Raging Hearts

Toya watched Kyoko leave her house and out of curiosity, he’d followed her, intending to leave once he knew she was safely at school. He watched as several girls waved to her and she caught up to them, seeming to be all talking at once. Toya wove through the trees unnoticed so he could hear what they were saying.

One of the girls told Kyoko that somebody had been asking about her. Toya’s head snapped around when he heard a guy call Kyoko's name and run to catch up with them. Toya tensed up when the guy held his hands out to Kyoko. She smiled at him, nodding, then she laid her books in his out stretched arms.

"Thank you Tasuki.” Kyoko blushed. He always wanted to carry her books as if they were too heavy for her and after turning him down so many times in the past, she’d finally given in, realizing he was only going to keep asking until he got his way. He was very persistent but not pushy and she liked that about him.

Toya watched Tasuki with cold, piercing eyes. He didn’t like the fact that the boy was walking so close to Kyoko or the way he looked at her. He could tell Tasuki wanted her and it pissed him off even more when Kyoko smiled back at him like they were more than just friends. The other girls had walked on ahead, leaving Tasuki and Kyoko to walk in private. Toya stalked them closer, trying to hear what was being said. Using his guardian hearing, he caught every word.

Tasuki gazed down at Kyoko as they walked. She was the most beautiful girl he’d ever met and he’d had a crush on her since the first day they’d met. That’d been first grade but he had made up his mind even then. He only hoped one day she would feel the same way about him. He knew she wasn’t sick like her family always made the school think but he didn’t let in on that fact.

“Kyoko, want to go out this evening? I mean…” Tasuki switched the books from one arm to the other in a nervous gesture. “I hardly ever get to see you anymore." His soft eyes met hers in a hopeful stare.

Kyoko wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to just run off on a date with all that’d been going on lately in the other world. Still… at least he was normal and from her world. He looked so cute staring at her with hopeful eyes. How could she say no to him? "Alright, can you meet me at my house this evening around seven?" She gave him a winning smile.

Tasuki beamed at finally getting his way. “It would be my pleasure.” He innocently took her hand as they walked a little faster to catch up with the others.

Toya was seething with anger after hearing that guy ask Kyoko out and hearing her say yes. His eyes burned a hole in the boy’s back as they disappeared up the road. “She will not go out with him, not now and not ever." He growled. ‘Not if I have anything to do with it.’

*****

Kyoko had made it through the day of school without messing up to much. She even made a good grade on her math test, which was great, since she hardly had time to study. Switching back and forth between worlds like she did, it was a wonder they hadn’t kicked her out of school already. It was a nice feeling for her biggest problem to be about what she was going to wear and where Tasuki was going to take her. It beat the hell out of worrying about fighting demons.

She entered her house still lost in thought, waving at her mother and grandpa as she passed by the kitchen heading for her room. Glancing in the mirror, she shook her head at the school uniform she was wearing and opened her closet door to look at the clothes she had hanging up. Kyoko shrugged out of her shirt, ready to try on a couple outfits to see which would look best.

Just as she was reaching out to grab a pretty pink shirt she heard a noise. Closing the closet door some so she could look toward the window where the noise had come from, Kyoko gasped and held the shirt to her chest.

Toya was standing there, right in front of the window. He was just standing there with his arms folded in his normal agitated stance but his eyes were steady… too steady.

Toya finally broke the silence. "Kyoko, we need to go." He took a step forward and reached his hand out to her but she withdrew a step shaking her head.

"No, I’m not ready to go back yet. And you need to get out of my room, Toya." She clutched the shirt to her breast, feeling heat rush into her cheeks. After all that had happened lately, feeling exposed was the last thing she needed right now.

Toya let his hand drop back to his side. "Why can’t you just come back now? Everyone’s waiting on you." He asked the question in a calm voice but Kyoko got the feeling there was an underlying meaning in it.

"I want to stay here for another day," She said as she looked away unable to meet his eyes. She gasped when Toya was suddenly inches from her.

"What plans do you have that are more important than finding the talismans, putting them back together, and keeping Hyakuhei from bringing demons here?" He asked as he stalked even closer, making her back up again.

His eyes held a dangerous expression but Kyoko could also detect something else hidden there. He was too close… bigger than life. Her gaze dipped down to his lips only to come back up to the silver sparks that now shattered within his golden irises. Was it her imagination or was he getting closer? Oh no! She was not about to let him make a fool out of her again.

"Toya, get out!” Kyoko's voice began to rise and Toya's eyes began to narrow. "Get out right now and don’t come back unless invited!” She yelled as she pointed to the window.

Toya advanced on her as Kyoko backed up, this time against the wall. "Why can’t you tell me why you’re not willing to come back right now, Kyoko? What’s so important that you’re willing to forsake everyone?"

Kyoko stared into his golden eyes, their faces now only a breath away from each other. He planted a palm against the wall to trap her as he leaned forward. Kyoko bit her bottom lip. What was going on here? Toya had never acted like this before. Just then she caught him looking down at her lips with a determined gaze and she suddenly forgot how to breathe.

He didn’t want her to stay on this side of the heart of time. He wanted her to pick him over that stupid Tasuki guy but so far, she wasn’t willing to do it. He backed her up to the wall, making it to where she couldn’t avoid him. It was plain and simple… He didn’t want her going out with Tasuki. His gaze dropped to her lips, remembering the kiss she’d given him while under the spell. He wondered if she’d kiss him like that without the pull of a spell.

Without any thought to the consequences, Toya dipped his head and captured her lips in a hungry kiss, trying to show her he didn’t want her to stay here, but to come back with him. Since he couldn’t seem to tell her with words, he pressed his body against hers making her gasp.

Toya took the chance and deepened the already demanding kiss, tasting the sweetness he knew was there. His body felt like it was on fire as he sought out every hidden spot he could find. The sudden need to drive himself into her surfaced within his guardian blood, trying to take over his mind. Pressing his thigh between her legs, his body rocked with the kiss, setting a rhythm that was taking his breath away.

Sensations jolted throughout Kyoko’s body and she knew she had to stop this… right now, or things would go too far. She pushed with all her might against his chest hoping he wouldn’t fight her this time.

Releasing her with a growl, Toya stepped back, breathing hard and struggling with his loss of control. "Kyoko, I just want you to come back with me.” His softly spoken words were filled with the pain of rejection. His bangs had fallen down boyishly in front of his eyes, hiding all emotion from her.

She slipped behind the door of her closet and grabbed a shirt, putting it on quickly. When she stepped back out, Toya had vanished. Kyoko sighed then jumped when she heard her mother knock on her bedroom door.

"Kyoko, Tasuki’s here. I told him to wait, that you’d be down in a moment, okay?" Her mother's soft voice reached her. Kyoko took one last look at the window then back at the mirror. Reaching up, she touched her fingers to her lips still feeling the tingling from such a heated kiss. With a defeated sigh, she closed the closet door and went downstairs. Not finding Tasuki in the house, she walked to the door and found him standing outside.

Toya watched Tasuki and Kyoko greet each other. Still in the tree, he reached over… grabbed a good size twig and threw it at Tasuki, hitting him in the back of the head.

“Ouch,” Tasuki jerked then touched the back of his head, looking around in confusion. Not finding any more flying objects, he glanced back at Kyoko. "Are you ready? I thought we would catch a movie then get something to eat."

Kyoko nodded and took his hand, leading him away from the house before Toya decided to throw something that might actually hurt her friend.

*****

Later that evening, Tasuki walked Kyoko home. They were laughing and having a great time when they made it to her front door. "Tasuki, I can’t thank you enough. I had a wonderful time today." She smiled up at him, seeing how happy he was. She had really enjoyed herself.

Tasuki stepped closer to her, closing the distance until they were nearly touching with each breath. "Kyoko, may I kiss you goodnight?" He asked in a soft voice somehow knowing she was going to disappear again.

Kyoko glanced around warily, hoping no one was watching. She nodded to Tasuki thinking to herself, ‘why not… everyone else has kissed me, why not let Tasuki since he was the sweetest one of them all.’

She raised her face to him and closed her eyes waiting. Feeling his lips glide across her cheek in an innocent kiss she quickly opened her eyes to see him blushing as he thanked her and turned to leave. Kyoko stood there thinking how funny things work out. The one person she gave permission to kiss her didn’t even give her a real kiss. She giggled to herself as she turned to go back into the house.

She felt better about everything that’d happen in the last two days. She even felt like she could face the group again, so she started packing a bag to take back with her. She had promised Suki that she would bring some goodies back to them.

Besides, Toya was right. She shouldn’t be so selfish as to make them all wait for her. She stuffed in as much as the bag could carry and wrote a note telling her family she had gone back to the other world and would return as soon as she could. They would understand… they always did.

*****

After kissing Kyoko, Toya had gone back to the camp where the others were waiting, deciding he wasn’t going to worry anymore. He wasn’t going to let it bother him that she was out with that Tasuki person. He could care less. He paced angrily back and forth beside the fire they’d built for the night.

Kamui eyed Toya warily, still rubbing his head where Toya had hit him only moments ago. All he’d done was ask if Kyoko was all right… Toya didn’t have to hit him. Suki looked over at Shinbe and shrugged as Shinbe somehow got up the nerve to ask. "Toya, did she happen to say when she was coming back?"

Toya turned and narrowed his eyes at Shinbe. "How the hell should I know? She’s not exactly talking to me right now and as far as I’m concerned, I don’t care what she does.” He continued pacing back and forth.

Shinbe grinned. "Yeah, we can tell you don’t care by the way you’re wearing a path through the camp with all your pacing.”

"Shut up," Was Toya’s response, knowing he wasn’t fooling anyone… not even himself. If he knew she wouldn’t reject him, he’d just tell her how he felt about her. Right now, what was really bothering him was the fact that he might lose her completely. That was scarier than anything else could ever be.

He stopped pacing seeing evidence of the path Shinbe had just pointed out and sighed. He’d never really said it out loud before or even in his mind but Kyoko was under his skin now and it was driving him crazy. Toya took off at a fast pace to check the shrine and see if she was back yet.

*****

Kyoko came from the time portal so quickly that the heaviness of her backpack threw her off balance. Right before she fell, a hand reached out and steadied her. Kyoko blinked up at Kyou who stood there glowing in the moonlight, regal as any prince. Why did he keep showing up like this?

Taking a step back from him, she gulped nervously. "Kyou, what are you doing here?" This thing with people sneaking up on her was starting to get out of control.