To Snatch
By: yume-chan29
Standard Disclaimers Apply.
A/N: Muahahahahaha. And yume-chan returns to the Botan x Kurama fandom with a vengeance! Another two-shot! But it's Kurama's Youko side this time (that smexy little devil!). The title assaulted me in a series of dreams about chocolate pocky, believe it or not. (hahaha) And I wrapped my mind around a somewhat related plot, done in my style of sappy bubbly cutesy fluff.
Dedicated to my lovely reviewers of "Botany"…that came out like a billion years ago.
--
"Youko!" She screamed furiously, her oar rushing at top speed after him.
And amazingly falling behind.
The kitsune smirked, a hint of sharp canines glinting from between his lips. Damn, was he fast or what?
The ferry girl grit her teeth unconsciously when he turned those honey-gold eyes of his upon her. He grinned again and she did all she could not to outwardly fume.
Botan lightly cursed the occasional scratching of random branches in her path. Goodness, if it were not for Youko's sleek silver locks, she would surely lose him to the forest's shadowy depths.
And she couldn't let that happen!
This time, he'd stolen from her room something of extra special significance and there was no way in hell that she was going to let him get away with it!
"Damn it, Youko!" She yelled again, frustration tingeing her voice. "Give it back!"
He did not verbally respond, only upping his speed after teasingly sticking out his tongue at her. Ah. Firing up her candy eyes was surely one of his favorite pastimes.
Botan impatiently banged against the wide edge of her oar, hoping (albeit vainly) to increase the ride's velocity. Inwardly, she boiled a resentment for Koenma-sama's utter cheapness.
Looking a little ways ahead, she tiredly smiled. A clearing. After nearly 30 minutes of non-stop Youko chasing through the dark woods, a space where the youkai could no longer duck behind the cover of shade and brush was a heaven-sent sign.
She was going to catch him.
She lightly tilted her oar's rear as it came to an incline, all the while, her pink irises trained on the swooshing silver tail about 2 meters ahead.
Unfortunately, just as she was thanking Kami-sama for the break, she did an emotional 360, banging a fist against her skull for not knocking on wood. And there were trees within every meter of the vicinity too!
She'd lost him.
Running a fidgety hand through her sky blue tresses, she urged her oar forward, trying to keep her emotions under control. He couldn't have gone too far right?
As her eyes scanned the area, a sudden flashback replayed in her mind. About 8 months back when she'd first met the cocky kitsune. How this whole mess with him stealing her stuff had started.
-Flash-
Humming softly to herself, Botan walked casually through Reikai palace's halls, making her way to Koenma's office. She idly wondered why he'd called her to him. …Another mission perhaps?
Before bursting through the giant double doors that was the (rather enigmatic, in her opinion) entrance to Koenma-sama's office, she heard bits of conversation from the other side. One being familiar: Koenma, whom she assumed to be in his teenaged form; and an unfamiliar one. From what she could tell from the smoothness of his vocals, Botan predicted the stranger a Makai resident.
Hesitantly, she knocked.
A "Come in, Botan," urged her entrance.
She bowed first, in respect to both Koenma and his guest, before looking up.
And it was at that moment that she'd first laid eyes on him. White robes draped precariously over plains of lean muscle. A dignified jaw and stretches of unblemished alabaster skin. Eyes of gold and hair of silver. Pointed ears atop his head, dangerously sharp claws, and a lashing tail: signs of his demonic heritage.
He was certainly attractive. But the ferry girl couldn't help but shiver when he grinned at her, fangs poking out from the corners of his mouth.
He was dangerous. A thief. Even as Botan was naturally optimistic about the good in people, she wasn't that bubble-headed. From the stories she'd heard of him, he was totally untrustworthy.
So why the hell was he, the infamous Youko Kurama, here in Reikai, chatting away with the son of said land's ruler?
-Flash-
"Youko!" she called when she spotted a patch of his white garb from the corner of carnation eyes. Inwardly, she congratulated herself for not giving up her search.
Upon reaching him, however, she nearly face-faulted.
He was…sleeping.
Just like that. Hands behind his head forming a make-shift pillow. Legs splayed about uncaring. A totally relaxed posture where the entire length of him was lying comfortably upon the meadow of green grass.
She sighed, climbing off her oar. She approached him, dropping to the ground in a heap when she reached his side. Her brows knit together. Now, where could he be hiding it? Carefully, she placed a hand on his chest, searching beneath his robes.
She squealed when Youko suddenly woke, catching her wrists so that she was forced on her back and he hovered teasingly over her.
He smirked, "Eager aren't we?"
Blushing pink, Botan indignantly wriggled in his grasp, "Youko!"
He clucked his tongue in mock disappointment, "My, my Botan. I hadn't known you were that desperate for action."
She turned a shade redder, "Youko, please!"
He chuckled. Wow, did that sound inviting or what? He lowered his head towards hers, half-lidded golden eyes intent on her cherry pink lips. "But if you insist."
Irritated and undoubtedly discomfited with his antics, she glared at him, "Off Kitsune!"
Sighing, the kitsune bit back his…not-exactly-innocent desires, and let her up.
Silently he cursed himself. He seriously was too sweet on the girl, what with his listening to her every damn demand…as if he were going…soft or something. He scoffed.
But otherwise, what the hell was he to do? Deny her?
Watching as she got up and brushed herself off, he knew he couldn't really.
Any other girl would've melted under his advances.
Not her, though. Never her. The thought made him unconsciously grin.
She was different.
He knew that upon their first meeting.
-Flash-
"Youko, meet Botan. My head ferry girl." Koenma voiced in a business-like manner.
He smiled cheekily again and Botan shifted her already uncomfortable stiffness from foot to foot. He raised a brow in slight confusion. What an unusual reaction.
Upon meeting him, youkai females would have already smelt of attraction. So why…? Given, she wasn't demon, but still. Humans and Spirit women alike he could sense, that beneath the fear they wore, there was undeniable magnetism. Even the ferry girls he'd passed in the halls had bestowed upon him extra glances.
…This one was odd.
However, the thief couldn't help but appreciate her unique beauty. He couldn't fully see her form through the bulky kimono she donned, but he knew she had a lithe figure covered from head to toe in pale, smooth skin judging from the flawlessness of her countenance. Her eyes were a unique light pink and her hair was probably as soft as it was that eye-catching shade of cerulean.
So. Why was it again, that she refused to meet his gaze?
He frowned. All he could smell on her was a sense of duty, of caution, and a hint of nervousness.
Where the hell was that poorly hidden attraction that every other being of the opposite sex unconsciously sent his way?
"Botan," the Reikai prince said plainly, "I'm sure you know Youko Kurama."
She nodded. And still wouldn't make eye contact.
Did she not notice his lustrous hair, his piercing gold orbs, or his completely white ensemble flashing before her eyes and demanding attention?
"Youko, as we've agreed, your past…charges against the law, will be…overlooked," Koenma said, carefully choosing his words. Botan's eyes widened, a reverberating "What!" echoing against her skull.
"…for which, in exchange, you must make sure that no other 'master thieves' ever come to fruition."
The ferry girl's surprise was vocally expressed with her, "Koenma-sama!"
Promptly ignoring her outburst, he again faced Youko, "According to our agreement, you must report to me every time a…rival…to your…uh…title comes about."
Enma's son waved vaguely to the protesting girl, "Botan here will be your own personal escort every moment of your stay in Reikai."
Botan blinked and then cried in a voice that could be heard within a 2.3 mile radius, "WHAT?"
Youko smirked, content with his good fortune. The ferry girl…his escort…every time he was in Reikai. Perhaps, during their time together he'd be able to nab the notice from her that his vanity was vying for.
"Botan," Koenma sighed, chewing at his pacifier, "Please don't make this difficult."
"But Koenma-sama, sir--!" She then paused and slowly turned to the only non-Reikai resident in the room. Smiling a little tentatively at him, she said, "Er…um…Youko-san, would you please wait outside? I'll be with you in a minute."
Youko nearly choked at the…friendliness (which ultimately meant lack of anything non-platonic) in her tone. He nodded curtly and went outside.
Even then he could hear her whispers about him being dangerous, untrustworthy, evil, about anything under the sun, etc. even without having to press his ears against the door.
He grinned. She probably forgot that he had an extremely acute sense of hearing.
Things could get…interesting.
-Flash-
"Where is it, Youko?" She demanded, cheeks burning with fury or embarrassment, he couldn't tell.
He smirked down at her, eyes gleaming with an untold mirth. Kami-sama, how he cherished their little spats. "What?"
They sat face to face, her glaring and his leering creating an energy-charged space between them. One side being that of utter indignation and the other of pure amusement.
"Give it back or—" her fingernails were making tiny indentations on the skin of her palm, "or—else--!"
And he laughed outwardly, causing the bluenette's cheeks to darken once more. She knew her threat was lame but he definitely wasn't scoring any points with her for his totally inconsiderate guffawing. He was already in hot water as it was.
"Is that the best you can do?" He grinned at her again, pleased that even as humiliated as she was, she still met his gaze full force.
"Yeah, well, sorry for not being able to practice my threat-making skills on a daily basis." She rolled her eyes at him, clutching at the pastel pink material of her kimono.
A corner of his mouth twitched into a cunning smile. Gently, he reached out a clawed hand to finger one of the blue locks she kept out of her ponytail. Running a slender digit down the contour of her red cheek he smoothly said, "Are you implying something?"
If he'd been with any other being in all the three worlds, they would have probably been on their knees, bawling like the cretins they were and begging him to spare their pathetic lives. But when it came to her, such actions meant nothing.
Well…it did, however, manage to make her even more self-conscious. A hobby that he placed at the top of his priority list, right next to stealing. And considering that this was Youko Kurama, that was seriously saying something.
"Yes," she managed firmly, not flinching with the way he touched her. It was a Youko-like characteristic, which she accepted as a part of him. "So why don't you give me a threat that I could use in order to get back that item you so rudely stole from me today!"
He tapped his chin in mock contemplation, "How about—" He grinned, "—Give that back or I'll strip search you again."
Not being able to force the pink from her pale cheeks, Botan breathed deeply. In. Out. In. Out. That's it. Because if she pounced on him now, he'd surely have a field day coming up with remarks about how 'willing' or how 'sexually-deprived' she was.
"What's with the threatening now, ferry girl?" He questioned openly. From the pouch on his belt he gingerly took out a simple silver bracelet with a lone heart-shaped charm dangling at one end. "Was this piece of jewelry not worth threatening me for?"
Her pink eyes widened considerably, "That's where it went!" She reached out for it, only to grab at air. "Youko! Koenma-sama gave that to me as a present!"
His tail suddenly stopped its energetic wagging and the word Koenma-sama, most especially from her lips, left him irritated, an unexplainable bitterness in his mouth. "The brat?"
She poked his arm because she knew that he'd let her get away with touching him. "Koenma-sama! Son of the Great King Enma-sama!"
His golden orbs narrowed instinctively. What, was she bragging about him now?
"I can get you nicer things."
Her eyes held a slight confusion before her lips began with a small smile, "Youko, it was a birthday present. Everyone gave me gifts on my birthday." She snatched it from him, tucking it into the folds of her kimono. She stuck a pink tongue out at him, inwardly cheering on her slickness.
And strangely, Koenma wasn't so bad anymore. Carefully he took another item from his pocket. A white handkerchief, daintily embroidered with blue 'Botan' in one corner. "And this?"
She shrugged at the sight of it, "I have extras."
The kitsune smirked, taking in the scent of the cloth. "You smell like lavender." Blushing, she admitted (to her self at least) that she was the tiniest bit impressed with his nose and with his seemingly endless knowledge on plants. "…Thanks."
Yet again, he reached for his pouch and Botan couldn't help but wonder just how much of her stuff (that he stole, by the way) was in that miniature carrying case. This time around, he pulled out a tiny, framed picture of her.
She blinked, "Youko, you're being pretty creepy now." He was keeping a photo of her (which was framed, need I remind you), after all. He only cheekily replied, "So I've been told."
The next thing she said, took him by storm, but not totally with displeasure, "You can keep that."
"But first…" he sighed. Of course, there had to be a condition. "You have to give me back the thing you stole today!"
-TBC-
A/N: What is with me and KurBot two-shots? hahaha They're actually one-shots but I like dividing them into two chapters because I wouldn't want my reviewers to get too bored, ne? (Or otherwise look at the tiny, TINY scroll bar and be intimidated by the story's sheer length.)
Review PLEASE! (Or I'll sic chibi-Youko-chan on you!)