Caramel Chocolates
Ok, I do realize that Valentines Day is not celebrated in Japan the same way it is celebrated in America; however, I lack familiarity with the traditions of the holiday over seas, so it will be done in according to America's customs. If you have a problem with that, well, there's not really too much I can do for you.
Also, this will be my first attempt at a Yukina/Kuwabara fic, so any advice or criticism will be greatly appreciated. This is a simple warning that there will be OOCness, so be prepared.
Soft red eyes swept over the surrounding forests, unfocused and deep in thought. Normally the ice maiden who owned these stunning eyes found great pleasure in sitting quietly among the trees and listening to the song of the wind, but today she was felling a little…depressed.
Despite her honest innocence to most of the world around her, and true naivety of people, her friends included, Yukina was all too aware of when someone was hiding something from her. She was well aware that the little mix-matched group she'd come to think of as family had a very important secret that they kept tightly under lock and key.
It wasn't fair that they insisted on leaving her out of something they obviously took so seriously, and it stung badly that not one of her friends seemed to think she had earned the right to know. She felt separated from them, an outcast among the people she loved.
She shook her head sharply, sending soft mint green waves over her shoulders, in an attempt to rid herself of such cold, sad thoughts.
Absentmindedly, her small pale fingers reached into the candy box setting on the low table beside her. It was a gift for 'Valentines Day', from Botan. When Yukina had asked about the holiday, she'd learned that it was typically celebrated by couples giving gifts, such as candy or flowers, to their loved one. But Botan, being the overly friendly and giving ferry girl that she was, had gotten a box of assorted chocolates for all her friends. Though such an overly elaborate gesture of friendship was certainly common enough for her pretty blue haired friend, Yukina suspected that the main reason she had done so was so that Hiei would not feel quite as embarrassed when he received his gift.
The thought of her friends' slowly budding relationship was enough to cause a small fit of giggles from the sullen ice maiden, despite her sour mood.
Continuing to stifle her giggles, she took a small bite of the chocolate she'd pulled from the box. The soft laughter became a small choking sound as the bold flavor of coconut and vanilla cream weighed heavily on her tongue.
Forcing herself to swallow the small, sugary mouthful, she placed the rest of the candy back in the box. She lifted the box a little closer to her nose and inhaled slightly, hoping to catch a whiff of the sweet buttery scent of caramel, but was disappointed.
Out of the twenty or so chocolates in the box only two of them had been caramel; the rest were bizarre stale flavors, like maple, or sickeningly fruity, like orange or raspberry. A soft sigh escaped her lips as they settled into an uncharacteristic frown.
It figured.
The pretty ice maiden was startled out of her steadily darkening mood when she heard quick footsteps headed her way. She turned to face the sound, confident that it was nothing to worry about, but instinct forced her to be ready to run just in case.
Her frown gave way to a small, but happy smile as a familiar loud, hoarse voice rang in her ears, "Hey, Yukina!"
"Hello, Kazuma," she responded in her own soft voice, an almost perfect contrast with his, as he stopped to catch his breath in front of her.
"I swear, that walk gets longer every time." She giggled a little at his joke and smiled softly at the way he beamed with pride as she did so. "I got ya somethin,'" the carrot-top said with a wide grin as he handed her a box. "Happy Valentines Day!"
Gently, she took the box from his outstretched hands. It was medium sized and heart-shaped with red rose designs on the lid. There was a small white mark on the right side where it seemed like the top paper had been torn with tape.
Curiously, she lifted the lid and the sweet buttery smell she'd been looking for in the previous box assaulted her senses. Closer inspection revealed that most of the candies did not fit properly in their slots, as if they were replacing the sugary treats that had been there originally.
"Kazuma…"she whispered with a sweet smile.
"Well, I know you like the caramel, and they never add enough, so I bought a bunch of boxes and…well, do you like it?"
Her smile widened and she nodded happily. "Very much. Would you…like to share these with me?"
His own wide grin softened to a small smile as he nodded. "Sure."
No, the real world was not fair, and sometimes you had to hurt. But for just a little while, the real world would leave her to her own little world with Kazuma, where no kept secrets, nobody lied, and all the chocolates were caramel.