Author's Note: Hello everybody! I'm sorry about my lack of Yu Yu Hakusho fics but I promised that something was coming and here it is! Unfortunately, it's only a repost. Good news is that there's a reason behind all of this! Yes, and that is because I've decided to turn this long one-shot into a multi-chapter fic! That way, your attention span won't fizzle out in the middle of it! My other reason is that I wanted to make it match the next one…more details on that later. Anyways, if you've already read this, you can read it again or wait for the next fic! If this is your first time and you actually want to read this, enjoy!
Some reviewer responses down at the bottom!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. All characters are owned by the talented Yoshihiro Togashi.
A Bittersweet Reverie
The day was hot, well, as hot as it gets in Reikai. My pink kimono felt uncomfortable on me as I decided to fly back to Ningenkai to escape the heat. I mounted my oar and rose into the sky, hoping that the breeze could freshen my spirit. I sailed through the air purposely diving into the clouds. A favorite pastime of mine was to feel their soft touch brush against my cheek. I let out a much needed yawn and stayed at the spot for a second, toying with the cloud when a beeping sound jerked me back to reality…back to my job. I hastily pulled out the communicator and pushed it open. Expecting it to be Koenma telling me to carry out yet another errand, I was startled to see that it wasn't him.
"Botan, It's me Ayame." The picture of a pretty young woman with raven hair held back into a bun looked back at me with impatience.
I sighed and nodded. "Yes, I know. I can see you through the screen."
"Botan, where have you been? I would have expected you to be on duty or helping me out now since I have been promoted."
I gritted my teeth knowing that she was taking full advantage of her new promotion.
Four months ago…
"Today's the day Ayame!" I hopped into her dressing room. Ayame was in front of the mirror adjusting her headdress.
"Yeah…" she seemed nervous but excited. She fumbled with the veil but couldn't get it to the back.
"Aw, come on. Don't be such a downer!" I flashed her my biggest smile and jumped over the bed to assist her.
"Wow Botan, you're pretty agile in that dress." Ayame commented. I looked down at my dress and laughed. I was wearing a beautiful deep red sleeveless dress to my knees, and though modesty was an important part of me, I had to admit it looked pretty good. I reached for the veil and straightened it out. Ayame looked absolutely radiant. Her wedding gown was beautiful. It had a long skirt that swished and flowed but easy for the wearer to move around. The shade was a soft pearl color with long cascading sleeves that flowed to the floor. And to top the image, a royal headdress only fit for the future Queen of Reikai, delicately trailed to the floor.
Ayame thanked me and added shyly, "You know Botan, I really have to thank you and your friends. If it weren't for-"
My modesty back into its usual mode, I put up my hand and said, "Say no more. No need to thank us. Just make sure your kids know me as Aunt Botan. And of course there's Aunt Keiko, Aunt Yukina, Aunt Hinageshi, Uncle Yusuke, Uncle Kurama, Uncle Kuwabara and last but not least Uncle Hiei."
It was funny but true; we had all set Ayame and Koenma up. It had been my idea since Koenma had been so caught up in his work. I wanted to give him a little break without him actually realizing anything was going on. Following through with my plan, I proceeded to tell my friends about the mischievous scheme I had been concocting.
Of course the girls were excited about it as I was. The guys however, were a little reluctant but eventually, gave in anyway. Keiko and Yukina worked out the final details of the plan. Me, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama and Hiei (believe it or not), had carried it out. I had known Ayame and Koenma had something for each other but being the shy and stubborn people they were, they would never admit it.
So the plan was that Ayame would receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers that would "magically" bloom when she picked it up. Of course Kurama was the only person I could ask and entrust this vital step. He agreed immediately and got to work on it right away. When the bouquet was ready, Kuwabara and Yusuke had distracted Koenma while Hinageshi and I would do the same with Ayame. And while that was happening, Hiei would deliver the flowers to her room. It took quite a bit of persuasion for him to actually agree to do it. The situation wasn't pleasant as it involved an ecstatic Kuwabara and an unknowing Yukina… Anyway, I had just thought that they would finally be in a courtship but the whole scheme ended up with a proposal and an engagement ring from Koenma!
So that might have been the reason why I was so excited to see the couple finally get married.
"All you needed was a little nudging." I teased. I looked in the mirror myself to see how I looked. My hair was left down for a change with a white flower clasped back in the middle.
I sighed, "Let's go make your dream come true." I quickly grabbed my bouquet, took her hand and we both left in high and anticipating spirits.
In the back room I saw my other beautiful fellow bridesmaids and the handsome groomsmen. Keiko, Yukina and Hinageshi looked gorgeous. Keiko had put her hair up in a bun complete with a white flower, same along with Yukina. On the other side of the room were Yusuke, Kuwabara, George and Kurama all looking very handsome in their tuxedoes. Yusuke had his hair slicked back as usual. Though the tux framed his figure well, he looked very uncomfortable. Kuwabara looked a little stiff but the tuxedo fitted his manly physique and suited his air of romance. George was definitely peeved since he was not use to wearing anything but a loincloth.
I had to suppress a laugh at the thought when my eye caught Kurama. He looked utterly striking in his tuxedo. It fit his slender form flawlessly. The black hue of the tux made his flaming red hair stand out especially with his remarkable green eyes. I would be lying if I said that my heart didn't skip a bit. Trying to get my mind back to the important matter at hand, I looked around for the last member of the team but Hiei, of course, would never be a part of the wedding so he decided not to participate. But I still had a haunch he was somewhere around.
Since Koenma and Ayame didn't care who partnered up with whom, Yusuke went with Keiko, Kuwabara went with Yukina, George went with Hinageshi and I partnered up with Kurama.
When the music suddenly started, Kurama offered his arm to me. "Ready?" he asked.
"Yup!" I said happily and put my arm on his sleeve. We were the first pair so we proceeded to walk down the aisle. When I saw the decorations, I let out a little gasp. Delicate pink and white flowers hung everywhere. Each flower had real dewdrops hanging on it perfecting their fine quality. Accompanying the flowers were little fragile green leaves that wrapped around each petal with miniscule but incredible detail. Even the candles had their share of the floral arrangement. I was completely taken aback by the carefulness and expertise of it all, but then again, it was Kurama.
It seemed as though everyone showed up to be with Koenma on his special day. The many faces held the same quiet expression of happiness as my eyes glanced around taking in the beautiful scene before me. I couldn't help feeling a little overwhelmed by it all.
"You did an amazing job Kurama. No, you outdid yourself." I murmured out of the corner of my mouth.
"Glad you like them." He barely whispered. "After all, the King of Reikai is getting married."
I couldn't help feeling a little flustered as I walked down the wedding aisle with Kurama. I've always loved pairing other people together but when it came to me; well let's just say that was an entirely different subject… So there we were walking down the aisle arm in arm… I shook the thought out of my head as we parted.
I saw Koenma standing right below the stairs. He looked very handsome in his tuxedo. Pacifier gone and teenage form donned, he had the impression of a very serious and powerful ruler but I knew otherwise. He was my impatient and childish superior but also a good friend who was about to take the next step in his life or rather, existence. Unfortunately, he also looked a little nervous; his shoulders were trembling and his complexion looked a bit pale. But I knew it was the excitement of expecting his future wife to be descending down the aisle any moment. With each step, they were closer to their destiny together.
As each one took their place and wedding vows were exchanged, time seemed to slow itself down so that the ruler of Reikai could enjoy the everlasting moment. My fellow bridesmaids and the groomsmen each took our part in the ceremony and it was a wonderful feeling to see my best friends be able to share this joyous occasion together.
Being in the midst of love and hope made me realize that it was never too late to find the love of your life, even if you are in the Spirit World. But another voice rose to contradict it: The real issue is the circumstance of your power. I felt angry with myself for thinking such things but deep in my heart I knew it was true. I knew it was too late for me to ever have the chance to love again, being that I was the Deity of Death. My chance passed long ago and with my current standings, it was impossible. No matter how much I wanted to be in a relationship, I knew that my chance would never come to pass. But even so, there was nothing to stop me from being drawn toward a certain person…
After the couple finished making their vows and we began to process out, Kurama once again offered his arm and we walked out of the hall. Of course the reception was to take place and I knew that that was where all of the fiasco was to begin. As soon as we arrived, Yusuke and Kuwabara unbuttoned their collars and bowties and began grabbing the nearest champagne bottles. Right away the room was filled with laughter and the merry sound of clinking glass. Koenma and Ayame were the center of attention so naturally everyone wanted to congratulate them. I was no exception so I made my way through the crowd to find them arm in arm. After giving them both big bear hugs, I turned to Koenma. "So I'm guessing you will be staying in your teenage form for good now?"
"Of course Botan, I've got to look good for my wife!" he teased back in return, though I knew he was partly being serious. I grinned then turned to Ayame.
"Now you make sure he still does his job!" I joked.
Ayame stared at me for a second and then gave me a smile that didn't seem to fully show her feelings. "Right, I'll make sure he does."
Next thing I knew, I was pushed to the back of the crowd. Even though that comment caught me a little off guard, the rest of the night seemed to go on fine otherwise. There was much merriment and dancing with many couples twirling on the dance floor like lacy umbrellas in a sweet summer breeze. Despite the blissful celebration, I felt a little uneasy so I settled myself to a corner of the room. My thoughts carried me out of the glowing celebration and wandered into oblivion when I suddenly saw Kurama making his way toward me.
"What's the matter Botan? Are you tired already?" he asked and drew up a chair next to mine. Strange that he would ask me that since he himself seemed tired.
"Oh yeah, I guess so. But being a part of their wedding was something I would never miss for the world."
"Yes, I agree. It is nice to see them finally being with the one they care for most." He smiled and looked over at the couple, now being teased by the infamous pair: Yusuke and Kuwabara.
"I think everyone should have someone to be with…Life definitely wouldn't be lonely…" I trailed off and sank back to my own thoughts. After a moment, I realized Kurama was looking at me with a somewhat mysterious look in his eyes. I quickly fixed my gaze upon the champagne glass in my hand and blushed. Berating myself, I desperately searched for a topic to go off on. I certainly did not want to speak my feelings to anyone and more to it; I didn't want to bother Kurama. He was never interested in that kind of thing and was perfectly content with his life.
As he sat there, a thought crossed my mind that he would probably remain a bachelor for a while. I busied myself with my drink still feeling the heat rise in my face. Why was I feeling like this? Kurama had always been a close friend…was I just feeling like this because of the atmosphere of the wedding?
Then suddenly a beautiful song came on. Obviously sensing the tension, Kurama cleared his throat, stood up and held out his hand. He gave me a genuinely charming smile and said, "May I please have this dance?"
I must have blushed even redder but I was glad to have the uncomfortable silence broken. I nodded and accepted his hand's invitation. He led the way to the dance floor and we were soon among the colorful throng of people. Thanking Lady Luck for stopping the awkwardness of a few moments ago, I prayed that I wouldn't make a fool of myself during the dance. It seemed that my prayer went through as I knowingly placed my left hand on his shoulder and guided the other to join with Kurama's. He put his right hand on my waist and we began to flow along with the music.
At first, I felt a little embarrassed but Kurama was an excellent dancer and I was soon very comfortable swaying to the melody with him. Close to us, I saw Keiko and Yusuke dancing. Yusuke was looking a little uneasy so I couldn't help but laugh at his misery. To my surprise, I heard Kurama join me as he followed my glance.
"Yes, I see Keiko has forced Yusuke into a situation he cannot refuse." He chuckled a bit and then smiled at me. I unintentionally caught his eyes and was mesmerized by his intense emerald orbs. They held my own captive and I felt myself lost in those deep, knowing pools. It was a while before I finally managed to avert my gaze.
"This is a very lovely song." I said trying to strike up a conversation and hoping that he didn't notice the heated blush creep up into my face once again.
"It's called Canon in D from Pachebel." He answered casually. "Actually, I was the one who suggested it to Koenma. It's a very typical wedding song in Ningenkai."
"The song is very peaceful." I closed my eyes for a second to enjoy the music and to let it calm me. Being with Kurama really felt natural and I wondered why it never occurred to me before. Maybe it was because he was always such a gentleman and maybe it was because I unconsciously thought that he preferred to be alone; that he'd rather not have someone by his side. Through all of our years being together, we've never done anything like this and it was a surprising comfort to be in his company.
As the song ended, we separated (reluctantly on my part), and I stood back to watch everyone else continue their graceful twirls on the gleaming dance floor with the specks of light showering the couples with their luminescent glow. This was definitely one night I would never forget.
Kurama then turned to me and said, "Well, thank you for the dance Botan, but I must be leaving now." He nodded and made his way to the door behind us.
Because I was a little flustered by his sudden departure it was several moments before I figured that I wanted to express my gratitude. I knew that without him, the memorable night wouldn't have been half as special…
"Wait!" I called and hurried out after him. Kurama had heard me and was waiting for me several steps down the flight of stairs that led into the main hall of the Reikai Palace. The night sky truly made his eyes sparkle as he once again looked at me. "Thank you Kurama, you really made tonight wonderful for me. Goodnight." I was sure that I was just as surprised as he when I leaned up and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek. His eyes widened a little, then he smiled.
Suddenly and swiftly he reached into his hair and produced a beautiful lavender rosebud. He handed it to me and said, "You're welcome Botan. Though I could say the same about you." I smiled and took the flower. Then he turned and walked down the steep steps.
I sighed and sat down on the edge of a nearby fountain, the small flower clutched in my hand. The water was mesmerizing as it shimmered with the light of the golden room inside. Its ripples were forever flowing, causing my reflection to become deformed as if it were a hazy memory on the surface of the mirror-like water. Depressing as it was to compare my reflection to such a sad thought which matched my troubled feelings a few hours ago, I found a pleasant surprise as I gazed down into the water. The rosebud Kurama had given me was the exact color of my eyes! When I took a closer look at the flower, it suddenly bloomed and engulfed me with its incomparable perfume. I quickly looked back down the steps but he was gone.
Deciding to rejoin the party, I got up, glanced back into the bright room and realized the unexpected feeling of satisfaction.
I didn't feel lonely again that night. The only feelings stirring about in my heart were about Kurama and that I realized I might have had feelings for him all along. Maybe he was the one I felt so close to… The thought made my heart pound but also made me think that I was able to find someone, though I didn't know how he felt about me. So that night I was in high spirits and thought that things could only become better from then on.
But that was before I knew how Ayame would become…
I knew I wasn't the only one who felt irritated at the result of the marriage. Rumors and gossip had spread like wildfire through Reikai and it made me feel paranoid and worried. Recently, false accusations and alleged crimes were always the topics whispered around the corners and many mistrusting eyes had their glares fixed on Ayame, the Queen of Reikai.
There was a rumor that she only got married to have the highest possible status. At first, I dismissed it as a shocking but entirely untrue rumor but recently, I felt my suspicions leaning toward the majority and I hated the fact that I would even consider that to be true of my friend. The gossip only enforced the part of my mind that I was ashamed of. That was why I felt I needed to escape to Ningenkai…to a place where the safe feeling of reassurance comforted me; a place where I knew I could be close to him.
E/N: I did make some changes to the story here so that it would feel a little more like a chapter fic. Here's hoping that it does feel like one! Oh and now I would like to take the time and thank my wonderful reviewers!
Ice Witch 101: Thanks a million! You are my absolute first reviewer ever! I can't tell you how ecstatic I was when I read my first couple of reviews, your being one of them of course! I'm glad that you love my story. This one is pretty much finished for now…unless you count the "new chapters" I'm going to post. Love it that you put this fic on your favorites list!
kasadi: Thanks a bunch! You are one of my first reviewers too! I swear you and the other people just made my day when you reviewed! It was just a feeling that was so great since I was hoping for reviews ever since I wrote this fic two years ago! I hope you'll continue to read my future KB fics which, I promise, there will be!
Hirui: My first third reviewer! Did that make sense? Sorry, I'm just trying to express my thanks to each and every one of the reviewers for this fic since it was my first one after all! Yeah, Ayame was a bit OOC. Hmmm, in a lot of the reviews, there were a lot of…how shall I say this…negative feelings toward Ayame. I feel kind of bad since I really don't hate her or anything, it's just that she was the only person who could carry out that role. Hmmm…I won't elaborate much on this for now but something is coming after this fic and I hope you'll read it!
Fruit is NOT a Dessert: Thanks so much for reviewing my fic! Just saying thanks since this was my first fic ever and getting reviews was so great! Glad you liked the story!
Scented Feathers: I guess I achieved my goal of making this story sad right? It just makes me so happy to know that someone was touched by my story so thanks so much! Oh and also for putting it on your favorites list too!
A lilmatchgirl: Glad to know there's another "shameless Kur/Bot fanatic" out there! The ending for Kurama and Botan was a little rushed and I probably would change it if I wanted to write it over but it's all good, just a step in the writing process. Thanks so much for reading and I hope you'll read my future KB fics!
Kitsune of Darkness: I can definitely tell you're another KB fanatic right? Always great to find a fellow fanatic! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you'll keep an eye out for the "sequel" to this fic!
Maverick48: I know you changed your name so I'm just following along here. Thanks for reviewing and being my beta-reader. Well, technically you're my YYH fic beta-reader since you're only a die-hard fan of this series! I guess I should be a little envious of your loyalty! I'm glad we can exchange ideas and feedback between our fics since yours is pretty cool too!
Scarlet Amaranth: Thank you for reading! There will be something that continues to this but it isn't written yet. It's all in my mind but it will eventually be written and when I finally get around to posting it, I hope you'll read it!
Little Minamino: For now I'm stopping there…but don't worry, something is on its way and I hope you'll read it when it's out! Thanks so much for reading this fic and putting it on your favorites list!
Shy-Lil-Dreamer: Yes, I completely agree with you there! It's so sad to see that the number of KB fics are lessening but I'll try to continue with them even if they're only small installments at long intervals! Yes, I am continuing and thanks a lot for reading!
Madam Spooky: Thank you! Yes, I will be continuing this and be sure to read it when it's out!
AngelloreXx: I'm so glad that you liked the party scene! It is a favorite part of mine -! Thanks and I hope you read my next fic!
Whew! I finally got around to thanking all of you! You're my first batch of reviewers ever and I appreciate it so much! I love all of my reviewers for every one of my fics so I'm just going a little crazy here! Wow, this sounds like the end of the story huh? Well, it's not so um…on to the next chapter!
