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Kuwabara's ribs must be broken.
That last kick had to have broken them. He knew what getting your ribs broken in looked like, and the way Kuwabara went gray all over and made a sharp sucking sound---his ribs were broken.
Yusuke was seeing red.
"Oh what the FUCK do you think you're doing?!" Yusuke snarled throwing down his jacket as he flexed his fingers, his body coming alive with the savage energy that pressed him to protect the people he cared about.
The three guys that had been using Kuwabara as a punching bag froze, and turned to stare at Yusuke, eyes wide in terror and shock.
"You fuckin' little bitches think you can do that shit, and get away with it? HUH?!" Yusuke was full on raging as his hands came up.
He swung three times, once at each thug and brought them to the dirt. He was Yusuke Urameshi, he only needed to hit you once to do some real damage. But he wasn't done after one hit. Not with these assholes! That first hit had just been a taste of the rest of the pain he was going to bring these three morons who had hurt Kuwabara.
Yusuke had those thugs begging on the dirt by the time he felt done.
He would have kept going too if Kuwabara hadn't weakly called out for him to stop.
"Enough man... I'm fine, see?" Kuwabara wheezed his color slowly coming back. He's braced himself against the brick of the alleyway, and while he was still clutching his side, he was now standing. He flashed Yusuke a grin, and with an extended arm waved Yusuke over.
"Come support me... I can't do it on my own just yet," Kuwabara coaxed.
Yusuke let the guy he had in his grasp go and rushed to support Kuwabara under his side. Kuwabara's arm fell heavy around his shoulders and, Yusuke brought his hand up to cling to his wrist. With a tug, Yusuke had Kuwabara pulled away from the wall and took his friend's weight. Yusuke paused appreciating the warmth against his side.
It was still strange sometimes to think he actually had a friend he was willing to fight for these days. He was slowly getting used to opening himself, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't still surprised, and awfully grateful to have people like Kuwabara sticking with him.
"How are you...?" Yusuke muttered, confused but relieved Kuwabara had made it on his feet, "That looked... real fuckin' bad!"
Allowing Yusuke to help him limp away, Kuwabara grinned, "Hey I've been trying that healing stuff Genkai is always on about. If I practice I can heal myself a bit..." Kuwabara glance down, a very big grin slipping across his face, "Looks like it worked! I've always healed fast...but if give myself a little push with my spirit energy..."
Yusuke grinned leading Kuwabara away from the three half-dead guys on the ground, "You can even heal a broken bone? Wow man! You're really fucking awesome."
Kuwabara's face flushed with pleasure at the praise, and he looked away, smiling despite the pain he was in. He was glowing from the inside out from such a small bit of praise. Yusuke felt his heart stutter a bit at the sight, and made a note to try and compliment Kuwabara again some time. It was nice seeing the big guy look so happy about it.
"Fuck, fuck, fucking ow!" Yusuke hissed holding his nose, his eyes closed tight with pain.
"Stop, don't pinch it like that! Lean forward!" Kuwabara hissed rushing over to his best friend, his hands reaching out with concern.
When Kuwabara reached Yusuke, he guided the shorter teen to bend his head forward. With one arm around his shoulders, and the other hovering anxiously in front of him, Kuwabara worried over Yusuke's nose, before swearing, "Ah Hiei! You broke his damn nose!"
"We done training?" Hiei asked, smirking with malicious delight.
"You broke my fuckin' nose on purpose!" Yusuke accused squinting at Hiei through half open eyes. He dropped one hand away from his nose just to shoot Hiei the bird.
Hiei smiled, vicious and smug, "You told me to reach up and strike you detective... don't be angry because I rose up to your challenge."
"Fuckin' eat it Hiei!" Yusuke hissed, only quieting as Kuwabara took his chin to turn his face.
Kuwabara stared at Yusuke, brows knit together in worry, and frowned at what he saw.
"Man... Shit bro, that's really broken!" Kuwabara sighed, drawing his lips together in a thin frown.
Hiei chuckled again, and Yusuke raised both his middle fingers to flip the shorter man off, using Kuwabara's broad shoulders as armrests so he could hold the double bird up for longer. Kuwabara leaned forward, allowing Yusuke to use him as a table while he looked over Yusuke's damaged face. As the two bickered, Kuwabara came to a decision and twisted his face up apologetically. Then before Yusuke could ask what was going on, Kuwabara reached out and pinched Yusuke's nose back into place.
"OH FUCK!"
Hiei roared with laughter, and Kurama deciding he'd seen enough, approached Hiei with the intent to scold him, and maybe also to hide the fact he was about to bust his gut in suppressed laughter.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I've broken my nose before. I had to set it!" Kuwabara apologized, hands hovering over Yusuke anxiously.
"...You're lucky I love ya buddy, or I'd kill you!" Yusuke wheezed, tears in his eyes, but a wry smile stretching across his face.
Kuwabara flushed a little, suddenly stricken by his best friend's expression. Something about the way his brown eyes twinkled and the way his smirk slid crookedly across his chin stole Kuwabara's breath away. For only a second Yusuke was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. Not even the blood running down his face could stop Kuwabara from admiring that grin.
Yusuke watched Kuwabara from their shared hotel bedroom as the larger man struggled to wrap his chest up.
Somehow, the gaping wound Toguro had caused was almost gone. In a short day, the wound had almost faded away into nothing, disappearing as if it too had been a nightmare. Like this terrible place that Genkai had died in. But even if the wound was no longer large and gaping, Kuwabara didn't look like he was fully recovered from the attack. He was still stiff, and lifting his arms caused him to sweat and shake. He tried not to show it, but he was still hurting.
Kuwabara never would have been able to hide it, Yusuke was always watching him.
Yusuke looked on a while longer before getting up and joining Kuwabara in the bathroom, the larger man clearly startled by Yusuke's presence. Yusuke had been half avoiding Kuwabara since they had run from the collapsing stadium Sakyo had decided to blow sky high. Things had been tense at the worst of times, and awkward at the best. Kuwabara wanted to ask what was wrong, but really, what was right? Genkai was gone, the woman Yusuke had come to love so much. Yusuke had won the tournament, but did that really amount to anything in the end?
No prize brought Genkai back, or erased all that they had been through.
"...What's wrong?" Yusuke asked once he was close to Kuwabara, his voice soft and distant.
"Nothin'..." Kuwabara returned, forcing himself to stand up straight.
His shoulders trembled with the effort.
"Stop..." Yusuke said voice sharp and loud in the quiet of the small bathroom. Yusuke closed his eyes and sucked in a sharp breath. He unfurled the fist he had been clenching and let out a sigh before gently guiding Kuwabara to sit down on the toilet, "Don't fuckin' bullshit with me right now. If you're hurting... I'll do it. It hurts to lift your arms, right?"
"...Yeah..." Kuwabara muttered as he chewed on his lower lip.
Yusuke picked up a roll of bandages, and leaning forward began to loop the white medical cloth around Kuwabara's chest. Yusuke worked in silence, his hands passing under Kuwabara's arms, and his nose bumping against Kuwabara's chin. Yusuke's eyes roamed over the expanse of Kuwabara's exposed chest, a sight he had started appreciating a little more than normal lately.
But not today.
Today he was wondering how something so big could almost break.
"A lot of my ribs and even my sternum was broken..." Kuwabara said suddenly as Yusuke tied off the bandage.
Yusuke looked up, hands gently pressed against Kuwabara's pecs.
"I healed most of it on my own, and Yukina got the rest... there's just still... she says there was a lot damaged and that's why it's still tough to move. I'll be good soon, so you won't have to trouble yourself with this later-" Kuwabara began to ramble, sinking into his shoulders as scrambled to say whatever he needed to say to make Yusuke not look so... devastated.
"I don't care why you're still hurting," Yusuke snapped, his voice sharp. Yusuke flinched at his own words and closed his eyes for a moment to gather his thoughts.
"I care that you are hurting... and I'm... I'm feeling really messed up now, and not because you're still hurt, but because of how you were hurt... and how you let yourself get hurt!"
"L-let myself..." Kuwabara sputtered, startled by Yusuke's accusation.
"You and Genkai! You both ran out to face Toguro like that!" Yusuke snapped voice ragged and loud.
Kurama and Hiei could be seen peeking in from the bathroom, quietly watching the tense situation from afar. They hovered, ready to step in if this fight became something that needed to be broken up. Kuwabara looked back at them and asked them not to step in with his eyes. He was grateful to see Kurama nod, but the two demons hovered nearby just the same.
"You know... the both of you knew what was going to happen, and yet you both faced him! I almost lost you both!" Yusuke accused, voice cracking with the raw emotion he wasn't bothering to hide behind a thick wall.
"Didn't I lose enough? Why would you run willingly towards him? Why would you... risk it?!" Yusuke demanded, banging a gist on the bathroom counter.
Kuwabara swallowed hard. He had shrunken away from Yusuke's shouting, but as his best friend quieted down he moved closer, gently reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder.
"We had to man. Toguro... Toguro wasn't giving us much of a choice. He wanted you! Wanted to hurt you and make you strong through that pain... and..." Kuwabara sighed, squeezing Yusuke's shoulder as he struggled to find the words, "And he wasn't giving anyone a choice in the matter. I don't... I don't know what Master Genkai was thinking when she ran out to fight Toguro. But I know what I was thinking."
Yusuke looked at Kuwabara, waiting expectantly for an answer.
Kuwabara slipped an arm around Yusuke's shoulders and tugged. Yusuke, gratefully, didn't resist and let Kuwabara pull him in. Kuwabara pressed his forehead to Yusuke's and held his friend there, breathing in the moment of invading his space. Kuwabara tipped his forehead against Yusuke's, pushing against the other teen lightly before finally saying, "I was thinking that I would do anything to help you. Because losing you would be hell."
"Then what do you think you were doing to me? I know you're here now, but I thought you died! What do you think that did to me?!" Yusuke hissed, the accusation tight in his throat, and his cheeks flushing with anger.
Kuwabara pulled away, breaking contact, but stayed in Yusuke's space. Looking sorrier than he had ever been in his life, "I know I... I hurt you. I made you believe I was dead... and you had to... you saw that awful mess-"
Kuwabara quieted as Yusuke placed a gentle hand, softer than a feather touching down on a pool of water, against his chest. His fingertips stayed put, feeling out Kuwabara's heartbeat. The two were connected by a pulse, and Yusuke sighed grateful to feel it thud against his searching fingers.
"I saw my best friend... I thought I saw you die. Don't do that to me again..." Yusuke said firm and desperate.
The pair looked at each other, eyes searching for something they both wanted, but didn't yet have the name for. If they waited a little longer, looked a little harder they might have found it.
But Kuwabara had to answer his friend, had to reassure him.
"I promise... and I'm really sorry man," Kuwabara whispered.
Yusuke closed his eyes, sighing with relief.
A promise was made.
They were going home. Kuwabara was rescued. Sensui was dead. The Kekkai barrier was in the process of being restored. And most importantly Yusuke was alive...
Just a little different now.
But at the end of the day, they could all go home.
Things were still hectic and questions were being thrown around, and Kuwabara was really just tired and ready for this day to end. He wanted to crash into his bed, close his eyes and sleep for an eternity. Taking a moment to slip away from his sister's watchful eye, Kuwabara wandered over to a tree and sank to the ground, slumping against the base of its thick roots.
He let out a satisfied groan, and after a long sigh looked at his hands. His energy had changed so much. He was more powerful than.... than he really even understood right now. The thing that had been sleeping inside of him had woken up and now stretched out of him heading for many different paths. Paths that Kuwabara hadn't thought he'd be able to go. He was so strong now... and with a bit more training he would fully understand that power, and then take it even further.
He closed his eyes, the visions of the past twenty-four hours flashing in the darkness. He opened them and bitterly wondered if he wanted to take his abilities further.
A disturbance to his left had him flinching and he looked up with his defenses raised into Yusuke's concerned face.
Kuwabara relaxed, "Oh... Fuck... Oh... Urameshi..." Kuwabara breathed a sigh of relief, a tremor in his voice and a shake to his hands, "Sorry. You startled me."
Kuwabara tried to push off his frayed nerves as a joke, and with a laugh, "Boy that hair! You should start your own punk rock band! Who knows... on looks alone you could make a killing!"
Yusuke smiled, eyes shining with a joy and a much softer emotion that didn't have a name, but existed somewhere between the in-between of all those good feelings. Yusuke pinched his own cheek, stretching the marks on his face as he joked, "Nah I think I'd like this stuff to go away. This hair is real fuckin' heavy!"
Kuwabara laughed and brought his knees up to his chest, resting his cheek against his knee caps. When he opened his eyes Yusuke was in front of him, his hand frozen in place as he reached for him. They stared for a moment, and then Yusuke's hand finished the journey and came to curl around the back of Kuwabara's neck. He rolled his palm against the back of Kuwabara's neck with a firm slow stroke, and Kuwabara marveled at the strange new power just under his friend's skin. It was so different.
Still Yusuke, but different.
"Glad we got you back buddy," Yusuke said voice soft and full of conviction.
Kuwabara tried to answer. He really did. But too much messy emotions and uncertain questions were in the way, and tears sprang suddenly to his eyes as looked into Yusuke's face. Yusuke did not seem surprised to see them, he actually looked like he had anticipated Kuwabara's breakdown.
Yusuke knew him so well.
Kuwabara choked on his sudden tears, and in several jerking motions brought his hand to cup Yusuke's face.
"You... You were so broken..." Kuwabara sobbed into his knees, his who body slumped into itself as he held Yusuke's face.
"I listened for your heartbeat... there was nothing," Kuwabara choked again, his stomach churning as his emotions tried to press in on him at all sides. It felt so hard to breathe.
Yusuke pushed himself closer so that he could wrap his arms around Kuwabara, and pull the weeping giant into his embrace. He rubbed Kuwabara's back as he shook, and pressed a cheek to the top of Kuwabara's head. Clinging to Kuwabara, Yusuke breathed in his friend's scent, and on the exhale whispered, "I'm fine now. You are too. We're all fine. My ticker is still tickin'... just a lot slower now. We're going to be okay."
Kuwabara sobbed harder not sure if Yusuke was right this time, but grateful that Yusuke was at least alive with him now.
"You... you can't die! You can't leave me... leave us..." Kuwabara choked, shaking as his chest rattled and clenched with a dangerous pain. Kuwabara desperately reached out and crushed Yusuke into his arms, pulling Yusuke into him as close as he could get. "I need you here. I need you alive! I can't... I can't lose you!"
Yusuke frowned as Kuwabara shook. He could feel the panic attack burning under Kuwabara's skin, threatening to burst forth. "Shh... I'm here," Yusuke soothed. He didn't know how to stop a panic attack, but he knew they were scary. If he couldn't stop what was going to happen, Yusuke could at least hold and comfort Kuwabara throughout it.
Yusuke molded himself into Kuwabara's embrace slipping his arms under Kuwabara's arm to wrap them tight around his chest. Yusuke nuzzled his face into the crook of Kuwabara's neck, not caring how wet his friend's cheeks were, or how much of it was getting in his hair. He squeezed Kuwabara gently, resisting to squeeze Kuwabara with all his might. He didn't really know his own strength just yet.
They were both still banged up, Yusuke couldn't risk making things worse.
"Urameshi..." Kuwabara choked.
"Whatever is happening, I'm here," Yusuke promised voice firm.
Yusuke held Kuwabara as he shook apart in his arms, eyes steely and face grim. He hadn't wanted to hurt Kuwabara, but for the first time since the Dark Tournament, Yusuke could now understand why Kuwabara had to run out and face down certain doom. Yusuke held Kuwabara tight, promising with his embrace that he was there, and didn't want to go anywhere. He was going to hold Kuwabara up through this, and greedily keep himself together as he clung to this man.
Kuwabara sighed into Yusuke neck, his sobs finally calming down, and for an unmeasurable amount of time, he existed in the achingly slow heartbeats of his best friend, the secret keeper of everything he wanted.
Yusuke too drank in Kuwabara's heartbeat, for the heart inside Kuwabara was also Yusuke's, and as long as it was still beating, Yusuke would be okay.
They clung to each other, eventually sinking into the warmth of the rest of their family and friends, and both of them swore, it would be okay. No matter what.
"Ah, shit balls!" Kuwabara swore, shaking his hand out as he felt his middle finger snap.
"Jesus dude!" Yusuke laughed, choking on his drink as he watched Kuwabara flail around, "Did you just break a finger?!"
"Ah fucking... fucking..." Kuwabara swore, pulling his hand to his chest and hissing. He sighed and mumbled, "I can't believe I just did that!"
In his effort to grab a pencil he was in the process of dropping, Kuwabara had overreached and smashed his hand into his working table, specifically his splayed out fingers. His middle finger had been pushed backward, and in Kuwabara's panic at the pain, instead of pulling away his pushed hard, and in the strange turn of events snapped his own finger.
Yusuke set his glass down, and hurried over to Kuwabara's hand and pulled it to him, Kuwabara allowing the movement, even as he continued to swear under his breath.
"Shit dude, this thesis has you all strung out. You've been clumsy as hell," Yusuke laughed, holding Kuwabara firmly by the wrist as he looked down at the hand.
"Just... graduating college next month has me all strung out!" Kuwabara admitted, his finger throbbing. It wasn't the worse pain, and the initial burn was already passing into a dull throb.
"Yeah, I can see that... but you're going to be fine you goof! You've worked really fucking hard for this!" Yusuke said before gently placing a hand under Kuwabara's broken digit. He looked at Kuwabara seriously, "Want a countdown?"
"No," Kuwabara cringed, "Just fuckin' do it. I can't anticipate it or-"
Yusuke snapped Kuwabara's finger back into place.
"AH! Flaming butt waffles!" Kuwabara squawked, his face twisting into painful shock, and then grateful relief.
Yusuke howled with laughter, "Oh my God! What the hell was that?"
"I... I don't know! Ah it... it just came out. Shit. Woof. That hurt... but thanks."
"Just say fuck like a big-boy!"
"Shut up will ya! My brain is too exhausted, and I'm too stressed," Kuwabara hissed, voice still on edge, "I can't control what comes out of my mouth right now!"
"Don't get why you're so strung out about graduating... You worked really hard man. You've come a long way... I'm proud of you," Yusuke said honestly, gently rubbing his palm over Kuwabara's hand. Looking up at Kuwabara, the young man shook his head, "I wouldn't have guessed back when we were teens you'd get this far... nor would I have guessed we'd be best friends... but hey. Things changed... but for the better."
Yusuke held Kuwabara's hand a moment longer and then gently got up, "Don't move your hand so much, I'm going to get the first aid kit. We should tape that finger up so it doesn't bother you later."
Kuwabara watched his friend retreat into the depths of Kuwabara's kitchen. Yusuke knew everything about Kuwabara's home now. He probably knew it better than Kuwabara since he swore Yusuke was over here more than at his own place. Tracing the back of Yusuke's neck with his eyes, Kuwabara smiled, "I sort of... told myself I'd do something once I graduated. Take this risk you know?"
Kuwabara chuckled to himself, "It's... it's scary. Scarier than anything I've ever done before, but you know... as I've matured I realized nothing would change. Things will only get better... no matter what I say. Even if I don't hear what I want... well, at the least, things won't get worse. I have faith in that..."
"Sounds like you decided what school you want to teach at!" Yusuke called, pulling the first aid kit down from the cabinet. "Hey, You're a dead man if it's anywhere that me and the guys would have trouble reaching you at! Trust me if I don't kill you, Kurama and Hiei will. You better stick close!"
Kuwabara laughed, his head thrown back as Yusuke called out, "Hey! Don't laugh! I'm fuckin' serious! You better not go far!"
"Nah... I'm not going anywhere," Kuwabara said his laughter dying out, as he flopped his head to one side and smiled dopily at Yusuke. In a softer, serious voice Kuwabara whispered, "I could never leave you."
If Yusuke heard, he made no indication. He approached Kuwabara with the procured first aid kit, and smiled at Kuwabara's goofy face, lifting the kit up in triumph.
Kuwabara's heart beat all the harder.
Yusuke felt his ribs crack, a familiar feeling that even as a demon still hurt like hell.
But it was worth it to catch the leg of the assailant who had decided he was the newest, biggest, baddest waste of space that was bent on destroying the world. If threatening the peace to mankind, and demonkind wasn't enough of a reason to piss Yusuke off, the fucker had taken Kuwabara.
And that was more than enough reason for Yusuke to want this guy dead.
"Yatso, I'm going to rip your fucking leg off!" Yusuke growled digging his shoes in the dirt and throwing the demon into a cliffside, the overly confident villain gasping as his goals and ambitions crumbled around him. Like all the others who came before him, he had underestimated Yusuke. A foolish mistake.
Before Yatso could hit the dirt, Yusuke was on him again his forearm pressed against his throat and his other hand dug into his belly.
"Where is Kuwabara?"
Yatso choked, eyes bulging as he looked at Yusuke desperately. With the demon's hand on his throat, and the other slowly sinking into his stomach he didn't know how he was expected to answer.
Sensing Yatso's problem, Yusuke's eyes flashed gold and he growled, "You better fucking figure out how to talk because your days are up buddy. The only thing you can do for yourself now, is tell me where the hell my buddy is. Tell me that and I can give you a quick fucking death!"
Spiteful to the end, Yatso smiled, and with what would be his last breath, whispered, "If my men did as I asked... your friend is dead! A sacrifice to my ambition!"
The air exploded around Yusuke. The surge of his power shattered rock, and his hand sunk into Yatso's waist like jelly. Heart thundering in his ears as something inside twisted and howled Yusuke made to finish Yatso off when he heard his name shouted in the distance. Tensing for a second, Yusuke turned over his shoulder to see Kuwabara several yards away and running for him. He couldn't make out his face, but he knew that voice. Could recognize that pale and copper blur from any distance.
Yusuke turned a last savage grin to Yatso and with sincere sadistic pleasure hissed, "Fuck you."
And then Yusuke pressed his forearm into the demon's throat crushing it until the head was too heavy for the flattened, useless support system and plopped off like rotted fruit.
Yusuke didn't linger to watch. Instead, he turned and before Kuwabara could call his name again rushed into the man his arms wrapping tightly against his broad frame and pulling him crashing down to the earth.
Kuwabara lay stunned on his back for a moment and only managed to take in a wheezing breath when Yusuke hoisted himself off of him, his bloodied hand cupping Kuwabara's cheek. Kuwabara took in a breath, and in a small exhausted voice whispered, "Hi."
Yusuke didn't answer but just looked at Kuwabara taking in his state. He was dirty and roughed up, clear signs that he had been through the ringer. His hands were mangled, his knuckles bruised and crusted with dirt and blood. His clothes were torn, and he had no shoes, and surely his feet hurt like hell for as cut up as they were... but this was Kuwabara. Safe and sound, escaping whatever hell Yatso had tried to deposit him in.
"Hi..." Yusuke finally returned, his heart galloping in his chest as he smiled desperately wide, "Hi! You... you got away!"
"Yeah... took a little bit of time! But..." Kuwabara tried to sit up, but Yusuke kept him down with one hand flat on his chest. Kuwabara let Yusuke press him flat, holding him down with such little effort, and instead put his dirty hands on the hand splayed on his chest. He held it there, soaking up Yusuke's touch, a touch that kept him grounded in more ways than one.
Kuwabara squeezed Yusuke's hand gently, his thumbs tracing the hand cupping his heartbeat, "...But I managed. I wasn't going to let that guy use me to get to you."
"Did he hurt you? Are you okay?" Yusuke asked eyes only for the gentle giant that lay before him.
"Oh I'm roughed up, but I don't think as bad as you," Kuwabara promised, eyes crinkling as he laughed.
Yusuke loved them. Loved his closed eyes and pale lashes, and the crinkles that formed at the corners when he smiled. Loved the lines that drew in his face as his grin spread. Loved the laugh, rough and honest that reverberated from him with the echoing promise that everything about him was sincere. Loved his copper curls which never dulled, but shined brighter with each passing day. He loved all of Kuwabara.
Like a beacon, Kuwabara called to him and Yusuke too tired to resist any longer, let it pull him in.
Lowering himself down, Yusuke pressed his mouth to Kuwabara's and drank. Drank the lips that he had wanted to taste since he was young, swallowed the breath he had always wanted to share, and relished the tongue he hadn't even thought about. Kuwabara had jolted, but there was no tension, just a pause. And then like a surge Kuwabara's arms wrapped around Yusuke pulling him down tight so that he could meet him just as eagerly.
It was worth his broken ribs screaming at him just to have this moment.
Eventually, the pair broke away, Kuwabara gasping for air as spots danced around his eyes.
"Shit..." Kuwabara whispered blinking his eyes rapidly to clear his vision. He licked his swollen lips and Yusuke growled at him, trying to press another greedy kiss against his mouth.
"I love you so fuckin' much I don't know what to do about it," Yusuke hissed, desperate to make Kuwabara understand.
Kuwabara let their lips meet in another firm, reassuring meeting, but Kuwabara broke away faster this time. He took Yusuke's face in his hands and held his face before him and looked Yusuke hard in the eye. "I love you Urameshi. I love you so much."
The words stilled the hungry beast inside Yusuke, and he melted against Kuwabara with delight, letting his cheek sink into Kuwabara's palm.
"Oh, man... I should have done this years ago," Yusuke sighed a grin catching on his face like wildfire.
Kuwabara caught Yusuke's contagious grin, and smiled too, his cheeks flushed with delight, "Me too..."
The words trailed off, and the two looked at each other for the stillness in between their comfortable embrace. There was nothing more to say for now, it could all be said another time. Yusuke pressed through Kuwabara's hands and pressed another pleased kiss against his mouth, eager to bask in the feeling of it once more. Kuwabara's arms slipped around Yusuke waist, and he squeezed tight.
Too tight.
Yusuke broke away with a hiss.
"What? What's wrong?" Kuwabara asked voice thick but filling with concern.
"Ah... my ribs are broken," Yusuke admitted begrudgingly.
There was a pause and then Kuwabara chuckled, "Oh shit. Ouch... Let me up, let me heal ya..."
Yusuke frowned, face filling with displeasure. Stubbornly he shook his head, and pressed another fervent kiss against Kuwabara's smiling mouth.
"No, not yet," Yusuke grumbled as he nipped along Kuwabara's mouth, "Not yet."
"Dude! No! Get off! Let me take a look at your ribs-"
"But-"
"And also we're both gross. I'm covered in all sorts of crap, and there's... oh that is blood all over your hands-"
"Kuwabara!"
"Don't Kuwabara me! Get up, and let me take a look at your fuckin' ribs!"
END