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Yusuke slammed his fist in the wall, and the sheet rock and plaster crumbled around his knuckles. "Dammit," he spat, hand lighting up in pain. Moisture trickled down his temple and when he hesitantly touched the raw spot on his head, his fingertips came back with blood.

His mother would bitch about the hole in the wall, no doubt. Well he really didn't fucking care. She could extort the money outta somebody, anyways. He was sick of her shit, of the drinking binges and the mess. She had done better after he had his accident and that whole ordeal, but months had passed and she mostly lounged on her futon in the living room, day after day after day. And she bitched at him for gambling!

He sprawled back on his mattress. Because of Atsuko's connections, her 'friends', he had ended up with a black eye, torn up hands and a busted knuckle. Some asshole had barged into their apartment and slapped Atsuko; he must not have known about Yusuke, or not known that he was home, because the invader received a heavy blow to the side of his head, and then the fight started.

Yusuke was only fifteen verses an adult man, but the loud smack and the sight of Atsuko's stricken face roused so much anger that Yusuke didn't think twice, didn't realize he had even moved until he was beating his face in.

With Atsuko screaming, Yusuke broke his nose but the thug got in some blows to Yusuke's eye and ribs, which only brought more wrath from the pit of anger, hate, and rebellion that swarmed inside him always. After lots of cursing and yelling Yusuke tossed his sorry ass out the door. Yusuke wanted to beat him unconscious, but his mother forced him back in the house.

Atsuko tried to hug him, she wiped the blood off his face in an almost worshipful manner, but he broke free of her grasp. Now she wanted to be the adoring mother. Such bullshit. The cloying smell of roses and sake bothered him. He told her 'don't hang around that piece of shit again, or ever!'

Yusuke studied the dots on the ceiling. Warm humid air poured in from his open window, the sounds of traffic a dull roar in the background. Golden sunlight's rays shined past the windowsill and lit up the dust particles in the air, like fairy dust among all the trash.

Maybe his mom would forgive him about the hole in the wall, at least for today, but she had disappeared from the apartment around noon and wouldn't be back till later. Yusuke yearned for an assignment from Koenma; screw his minor injuries he wanted to feel the pinprick of energy in his fingertips, he wanted to swing, he wanted to fight.

A soft knock at his door interrupted his thoughts.

Keiko creeped in, clad in her navy and yellow uniform, hazel eyes wide and innocent as always, like doe's. She must have let herself in with her key, he thought.

He hadn't been to school today, and she opened her mouth to berate him for it before shutting her lips. With his bloody head, black eye and the set scowl on his face, she realized his foul mood. "Yusuke, what happened?"

Yusuke sighed. His anger and dissolution with the world simmered just under his skin, but he didn't want a confrontation with Keiko, not now. "Bullshit. It's nothing."

Concern heavy on her features, she set her books on his desk and eased herself down on his bed beside him. He didn't flinch as she gingerly touched the dry blood, one clump of his dark hair sticky with it. She held the side of his face in her gentle hands. "Oh Yusuke…you might need stitches."

He scoffed. "Whatever. I bet that bastard needed stitches."

"Who?"

"Some low life my mom knew. Came in 'an smacked her."

Keiko's lips pressed into a stern line. She shook her head. "That's awful." She didn't ask questions. She knew Atsuko.

She cupped his face in her hands, checking for injury, and with their close proximity Yusuke noticed the tiny flecks of green in her eyes, barely there, and only if you leaned close enough. Her eyelashes were brown, but thick and long.

Ever since the saint beast mission feelings had shifted between them; her friendship remained a sturdy influence in his life, but now he noticed her beauty more and more, as if almost losing her made her light shine all the brighter in his eyes. His dreams featured her face, sometimes an average dream with them at school and whatnot, but sometimes he dreamed of her pretty face and body and he was embarrassed but it happened repeatedly. The making out they had started doing lately probably didn't ease any of his tension...

She licked her fingertips and rubbed the dry blood from his temple and the side of his face. With that gesture he noticed her lips shined with a hint of gloss. When had she started doing that? "Maybe not…looks mostly dry now," she whispered. "You still need first aid."

Keiko's presence had morphed his anger into something else; all he wanted was to press his lips against her soft, pink mouth. He studied the pale skin of her neck, the spot where a week or so ago he had peppered with kisses, and sucked on her skin. He noticed the red blood blister on her neck. "You still got that hickey, y'know."

Keiko blushed hotly. She glared into his face. "I know. Thank you."

Yusuke broke out into a grin. He leaned forward as if to kiss her, but paused at her lips, their noses touching. "Mom's not home."

A thrill zinged up Keiko's spine. "Ok."

All the assent he needed. The scent of her lavender shampoo enveloped him as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. He caught a glance at her beautiful face, blushing, before he covered her mouth in a kiss. She sighed against him, molding herself into his embrace.

He caught her bottom lip between his teeth, and Keiko moaned into the kiss. She opened her mouth as they knocked teeth, and she slid her tongue into his mouth.

That really set him on fire; he knew, and only he knew, that Keiko was more naughty than she realized and he loved it.

His day was looking up. He had only needed a dose of Keiko, his girlfriend, his love, and all the fun things they had learned to do together.

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