Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, the French Alps, chapsticks or any other copywrited good I may have mentioned in this chapter. (Actually, I do own one chapstick, just not the rights to it).
From afar, one would observe a stretch of white so pure that it gleamed, for miles on end, only cut across by the blue-grey shadows of the mountains. On a slope more populated by snugly-wrapped humans than any other, lay a young woman with chestnut coloured hair tucked under a blue knitted hat, an all-in-one navy ski suit and normally sensible, friendly brown eyes. At that precise moment, however, they were crinkled into a frown of frustration.
For the twentieth time since she had begun the ski course at the top of the slope, Keiko Yukimura pulled herself out of the snow to rest on her elbows, looking down forlornly at the tangle of legs and skis. She groaned, knowing that her ankles would yet again suffer from being hauled up into the air then slammed and twisted down in a more correct position. At first, the falls were nothing more than a slight bother, and Keiko told herself that she could learn from her mistakes and therefore become more adept. As time wore on, and more skiers flew past with ease as she struggled with the snow plough, Keiko had taken to removing the skis completely after a fall, and reaffixing them once standing up, sideways to the slope.
Tears of frustration and pointless anger started to cloud the girl's eyes. There was still a long way down to the bottom, to safety and a warm mug of hot chocolate, and it seemed to her to be getting progressively steeper.
Yukina and Botan had gone off ages ago, and Keiko silently cursed them for leaving her on her own, though she had insisted upon them going and enjoying themselves. She was only slowing them down. Yukina had been reluctant at first, but the cold was her element, and she seemed to be a little freer among the white. Keiko had watched while they quickly disappeared,making rhythmic zigzags down and away to the more advanced courses.
Keiko sighed to stave off a sob that was threatening to break. She had promised to meet everyone up at the restaurant at one o'clock. What time was it? She had taken her watch off for safety reasons, and it was now in her left thigh pocket. With a frustrated growl, Keiko twisted onto her right hip, and opened the zipper with a gloved hand. Her sense of touch was numbed by the layers of insulation, and several 'essential' items scattered onto the snow beside her as she withdrew her hand. A Chapstick rolled down the slope a little way, and Keiko watched it's passage solomnly, knowing it was useless to try and retrieve it in her position.
Glove off – don't mind the freezing cold that might just turn your hand into a shrivelled claw, Keiko told herself firmly. She had to do this sometimes when she couldn't be bothered to finish a school assignment, or didn't want to clean Yuusuke's house (Well if you don't, who knows what conditions he'll live in?). It was ten to one, she noted resignedly. There might be a chance that they would come to look for her when she didn't appear within twenty minutes, she thought as she stuffed back the contents of her pocket with a numb hand. Would Yuusuke even notice? He might do when he sees the lack of argument he gets when he decides to order his fifth pint of beer with his lunch, she thought bitterly. Kuwabara might, if Yukina took a toilet break. The girls would notice! Yes, they would come for her. Or Kurama. He'd probably be the first to notice.
The guy was an enigma to Keiko, human as she was. Killing without a second thought when provoked, yet still more caring than anyone else she knew. His strange ways led Keiko to believe him to be cold person, though extremely polite. Very confusing and altogether contradictory. Was it his human side effecting his emotions when he was sweet and sensitive? She would never ask him of course, they had never been close enough. Though Kurama's demeanour encouraged friendship, Keiko knew better than the average passer-by, and could not be comfortable around him.
Keiko's mind had wandered off, and she was startled when a shadow swept in front of her and stopped. Keiko looked up to a tall, slim figure shadowed by the sun behind him.
"Can I help you?" Asked a smooth voice with a hint of concern. "This is yours, isn't it?" something was held out to Keiko.
"Huh?" the brunette said intelligently, squinting and accepting what she felt to be the chapstick.
"Oh, hello there Keiko."
Keiko's eyes adjusted to the light, and she caught sight of a lock of fiery red hair.
"Kurama?"
Hope you like. Sorry it's so short, butI wrote it on the spur of the moment in one of my free periods- Er... I mean study periods. Had this idea kicking around for a while actually, and this is my favourite pairing. If you don't like them as a couple, please don't flame.