Sand
Title: Sand
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho
Author: magicdragonomg
Rating: G
Characters: Keiko; Yusuke to an extent...KeikoxYusuke implied.
Summary: Oneshot/drabble. "The words felt like grains of sand ebbing away into the ocean, drifting away into lost tides: 'And when I come back, we'll get married'." Keiko encounters hardship while Yusuke is in Demon World.
Comments: Written for the May 8th theme, "You know that ghost is me" at 31_days. Inspiration from the Final Fantasy X fic Waking by Pellegryn.
Yusuke had been gone for almost three years now. A lot had changed. Sometimes, when she recalled all the newfound memories and aspects of her life that had happened over the course of those three years, she almost wondered if everything had been a dream. She hated it, but Yusuke almost felt like a fading, imaginary figment.
She never let go to all of those times he saved her or he fought for something bigger than she could imagine: the day he rescued her, though she could remember almost nothing of it. The tournament, when she first found out the truth behind his constant, long-term disappearances. The hospital and also the day when Yusuke emerged from Demon’s Door, looking as scruffy as a dog. His long hair had been an odd thing indeed.
Even as she remembered one part of her past life with him almost daily, time could only outsmart her, it seemed. The thoughts and feelings were dissolving into nothing, and her yearn to see him perhaps increased. Sometimes, even the most simple, “Why don’t you get a boyfriend, Keiko?” developed that yearn even more.
One time, she thought about the promise he made before he left - when she had nearly forgotten about it. The words felt like grains of sand ebbing away into the ocean, drifting away into lost tides: “And when I come back, we’ll get married.”
We’ll get married.
Suddenly, she screamed with all fury possible, sitting up in her bed and throwing a pillow at the wall in the process. The pillow hit cream-colored wallpaper, then fell and crumpled onto the floor. Her rage ended with shed tears. She hiccupped, tightly wrapping her arms around her knees and struggling not to shake. She watched the pillow for a long time, riding out the waves of her frustration and misery until she decided she needed to study, that yes, a walk around the block would help calm her down.
She slipped on her shoes and stepped outside into the midday, looking quite forgetful and lost for a moment as she stood on her steps. Then, she started down the sidewalk, her footfalls uneven and loud.
Why hadn’t he come back? Why? She had patiently waited all this time, and now…she couldn’t take it anymore. Things were shriveling away. The world was closing up on her. She needed him.
What did he have to do that was so important? What if he had forgotten his promise to return? What if he had lost sight of his purpose and ended up mindlessly fighting?
Then, suddenly, a void in her seemed to fill all at once, like heavy air filling her lungs. A presence, an aura seemed to surround her. She halted, looked up, and gazed into empty space for a moment. There was Yusuke leaning by the fence, there but looking so still and so unreal. At first, she gasped, freezing on the spot, but then she realized she must be seeing things.
Her accusations were timely - perhaps on purpose - thrown off by something else. The Yusuke looked straight at her. His eyes went on forever and ever.
Just wait. The Yusuke’s voice echoed into her head. Hold on a little longer, Keiko.
It took a long time, but once her self-mocking subsided, she smiled, clenching her fists in determination.
“Alright, Yusuke.”
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho
Author: magicdragonomg
Rating: G
Characters: Keiko; Yusuke to an extent...KeikoxYusuke implied.
Summary: Oneshot/drabble. "The words felt like grains of sand ebbing away into the ocean, drifting away into lost tides: 'And when I come back, we'll get married'." Keiko encounters hardship while Yusuke is in Demon World.
Comments: Written for the May 8th theme, "You know that ghost is me" at 31_days. Inspiration from the Final Fantasy X fic Waking by Pellegryn.
Yusuke had been gone for almost three years now. A lot had changed. Sometimes, when she recalled all the newfound memories and aspects of her life that had happened over the course of those three years, she almost wondered if everything had been a dream. She hated it, but Yusuke almost felt like a fading, imaginary figment.
She never let go to all of those times he saved her or he fought for something bigger than she could imagine: the day he rescued her, though she could remember almost nothing of it. The tournament, when she first found out the truth behind his constant, long-term disappearances. The hospital and also the day when Yusuke emerged from Demon’s Door, looking as scruffy as a dog. His long hair had been an odd thing indeed.
Even as she remembered one part of her past life with him almost daily, time could only outsmart her, it seemed. The thoughts and feelings were dissolving into nothing, and her yearn to see him perhaps increased. Sometimes, even the most simple, “Why don’t you get a boyfriend, Keiko?” developed that yearn even more.
One time, she thought about the promise he made before he left - when she had nearly forgotten about it. The words felt like grains of sand ebbing away into the ocean, drifting away into lost tides: “And when I come back, we’ll get married.”
We’ll get married.
Suddenly, she screamed with all fury possible, sitting up in her bed and throwing a pillow at the wall in the process. The pillow hit cream-colored wallpaper, then fell and crumpled onto the floor. Her rage ended with shed tears. She hiccupped, tightly wrapping her arms around her knees and struggling not to shake. She watched the pillow for a long time, riding out the waves of her frustration and misery until she decided she needed to study, that yes, a walk around the block would help calm her down.
She slipped on her shoes and stepped outside into the midday, looking quite forgetful and lost for a moment as she stood on her steps. Then, she started down the sidewalk, her footfalls uneven and loud.
Why hadn’t he come back? Why? She had patiently waited all this time, and now…she couldn’t take it anymore. Things were shriveling away. The world was closing up on her. She needed him.
What did he have to do that was so important? What if he had forgotten his promise to return? What if he had lost sight of his purpose and ended up mindlessly fighting?
Then, suddenly, a void in her seemed to fill all at once, like heavy air filling her lungs. A presence, an aura seemed to surround her. She halted, looked up, and gazed into empty space for a moment. There was Yusuke leaning by the fence, there but looking so still and so unreal. At first, she gasped, freezing on the spot, but then she realized she must be seeing things.
Her accusations were timely - perhaps on purpose - thrown off by something else. The Yusuke looked straight at her. His eyes went on forever and ever.
Just wait. The Yusuke’s voice echoed into her head. Hold on a little longer, Keiko.
It took a long time, but once her self-mocking subsided, she smiled, clenching her fists in determination.
“Alright, Yusuke.”