the first step ( Open )

Shiro frowned, did he smell? Well okay, he probably did, not having showered in weeks... Sighing he left for a shower and returned about half an hour later, naked. There were more new scars uncovered and not only scars but rather recently inflicted injuries, too. The towel, which was now wrapped around Shiro's waist, did not suffice to hide the fact that even in that region Shiro had suffered more attacks. He did not seem to think about this, though, unconcernedly sitting down at the far end of the couch watching Yukiko daydream.

Yukiko was far from reality, she was remembering all there memories, but only the good ones, when she felt eyes on her she fazed back to reality and saw Shiro staring at her, she yawned "sorry Shiro, how long have you been there?" she asked, her eyes lazily skimming over his marks, she had seen them enough to not be bothered by them anymore and she knew that if she mentioned them it would make Shiro un comfortable

Shiro grinned at her. "Long enough", he said, for some reason hoping it would make her feel uneasy. "So, tell me... did we...?", he made a suggestive gesture.

Her eyes widened and she blushed a crimson red "N-no, nothing like that, all we did was kiss and that was only like two times" she said shaking her hands in front of her. She laughed suddenly "anything else you want to know about us before?" she asked and sat up so she faced him, the blush still played on her cheeks.

Shiro's grin widened. "Why didn't we?", he asked.
He wanted to make her nervous, he wanted to be a little mean, maybe just because he felt bad because he did not remember. He hated when he forgot about things, especially if it were the few good things in his life.

Her blush increased, this was making her feel awkward "I-I don't know, you never tried anything I guess" she gave a nervous laugh, she didn't know whattrying something was so she disnt know that Shiro had indeed tried something in the medow. "how about battles or fights?" she attempted to change the subject anywY she could.

"Huh?", Shiro asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "I don't like to fight", he said.
He had to fight enough, he did not need to do it for fun, too.

She mentally smirked, changing the subject with him had been too easy "well I like fighting, especially sword fights" she drew her Katana and held it out for him to see, it was the same one she had brought that day when she brought it and she held it in the same way as at the shop in hopes to subtly remind him. She doubted it would work but she could only try.

Shiro flinched and backed when she drew her sword. Was she going to attack him?
"N-nice. Now put that away before you hurt someone", he said, as though he was talking to a little kid.

She laughed and sheathed it "your still the same as the first day I met you" she sighed then remembered that he didn't know her. Yukiko stood up with a sad smile she faced Shiro "I'm gonna go have a shower" she muttered as she went into the bathroom
Why doesn't he remember me she despretly thought, what can I do to remind him, I can't think of anything else. Mabey if they went to see metal freak that would remind him, Mabey he could help to remind Shiro, but she had no idea where he or his thugs were hiding.

Shiro sighed and leaned back. He was still not wearing more than a towel around his hips but he did not seem to mind. While Yukiko was taking a shower, he observed the room he was sitting in from his position on the couch. Did she live alone here? It was a big house for one person alone to live there...

The hot waters calmed her and when she stepped out she was calmer. Yukiko wrapped a towel around her figure and made her way out "you still awake Shiro?" she asked as she meant over the couch to look at him.

Shiro looked up at her expressionlessly, staring her right in the eye. "Sure", he said.
"Who lives with you?", he asked, by now he had assumed this house was by far too big to live here all alone. Strangely enough, it seemed familiar to him...

"well all my mother died so now I live alone" she held his gaze as she leant over the couch "try to remember Shiro, remember the day, we came in here to show you my place and we found my mother on the couch" she didn't smile, she was deadly serious, she was even willing to hurt him if it would help him remember "you better not be joking about the memory loss thing, because I'm not laughing" she said almost angrily, if it was a joke, it was mean.

Shiro grabbed her arm roughly. "You won't. You won't talk to him, you won't even try", he said. The last time someone had done that, Shiro had been... wait. The last time? "You!", Shiro exclaimed. "You were the one who tried to convince him to let go of me", he said, not sure if he was more surprised or more angry.

She didn't expect him to be rough "what are you talking about Shiro, what do you remember?" was he talking about metal man, she didn't know why he was so upset, she tried to pry his fingers from her arm, he was hurting her arm "let go please Shiro and tell menwhats wrong" she said softly trying to calm him.

Shiro's grip on her arm got stronger. "You tried to talk to him once, two years ago, that's all I remember about you. But it's enough. Don't you dare talking to him again, you can't even imagine what he did to me", Shiro growled, glaring at her.

She winced at the pain on her arm "let go Shiro" she almost yelled, she had to get him to calm down "I know exactly what he did to you Shiro, you told me yourself" and as an example she gestured to his scars "and I explained what happened to me, watching my brother die by my fathers hand" his grip wouldn't budge, she tried to get him to let go without hurting him, she wouldn't hurt him Jo matter how much it hurt "I'm sorry Shiro, I won't ever talk to him again" she promised.

"Swear it", Shiro said, letting go of her arm. He seemed distrustful and only in the shimmer of his eyes did the fear show that he felt when thinking about Raijin.

"I swear, but I can tell you still fear him Shiro" she stated searchig his eyes while she rubbed the spot where he grabbed her "what happened to you Shiro, you've changed" her eyes showed hurt and pain as she turned and walked into her room "sorry I left" she whispered closing the door behind her.

Of course he feared him. Who in his right mind would not, especially after all that happened?
Of course he changed. What did this girl expect from him after two years of pain?
Shiro stared at the closed door for a while.
Why did he mind that she left him now?
There seemed to be more to their past than just the one incident Shiro remembered.
However, if he tried to remember more, he was likely to remember things better left forgotten, too.

She got dressed into a light blue sleeveless nightie, it was night after all. She sighed and looked in her dresser mirror as she brushed all the tangles from her hair until it looked silky and was soft to the touch, did she really want Shiro to remember, they'd had good times but most were bad, she didn't know what to do she was confused, she set the brush down and looked at her hands, what would she end up doing.
Yukiko shook her head And walked out of her bedroom to face Shiro "are you mad?" she asked quietly.

Shiro had not moved much, he was leaning against the wall, staring at the bedroom door while he was trying to find out if he wanted to find out about their past. "I'm not mad. I'm... not sure what I am", he replied truthfully.

She walked over to him "it's okay Shiro just forget everything, I don't mind" she offered him a reassuring smile but her heart was filled with dread "sleep where ever you wish" she said and turned around to go back to her bedroom.

Shiro nodded at her and turned to the couch. Dropping down on it he lay on his back with no intention to sleep. He hated sleeping. His nightmares had become worse during the past two weeks and Yukiko would notice soon enough.
Soon enough - that was at about 4 am when Shiro started screaming in his sleep without waking up.