Watching Yu Yu Hakusho again and noticed something in Episode #55, and thought I could make a fanfic out of it. Well, here it is.

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Yu Yu Hakusho. If I did, Hiei would've been taller.

"Where are you going?" Keiko asked her, just as when she was about to leave. Their celebration party for Team Urameshi's victory in the Dark Tournament was going to begin any moment.

The pink-eyed reaper looked back and smiled.

"Ahaha…" she laughed. "Nowhere, nyaa," she put in her favorite cat expression and headed for the door. "Just going to get some fresh air," she said, waving merrily before exiting.

Several seconds past by before Urameshi walked in.

"Where's Botan going?" he asked when he entered the room. He and Botan had passed each other but the latter seemed to be too lost in thought to notice him.

"She's been acting strange since the tournament," Shizuru said in a carefully bored tone as she lit a cigarette. But the truth was even she was worried about Botan. She had learned in the tournament that despite her bubbly demeanor, the girl tend to keep some things to herself, like how she hid the truth about Genkai's death. Her little brother seemed to have sense the same.

"What? What?" Kuwabara asked, looking around. The supposed to be celebrating crowd had turned gloomy. "Did someone die again?"

"Shut up Kuwabara," Koenma scolded him. He was in his teenage form for today's celebration. After all, he is the owner of Team Urameshi, and it wouldn't look good if he was here as a baby. "Don't say such unlucky things."

"Yes, that isn't very nice Kazuma," Yukina agreed. Her crimson eyes admonished the fighter. Again, it struck him how the eyes of her beloved Yukina resembled Hiei's normal eyes so much.

"Yes, sorry Baby," he immediately apologized. "I won't do it again." He and Urameshi looked at the door at the same time. Urameshi's forehead was furrowed in worry.

"But still… she is acting weird."

Kurama watched as Botan exited the room. He was right, she had been avoiding him. She left a minute after he entered the room. She'd been like this since the Dark Tournament, as if she couldn't stand to be in the same place as him. What happened? What could've gone wrong with them?

In truth, he likes the grim reaper. She was brave, she's proven that when she assisted Urameshi with his cases as spirit detective. She was good, she was willing to give up her life to prevent Keiko from turning into a demon with their fight against Hiei…and she was cute. And lively, and cheerful, and she took their side against Koenma to ensure that he and Hiei would be pardoned for their crimes.

He had been content with having her at his side as a friend, an ally and for now, a co-worker. He didn't dare act on his feelings afraid on what complications it would bring about on the spirit world, the grim reaper together with a human, who by the way ,was a fox demon on his past life. Yeah, right. Also, he knew what Hiei would say, that he was getting soft, as if he didn't know that himself already.

An intense glare from the other side of the room made him looked up, and he was surprised to meet Hiei's blood red eyes. A sly smirk was on his face as usual, and he jerked his head a bit to the side, gesturing to the door. Follow her; she hasn't gone very far yet.

A small smile crept on his face as understanding dawned on him. He briefly brushed against Hiei as he head for the door. In that short instant, Hiei managed to give him a taunting remark that hopefully, everyone failed to notice. "You're getting soft," he said mockingly, but his eyes say that he was happy for him.

Kurama answered him, eyes still looking straight ahead. "I know."

He passed by him and only looked back when he was almost to the door. The smile on his face was clearly a message though. It says, So are you.

"Botan?" a voice called her from behind. The blue-haired reaper looked back, surprised that someone had followed her. More surprised even, when she saw that it was the former fox demon.

"Oh, Kurama," her voice came out a little breathless, and she had to cough to make it sound normal. "I-I mean hey Kurama!" she said cheerily.

Kurama stood there. He looked at her uncertainly before asking. "Have you been avoiding me?"

"W-what?!" she asked in feigned surprised. "Of course not! Hahaha… What are you talking about?" her voice rose a little higher, giving away that she was lying.

"Well… because…" he began.

"Hahaha… Look at the time," she pretended to check her wrist, failing to notice that she didn't even have a watch. "Better get going, you know, places to be, spirits to guide." she attempted to evade him but Kurama easily caught her wrist.

"This is what I'm talking about," he said. "Botan, what is it? Have I offended you? Or is there something you know about me that I'm not supposed to know?"

"No way. Of course, you didn't offend me," she immediately corrected him. "As for the having a secret why would you even think that?" she asked genuinely surprised.

"I've seen how you act around Yukina whenever she's close to finding out the truth about Hiei," Kurama explained. "And lately that's about how you've been acting like around me."

"Really?" she tried to look around, anywhere but at those green eyes. "I didn't notice." They were staring at her far too intensely than she could handle.

"Botan…" Kurama's voice was filled with worry and concern that she turned to see the expression on his face. However, catching his jade eyes proved to be a mistake, because they instantly captured her.

"I-I…" she trailed off, lost for words. How can she explain it?

She realized it during his fight with Karasu…

"Karasu is such a bastard. He's clearly playing with him now," she heard Shizuru comment just after Karasu detonated Kurama's limbs apart. She gritted her teeth in order to prevent her tongue from lashing out at her friend. But in truth, she wanted to slap her.

How can she say that?! As if this was a wrestling match, or some petty human fight? This was a life or death match! For once she resented the cool and composed attitude of Kuwabara's older sister. It had helped them in a lot of times, but it certainly wasn't helping her now.

"I wished he would just get this over with" Shizuru finished, and before she could help it, she burst.

"I don't want to hear you talk like that ever again!" she told her. "Kurama will beat him. Kurama can't die. He just can't! I've lost one person I love to Taguro's team, I won't lose another!"

During the time, she just said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. It didn't even occur to her to question it.

And only later, after the match, and tears of joy replaced those of sorrow, and she could finally breathe normally again because that choking sensation on her throat was gone did she realized that it was true. She really did love Kurama, but in a different way than she loved Genkai, or Urameshi, or heck, even Hiei and Kuwabara. It didn't matter to her if he won or lost, what's important is he is alive. Being confronted with his death seemed to have force her to finally acknowledge her feelings for him. But the problem is, what should she do about it now?

"…like you," she finished. She had tried to avoid Kurama and her feelings for him altogether but being cornered by him like this. It just forced the words right out of her mouth.

"What?" it was Kurama's turned to be surprised, so she had been avoiding him all this time, because she…liked him? But then why should she? It doesn't make any sense.

"I-realize-it-during-your-match-against-Karasu-I-mean-Genkai-just-died-and-Shizuru-made-a-nasty-comment-about-you-and-I-swear-I-wanted-to-slap-her-"

Huh?

"-Or-maybe-it-was-when-I-learned-how-much-you-cared-for-your-mother-or-maybe-because-you-were-such-a-good-sport-when-Koenma-was-ordering-you-around-" her tirade continued.

"-I'm-not-making-much-sense-am-I?-I-don't-even-know-what-I'm-saying-anymor—" Whatever she was going to say was cut off, as he stole what remaining breath she has with a kiss. It was against his better judgment considering that she had just talked non-stop, and he had planned to make it a brief one. Just enough to make her calm down and shut up, but he hadn't counted on her lips feeling so soft or tasting like cherry, or that when he deepened the kiss that she would eagerly respond.

Without even thinking, her arms snaked to Kurama's neck, entangling her fingers on his red hair. He was a passionate fighter, and it showed with the way he was kissing her. She was just thinking about how fortunate it was that Koenma granted her a human body when Kurama broke off the kiss. She hadn't even notice that she was out of breath.

Her body welcomed the air, as she inhaled lungful of oxygen, but a part of her craved for Kurama more.

"I'm sorry, but I needed you to calm down," Kurama apologized. "and you weren't listening," he added, more as a justification. He was just beginning to make sense of what she had said. So that's how it was, Botan liked him, but not as him right now, but another part of him, the powerful fox demon, Yoko Kurama. He couldn't really blame her; he liked the legendary demon part of himself better too. He chuckled to himself. His rival is his old self. How ironic can things be?

Botan turned to her side to find Kurama with an uncharacteristically mischievous smile on his lips. However, it didn't quite reach his eyes. In fact, there was sadness there. "So, was it the golden eyes? Or the silver hair?" he asked, his tone light.

"What? What?" she asked confusion clear on her voice.

"Well you said, you realize it with my fight against Karasu so I was assuming it was with Yoko Kurama," he explained. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can never fully turn back into that form again." The mischievous smile disappeared and he looked down, it was him who was avoiding looking into her eyes now.

A smile which can only be described as a cat grin spread over the underworld's guide face. She scooted a little closer to Kurama and curled up against him like a cat, "Neither," she whispered. "It must've been the determination you showed there."

The rose user looked to her in surprise, finding her face so close to his. She was just so beautiful, and vibrant and so damn sexy, and it didn't help that she was pressed so close to him right now. He wanted to kiss her again for what she said, but he needed to confirm it once more for himself.

"Botan…" he wanted to hear her say it. There were still some doubts left on his mind, which were slowly vanishing by the minute as Botan crawled on his lap and her hand started playing with his hair, distracting him. "Karasu was right, your red hair is perfect for your fiery spirit," she said.

She could feel Kurama's breathing become slightly ragged, and she couldn't help the playful smile that spread on her face. She decided that she would take the initiative this time as she closed the gap between their faces.

"Now, let me see some of that fiery spirit of yours."

Fin

I'd leave the rest to your imagination. Reviews and comments are much appreciated as always (you must be tired of hearing this, but please do.)