought all the time, however, none of them had ever heard Keiko so very serious and enraged.
"I think you're blowing this out proportion." Came Yusuke's sudden reply. He had gathered his wits now
and was no longer caught off guard. Keiko's eyebrows raised at this comment. She narrowed her eyes at
him, an expression practically daring him to say more. Yusuke, not being one to back down from a
challenge, did.
"Keiko, I'm sorry you feel this way, but, damn, what do you want me to do? Stop training? I'm not perfect
and my life doesn't revolve around you!" Suddenly, the sound of a slap echoed through the air. Yusuke put
a hand to his offended cheek.
"What the hell was that for!?" Keiko glared at him.
"For being a self centered bastard! I NEVER asked you to be perfect! I NEVER asked you to stop training,
or to let your world revolve around me! I just wanted you to, oh, I don't know… maybe stick around long
enough for me to ask you about invitations, seating, food! We have a frickin' wedding in three months
Yusuke! Three! What don't you understand about that?"
Yusuke stared at her, once again at a loss for words. He glanced then, at the engagement ring on
her finger. He had given it to her last year. He'd nearly forgotten about it. His thoughts took a sudden jolt
as he realized that he had forgotten about his own wedding. Perhaps, maybe, he had been spending a
little too much time in the Makai. An idea came to him and he couldn't help a small smile.
"Keiko…listen, maybe you're right." She looked at him and her expression shifted to one of surprise.
"I am?" Yusuke nodded.
"Yeah, but I have a solution to our problem."
"You do?" He nodded.
"Why don't we have the wedding in the Makai? Hell, why don't we start our life there? Technically, I'm still
the heir of Raizen's territory. I'll just take it over and we can live together there."
All was silent, and Keiko just looked at him blankly for a moment.
"Yusuke. We can't have the wedding in the Makai. We can't live in the Makai." Her tone was calm and
very to the point. The human turned youkai, blinked.
"Why?" Came the question. Little did he know that such a seemingly insignificant three-letter word could
cause such a horrible out-burst. "
Why? Yusuke, this is what I've been talking about! You haven't been around long enough to even pay
attention to what's been going on. My father suffered a stroke two weeks ago. He's in the hospital. Mother
is going through an emotional break down and it's all I can do to get her to eat! Also, what about college? I
didn't graduate at the top of my class, and go to one of the best universities around, to forget all of my
dreams and plans for the future, so I can go and be widely known as 'The Great Urameshi's Wife'! I mean
how in the hell would I explain all of that to my family? My God Yusuke, I don't understand how you can be
so clueless! All you care about anymore is training, and screwing around in the world next door! Wake up,
because you were human before you were demon, and your life is HERE!"
Yusuke's fists clenched at his sides. He was nearly shaking with rage and the words that tumbled
out of his mouth did not fail to surprise him, as well as everyone else.
"Then maybe it shouldn't be." He said, and he immediately regretted it, but was too proud to take it back.
Keiko looked as though someone had just pulled the heart from her very chest.
"I…I mean…you…" Words fell clumsily from her mouth. She looked at his eyes, which were still holding
anger and then at the ground. Suddenly, she looked up at him and then down at her hand. Quietly, she
slipped the ring from her finger and held it up at eye level.
"Very well. This belongs to you now." Yusuke stared at the glimmering object that she held in her slim
fingers. Keiko's eyes told him that he could have a second chance, if he refused it, but…what if they
ended up spending the rest of their lives like this? Arguing all the time, what if eventually, they stopped
loving one another? Slowly, he reached up, and took the ring from her fingers. Keiko swallowed hard and
nodded. Unshed tears glistened in her eyes as she took one last look at him, before she walked passed
him, and down the temple steps, not even sparing a glance back at her former fiancé.
Yusuke suddenly, turned and began walking away as well.
"Yusuke, wait!" Kurama called after his friend, but the boy did not respond. He merely disappeared into
the dark forest that surrounded Genkai's temple. The kitsune started after him, but stopped when he felt a
stern grip on his for-arm. He looked back at Hiei, who's red eyes spoke volumes that only he could read.
Kurama nodded. They looked back then at Genkai and at Yukina. Genkai wore her usual expression,
though her brow was slightly wrinkled in worry. Yukina pulled a handkerchief from her kimono and dabbed
at her eyes. However, this could not stop the tears from falling once again. She looked to the two demons,
but focused mainly on Hiei.
"What…will happen now?" She managed to whisper between her soft sobs. The fire demon smiled
slightly, showing as much sympathy for his dear sister as he dared.
"It's up to them." He answered. And as though the heavens had felt the tragedy that had just taken place,
it started to rain.