AUTHOR'S RANTS:
Here's some…mush! Or maybe not…but, here's an OOC Kyuzo…ehehehe…yet again!

Thanks to my REVIEWERS!
sara m, Save the Green Planet, NeverLookBackSamurai, jedi spice gissia, not telling.

You don't know how much it means to me to have you guys read my fic. –hugs-

Standard disclaimer applied. I don't own a single shit…-,- not even a dog shit…how can you expect me to own this then? XD

"Nee-san…" Kisako whimpered. "Aren't we there yet?" she continued. Yukiko raised one of her eyebrows. "Are you ok? We've just walked for five minutes and you're asking if we're there yet? Are you mad?" she questioned. "No…I'm not. I'll go mad if we don't rest…" she replied. "Well, we'll rest when we're ALL tired…" she spoke looking at the younger girl. "Plus, it's still early. We have to at least walk a few more hours until we can rest…"

"What!" she gasped rather…loudly – "You're kidding!" – gaining a look from a blonde man, walking from the distance. "No, I'm not." She denied obviously. "If you want to rest then…we'll leave you. That fine with you?" she asked, planting her clutched hands on her hips. "Er…OK!" she said happily, grinning and stopping at her tracks. "What!" Yukiko gasped as well…rather…loudly…making the young man stopped at his tracks as well, finally gazing unemotionally and profusely at the both of them. Yukiko cleared her throat, glanced at Kyuzo with a smile and pulled Kisako away in a corner. "What the hell do you mean? You want to be left alone? Have you really gone MAD?" Kisako whispered to her in an impatient tone. "Well, no. I just want to leave you both alone." She replied. "But—what for?" Yukiko asked raising her eye brow once again. "Oh, nothing…" she lied.

Yukiko took hold on both of her arms and shook her until she talks. "What is it? What are you planning to do?" she asked anxiously, gritting her teeth. "Leave the both of you alone—" Yukiko shook her even more violent, as if shaking her off of her consciousness. "—onee-san—" her voice was shaky. "—stop—shaking—me…" she protested as her head was bobbing to and fro. "No! You're going to stop acting like a child!" she shouted at her madly, only both of them could hear, "I'm not!" she protested. Yukiko let her go. "I just want Kisuke-niisama to end up with someone I know." She murmured. "It's not that easy…" Yukiko muttered, Kisako looked up to her, "d-do you like nii-sama?" she asked with hopeful eyes.

Yukiko bit her lower lip, "I—I…" she started, "…No." she replied looking away. "So, stop this." She continued on. "If you keep acting like this…you'll never grow up…" she muttered. "But…" the younger girl's voice was a bit faint.

Kyuzo stopped at his tracks and stood waiting for the two. What could've happened to those two? He wondered as he watched them through the corners of his eyes. She walked passed by her, "Whatever you're thinking…stop it." She spoke, her head bowed down. "What ever attempt you do, it won't work. No one's going to fall for anyone…" she finished and walked off. Kisako watched her back; she held her elbow with her other hand and bit her lower lip. I'm useless… Onee-san is angry at me… she thought, I just want you two to be together… it was as if she wanted to whimper them out of her mouth…but her strength didn't let her.

She just started walking slowly towards her two companions.

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They have been walking for five hours now. Kisako, even though tired and ready to collapse, didn't complain. She just walked beside Yukiko, as Kyuzo was walking behind them, readying his dual katana, making sure nobody would try and attack them. But, somehow even though he's as ready as a falcon about to catch its prey, his mind kept bothering him about the two girls with him. The thought that somehow, both his companions aren't even talking with each other, it sort of bothered him; it bothered him more that they're silent…it was deafening for him…even though he was used to the calm aura, he felt as though both are not themselves at all.

Could it have been because of what happened before we set off? He wondered.

Yukiko, in a sudden way, stopped at her tracks and turned her head towards Kyuzo. He was rather startled by her hurried action and he halted his steps as soon as he could. Kisako did the same, looking wary, as if wanting to view their faces but can't set herself to do so. "Are you willing to rest, Kisuke-sama?" he flinched unnoticed as he heard her call him by the name. But, even though he tried to be invisible against her observation, Yukiko noticed.

"I'm sorry…" she apologized, bowing low in front of him. Kisako, watching them at her side...

"…" there was a silent reply; he walked off, towards the wood. Yukiko, even though disappointed by it, followed him and took that as a yes.

Nii-sama… Kisako thought with a sad look on her face; she too followed the two after.

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It was already sunset, the sky was as bright as orange, changing its hue to a dark and heavy color, as the moon was shining down on them.

Yukiko walked toward a tree, she took a dagger from under her skirt and started rapping the trunk with it align to her waist up to the highest she can hit. She put the dagger cautiously in front of her mouth and bit it. She climbed up the tree from the first rapped part of the trunk then up to the highest, she took the dagger from her mouth, and rapped the trunk a few more times, put the dagger between her teeth and up she climbed again.

Kisako can't help but wonder. If her 'onee-san's' going to be sleeping up the tree; where is she going to sleep? Plus, what if something happens to her down there? Like, an animal, like a snake, might bite her with its poisonous fangs then she'd be unconscious and she'll die. Or a wolf might prey on her and…

"Are you just going to stay down there?" she heard a voice that interrupted her thoughts of animals about to eat her alive; she looked up, "What? Do you or do you not want to get up here? Weren't you complaining awhile ago that you wanted to rest?" her voice was stern while saying them, but Kisako wasn't hesitant, she climbed the tree as fast as she could. "There…I thought you'd never climb." Yukiko rolled her eyes, as she took hold of Kisako's hand to help her up. Kisako sat properly, holding a fat branch with both her arms.

The tree that Yukiko chose, it was pretty big, fit to be sat on by four people if possible. Its branches were as fat as a normal tree trunk's, and its fruits looked as juicy in comparison to how beautiful the tree stands. People must've taken care of this tree to grow as how it should be. Its leaves and flowers were fully bloomed from every tiniest twig of the larger branches. It wasn't evident because it was really getting dark, but Yukiko could feel it, and smell the flowers that thrive at every branch.

She stood; she scanned the tree's branches, looking for a fruit of some kind. It was rather sad, because she couldn't find one. She noticed one from another tree though, with the help of the moon's light, but it was rather far from where she was standing. But, it wasn't trouble for her, she probably thinks she could reach it if she could only spread her arm to attain what she's grasping for.

She walked slowly towards her left, going straight for it, slowly, carefully…somehow, it felt as though it was very near, very near that she can see it with her own eyes. Was she sure? Or is the dark night just playing games with her? She stepped a few more, still reaching for the fruit, when all of a sudden, she was off balanced. Kisako screamed in horror, while Yukiko gasped, her body falling from up the tree; but she was able to hold a branch. The thing is; that was not the same branch as the tree she was standing on moments ago, the branch was thinner and smaller.

The branch was starting to break; she can hear its scratching as the other end, which was attached to the other tree, was actually making sounds like a paper being torn from the middle. She would feel quite fine, but from where she was hanging and from the ground…it was such a big difference, she was such in a high branch that she wouldn't think of letting go of the thin branch now.

Kisako can't help but stare widened eyes in horror as she was watching her 'sister' from a high tree about to fall down to the ground. She can't help but not worry about her, her eyes crying out tears, calling for her name over and over. "Onee-san!!" she cried out as tears kept flowing.

Kyuzo came running, his dual katana readied out, but he was surprise there weren't any enemy to attack them at all. He was actually standing on the right place where Yukiko was hanging from the branch. He saw Kisako sitting and crying on top of a huge tree, but he didn't see Yukiko anywhere. Where could she be? He wondered helplessly, ignoring the girl crying on the tree. Why is she crying for Yukiko? He thought once again. He put his two katana inside its sheath and looked around for Yukiko.

Yukiko was actually looking down at him, unable to say a thing. She was just speechless as she was holding the branch, breathing heavily.

It was still unknown to him, somehow he felt as though, she was sneaky this time. He can't seem to feel her presence anywhere. Was he getting soft? He wondered. No, that can't be the reason. It can't be the reason. He heard the scratch of the breaking branch on top of him, and a sound of a scream coming on top of him, it was too late when he looked up for she had already fell over on him.

She was now on top of him; she can feel his warm breathing brushing the skin of her face, especially her lips. Her eyes widened and she panicked. She felt as though that was an indirect kiss, even though their lips were still inches away. She didn't move from that spot, she just stared wide eyed, staying in that awkward position, even unable to say a thing. She could also feel her stomach make flips, her heart beating quickly, her breathing getting heavier by the second.

Unable to move; he felt as though, his ribs have broke…his eyes were close, but he felt someone's over his body. Its body was warm, its breathing he can feel over his face, its heart beating rapidly that he can also feel. He opened his eyes hesitantly, his heart beat was also quickening, and he was feeling a bit odd, he felt as though his cheeks were burning…in a way, he doesn't know how to explain.

They both opened their eyes slowly; seeing each others eyes, gleaming in each others pools, both of them gulped, unable to move a muscle.

Kisako watched on top of the huge tree in amazement. There's hope after all…all she needed to do was make them both fall in love with one another. Well, that part is easier, now that both seem to be awkward with each other, now that that little event happened just awhile ago. She thanked the gods; for they weren't as cruel as she thought they would be after all…faith was on her side! Yes! She mentally cheered.

"I'm hungry, onee-san…" Kisako complained playfully on top of the large tree.

Yukiko gulped her second time, and tried to sit up. "Ow!" a gasp of pain came out of her mouth. Kyuzo, even though still feeling a little pain from his chest sat up quickly. "Ow-ow-ow!" she gasped once again, as he was moving from underneath her. "Sorry." He apologized quickly, holding Yukiko by her arms. "Where does it hurt?" he asked her completely serious, evident in his tone of speaking. She was finally sitting right, leaned against Kyuzo's body, him supporting her weight.

Her hand took hold of her right leg, "it hurts here." She said as she turned to face him. But before she could say anything more, she was lost in his red gleaming eyes, staring at her with intense. "I—" she wanted to say something, but the words were caught in a tangle beneath her throat.

She just lean at him for support; such a very close proximity, that they both felt their breaths brushing each others' faces.

"OW!" Yukiko gasped loudly. Kyuzo immediately pulled his hand away, "Sorry." He apologized swiftly. "Mou, don't do that again! It really hurt you know…" she muttered, "sorry." He just repeated, his voice still emotionless.

Yukiko turned to face her foot again, wishing that she can finally walk, and be out of his grasps. It was actually very uncomforting for her, she was never this close to a man before, and not even the King of their village was ever close to hugging her. She sighed, "Aw man…" she thought…loudly.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Yukiko snapped, Oh no! H-he heard me! "I—ah…nothing!" she lied.

"Both of you…are you just going to hug down there 'til morning?" a girl teased from up the tree, her snickering audible from the ground.

A vein popped from her temple, "shut up, you!" Yukiko screamed. The girl's laughing was louder.

All she could do was blush in embarrassment…cussing words in her mind, involving a brat from up the tree.

Kyuzo stood up, he held her by her arms; she let out gasps of pain as he helped her stand up. Once she was finally standing up with her uninjured foot, Kyuzo placed his arm around her thin waist, sending electrical nerves to jump; her face was blushing beet red, and there's no way she can restrain it from coming out of her face. She felt lucky it was dark and nobody would notice her reddened face at all. He place Yukiko's arm over his shoulder, moving her slowly towards the huge tree.

Stopping their tracks in front of the humongous trunk, Yukiko widened her eyes, turning to face up at Kyuzo. "Y-you can't be thinking of going up there…are you?" she asked, her mouth slowly ajar. Kyuzo just stared at her with half closed eyes. "No." he said simply. She scratched her head with her freehand sheepishly and laughed half-heartedly, "Oh, haha, I thought you were thinking of it…gomen." She knocked her head playfully, letting out her tongue, a pink flush on her cheeks.

He slowly put her down to sit beside the tree; him seating beside her. She turned to him abruptly, "er…you're…sleeping with…me?" she asked stammering. "Oh, it's ok, I believe you wouldn't do anything anyway…" she added abruptly, not even waiting for a reply from him.

He putted his sheath in front of him, between his knees, leaned on it and just closed the lids of his eyes, not even caring about what she had just said. "Er…ok, sleep then." She whispered and waited after awhile and her consciousness finally drifted to slumber…unknown to them, Kisako just watched them so diligently and suspiciously, as if concocting something in her mind. The next day would be fun for the two, she assured it would.

- TBC -

Sorry for the looooooooooong wait…T,T I was busy with another fic…ehehehe…but, I'm happy that I've finally finished this chapter! ;p so enjoy! And please don't forget to review :3

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