Hello again! Well, here is the third installment of my little series. I can't say I'm entirely pleased, but I AM glad that I wrote a KoenmaxBotan. Secretly, I've always rather liked this pairing. I hope you all enjoy!
Office Space
Koenma x Botan
"Botan, can you you get some more file folders? It's a mess in there!"
The ferry girl nodded, smiling up at the large, blue skinned oni.
"Sure, George! I think there are some in the storage room down the hall, I'll be back in a minute."
The oni smiled and thanked her, then cringed as a loud voice barked at him from behind the office door.
"Ogre! Get back in here! Who said you were done filing!?"
George sighed and turned back toward the office, "Please hurry with those, Botan-chan. Koenma-sama is in a rare mood today..."
The blue-haired girl blinked at the door, a small frown appearing on her lips as she wandered down the hall to the storage room. She turned on the light and began to rummage through the box closest to her.
Reikai seemed to be quite busy the last few days. It wasn't that there was a sudden influx of souls, but apparently Koenma had decided to catch up on some (loooooong overdue) paperwork – which meant extra long hours for his subordinates.
Botan sighed, hefting a stack of folders from the box and turning off the light. She headed back down the hall, biting her lip nervously.
Her boss had been rather stressed lately, something he tended to take out on those who worked under him. By George's abused expression, the oni had been taking the brunt of their lord's frustration.
She paused outside the door, wincing when she heard a crash, followed by a muffled roar.
"Sorry! Sorry!" George yelped. The fluttering sound of loose paper met her ears and she blinked, then yelped as she was almost hit in the face as the office door flew open.
A harried looking Ayame came stumbling out, her arms full of papers. Her dark eyes widened when she saw her fellow ferry girl with a stack of folders.
"Oh, Botan-chan!" The raven-haired woman murmured. "I'm so glad you're here..." She glanced over her shoulder and Botan's eyes followed: George stood in the middle of the room, stooped over as he tried to gather up a large bundle of papers that had scattered over the floor. Koenma stood on his desk as usual – though what was unusual was that he did so in his adult form. The sight of an adult Koenma standing on the cluttered surface of his desk was slightly silly, but at the same time intimidating – he towered over everything in the room. His arms were crossed and he glared angrily at the oni.
"Now I have to reorganize all those papers!" He growled, stomping his foot childishly. "That's it! Five hundred spankings!"
George cringed and tried not meet his lord's eye.
"No sir! pleasel, sir! I will gladly re-order all these folders for you!" He squeaked, gathering up the last few loose pieces and scurrying out of the room, not even pausing to look at his blue-haired friend.
"Oh dear..." Botan muttered. Ayame, who stood beside her, sighed in agreement.
"He's been like this all morning," the dark-haired woman whispered. "Poor George can't take much more. And, frankly, neither can I." The ferry-girl frowned. "Koenma-sama hasn't been this sour in ages..." She turned back to Botan, sighing. "George and I have some papers to organize and file, then we have to present them to Enma. Could you...?" She nodded toward the office, where Koenma had climbed off his desk and sat, stamping furiously away and chewing at his ever-present pacifier.
She really didn't want to go in there. But the look in Ayame's eye, and the defeated look on George's face made her feel incredibly guilty. For her friends, she was willing to jump into the frying pan.
"Of course," She told Ayame, smiling bravely. The older woman sighed and smiled gratefully. "We'll try not leave you too long!" She whispered, then hurried past her and down the long, marbled hall. Botan looked longingly after her. Oh, she really, really didn't want to go in there.
Squaring her shoulders and putting on her best, most bubbly smile, Botan pushed through the partly open door and into the large office behind it.
"Good morning, Koenma-sama!" She chirruped, bracing herself. The brunette looked quickly up from the paperwork he was examining and blinked at her.
"Oh... Botan..." He cleared his throat and glanced away. "Good morning..."
Botan stood awkwardly by the door, shuffling her feet. "Um... sir... I have the folders you needed?"
Koenma looked up again, and this time he seemed to really focus on her. It was odd to see her boss in his adult form, she was so used to him as a chubby toddler that this tall, handsome version seemed like a whole other person. If it weren't for the attitude and the intensity of his amber eyes, she would hardly recognize him.
Yes, those eyes were quite intense. Especially when they where fixed on you like that. Like he was going to burn a hole right through her.
She shifted nervously. "Koenma-sama?"
The young man seemed to shake himself and (finally) blinked. The godling pointed to a stack of papers on the corner of his desk. "Yes, thank you, Botan." He sighed. "If you could, these need to be sorted and put away."
The blue haired girl smiled and walked over, setting the folders on a chair and began to work.
An easy silence settled between them as they worked together: Koenma stamping and embossing, Botan ordering and filing. It was actually rather nice. And the young god didn't seem so tightly strung anymore – in fact, all traces of the angry, moody man from several minutes ago had all but disappeared. The deity glanced covertly up at him, smiling to herself. His brow was still furrowed (which made him look rather like his normal, toddler self) as he concentrated, and he was sucking thoughtfully at his pacifier. It was... well, it was actually really cute, if you weren't disturbed by grown men with pacifiers. Having been around Koenma for many years, Botan was not.
Actually, from what she could tell, her boss had spending a good bit of time in his adult form lately. She had walked passed the office just yesterday to find him pacing the floor, dictating something to Ayame, and a few days before she had seen him in the palace gardens – again, pacing under a sakura tree.
In fact... besides those brief glances and, of course, today, Botan hadn't seen her boss very much. Tantei missions had been keeping her very busy. When she wasn't in the field, she was dragging herself into her room for some much needed rest. Working with demons was exhausting!
But, she found that she liked it. She liked the excitement and the danger... she liked Yuusuke, and the rest of the tantei... she liked being able to help. She liked going to ningenkai, and makai, and being part of the action. It was much more interesting than... office work.
Botan frowned, staring at the paper in her hand.
"Botan? Are you alright?"
The deity looked up, laughing nervously. Oh, dear, Koenma had caught her spacing out... Hopefully he wouldn't start in on her like he had been doing to George. She didn't want any spankings! Although... the thought of this full grown Koenma pulling her down over his knee... Wait, wait, stop right there! She blushed hotly and cleared her throat.
"I'm fine! Just, um, thinking about the tantei! You know how busy we've been, lately."
Koenma furrowed his brow even deeper and frowned. He seemed about to say something, but the buzzer went off, indicating that he had a message from Yuusuke. The brunette turned his chair to the screen, turning it on.
"Koenma here."
A fuzzy picture of Yuusuke appeared, the dark-haired man fading in and out.
"Hey, shorty!"
Botan cringed, there didn't seem to be any problem with the audio. Koenma twitched in his chair, agitated and pouting slightly. He never did like the pointed comments directed to his smaller form.
"What is it, Yuusuke?"
The ningen peered into the screen.
"Hey, we were tracking some minor demon near my school. He disappeared through a portal thing and we followed him – but ended up in the Makai."
There was a minor scuffling heard from behind the human, a loud complaint from Kuwabara and a caustic "shut up, fool!" From Hiei. Yuusuke turned his head.
"Both of you, be quiet!" He turned back to the screen, looking harassed.
"Hiei's jaagan eye isn't picking up the portal, he thinks it disappeared. Can you send Botan to get us out of here?"
Botan beamed. She'd be getting out of the office after all! She summoned her oar with a quiet 'pop'ing noise. "Leave it to me, Koenma-sama! I'll be back in a--"
"Hinageshi will come and get you," Koenma sighed. Botan and Yuusuke blinked.
"Huh?" They said in tandem.
Koenma reached up and rubbed his temple. "I'll send Hinageshi. Just sit tight and don't go anywhere. I'm getting a fix on your location now."
"Okay..." Yuusuke replied. The screen went black. Botan stared at her boss. What? Had he just sent some other ferry girl to rescue her boys?
The amber eyed man held a small communicator in his hand, and she heard the small voice of her red-headed coworker. He snapped the small device shut and put it back into the drawer, then began stamping papers again like nothing had happened.
Botan blinked at him. What on earth...?
"Koenma-sama, why didn't you send me?"
The young man glanced up, giving her a brooding look.
"You are helping me here." He replied, his tone defensive.
"Yes, but... I'm part of the tantei," She sputtered, blinking. "I should have been the one to go."
Koenma regarded her closely, his lips pressed together in an angry line.
"No."
"But --"
"I said no!" He crossed his arms.
"But I'm the ferry girl assigned to their case --"
"You're my ferry girl, and I said no!" He said petulantly. Botan gaped at him.
Immediately, Koenma realized that he had said something wrong.
"Your ferry girl?" Botan glared. Koenma quickly decided he needed damage-control.
"You're my employee," He tried again. "And... I have decided... that I want you here."
When Botan looked as though she was about to argue, he gave her his most menacing glare.
"And that is my final word on the subject!" He crossed his arms again. The blue-haired deity bit her lip, as if trying to hold back a stem of protests. She turned her back on him, her shoulders stiff, and mechanically began to file once again.
After several minutes of stony silence, Koenma realized he was being given the cold shoulder.
"Botan," He said gently, amber eyes fixed on her rigid back. The girl merely sniffed in response, her hands continuing to order folder after folder. He tried again. "Hinageshi is more than capable of handling this mission..."
"And I'm not?" She snapped. She realized she was being silly, but her feelings were hurt.
Koenma frowned. "No, of course you are--"
"Then why didn't you send me?" She asked, turning to face him. There was pain in her purple eyes. The godling paused, floundering for just a moment, a slight hint of red tinting his cheeks.
"Because... Because I want you here."
Botan frowned at him, and he realized that she wasn't convinced. Sighing, the young man leaned back in his seat.
"I... I haven't seen you in a while..." he said softly, not looking her in the eye. "I've... missed you..."
Botan blinked at him, her heart melting. She supposed she understood a bit better now. She had practically grown up with the demi-god, and had worked under him almost every day for the past three-hundred years. The past couple of months, though, she had barely seen her tyke-sized boss.
"Aww..." She reached out and patted his hand. "I have missed you too, Koenma-sama." She smiled. The brunette blinked his amber eyes rapidly at her, the pacifier perched at the corner of his mouth as he regarded her.
"You... have?"
"Of course!" Botan smiled. She held a finger to her lips, looking thoughtful. "I know I've been in ningenkai a lot, lately. The tantei keep me busy." She didn't notice the dark look on the young man's face as she began to go off on a tangent. "Yuusuke is getting even stronger and keeps trying to take on powerful demons by himself. Of course that's not a good idea, and I have to keep to healing him over and over again, and--"
"Botan," The brunette snapped. The ferry girl flinched in her seat, her purple eyes snapping back to him.
"Hm?"
"I've been trying to get your attention for weeks," He said sullenly. "Why do you think I've been in this form?" He gestured to himself, to the tall, elegant man that he had become. The man with the childish pout on his lips. Somehow he pulled it off and managed to look... Adorable!
"Um..." Botan was confused, and couldn't help the slight blush that tinted her cheeks.
"It's not fair... You've been spending all your time with the tantei!"
"Well, sir, you did assign me that mission..."
Koenma twitched in his seat, flustered. "Mph... Beside the point!"
Botan blinked at him. "Um, Koenma-sama... Are you... jealous of the tantei?"
He bit into his pacifier. "No!"
She stared at him. He flinched.
"...Yes!"
Botan sighed. "Sir... Being part of the tantei is my job."
Koenma crossed his arms and glared at his desk. "I know... Just like...I'm part of your job..."
She was getting more confused by the minute. "Yes, Koenma-sama... You're my boss."
He looked stricken. Botan frowned and leaned forward slightly, wanting to comfort him somehow.
"I know.." He said softly, amber eyes fixed sadly on her. "I know I am... But... I want... to be more than just your boss, Botan."
"Koenma-sama..." She reached and lay her hand over his, smiling. "You are! You are also my friend!"
Koenma huffed. God, surely his blue-haired deity wasn't that dense. "I want to be more than your friend, too, Botan..." He paused. She blinked at him, then blushed.
The brunette sighed, finally she was getting the idea. They stared awkwardly at each other for several moments.
"I... Is that even allowed?" Botan asked. "I think there are rules... against that..."
Koenma sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You hardly even work for me anymore, Botan..." He narrowed his eyes at her. "You're practically Yuusuke's employee. And... I hear you've been taking orders directly from my father..." Botan blushed deeper, laughing nervously.
"That was only a couple of times!" She insisted.
Koenma shook his head, taking her hand in his and looking into her eyes. Botan flushed because... Oh, lord Koenma-sama was gorgeous in this form!
"Botan... Go to dinner with me tonight?"
The deity knew that the godling had a really bad habit of delivering requests like they were decrees. She would have to address that someday.
Not today, though. The blue-haired girl blushed and smiled softly.
"Yes..." And she was surprised at just how much she meant it. Yes, I want to go to dinner with you. Yes, I want to be more than your friend.
Immediately, the tension melted from the brunette and he smiled easily, lacing his fingers with hers.
The rest of the afternoon was spent huddled over official papers, but she couldn't help the shy smile that passed her lips at the continual pink flush on her boss' cheeks.
I don't know... I'm just not sure if I like this. I think this chapter will undergo some heavy revision at some point.
Like the first chapter, I'm torn. I kind of want to write the actual date! But I don't know if I should, or if I should leave it alone and let it stand as-is. Please tell me what you think!
And don't forget to suggest pairings and plots:)
