Standard disclaimers apply.

NOTHING IF NOT

By Cassandra's Destiny

.

Nothing if not… radiant

.

"What are you doing?"

"Standing up."

"Kurama, don't leave me here!"

"Then come on, let's look for candles."

It was only a little past eight, and already, the sky was covered by a dark shroud. A starless night, it was, and what should have been an illuminating moon is now a heavenly body masked by dark and heavy clouds.

It did not come as a relief that a blackout had befallen the already dim night.

"Doesn't your mother keep flash lights handy?"

"She does." His response made Botan sigh in relief. Thank heavens for flashlights, indeed! That was, of course, until Kurama continued. "But I'm not betting on her keeping batteries."

A sigh.

"Don't worry, Botan, we'll find something."

Soon, she hoped. "Ouch!"

He turned around and tried to make out her face in the dark. There she was, gritting her teeth, with one hand on her head. "I hit my head," she let out a fake cry.

Although it normally would have been rude to do so in front of a person in pain, Kurama let out a small laugh.

"What's so funny?"

She felt him step closer to her, placing a hand over hers. "You."

"Me?"

He hummed in agreement. "You're always occupied with work, spirits and monsters, yet you're always happy and never get frustrated. Now, you're all worked up by a blackout."

"You're mean."

He laughed again. "I'm a truth-teller, Botan."

"A thief that tells the truth, yes, that makes perfect sense!" She stuck out her tongue to him and continued walking ahead.

Had the hallway been well-lit, Kurama would now be watching her form slowly disappear into the kitchen. His lips curling into a soft smile, he surmised; there was something he isn't being told.

"I found the candles!"

Matches in hand, he lit two candles, handing one over to Botan. "Is there something you want to tell me?" He asked her, all the while busying himself with the contents of the pantry.

"Something I want to tell you?"

"Something I should know, or you think I would like to know…"

"You're not making sense, Kurama."

He nodded once. "Perhaps, but the dark?"

"The what?"

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want us to," he said, taking out two cups of instant noodles. "Do you think it's still hot?"

She was befuddled. Four seconds ago, he was talking about the dark. Now, he was asking her if it's still hot. What's still hot?

"The water, you think it was kept at a high temperature even if the power has gone out?"

"Oh, well," she took a much needed pause. He was rambling about too many things at a time, or so it seemed in her point of view. "It's worth a try."

Moments later, they were seated side by side on the breakfast nook, each taking a mouthful of their instant noodles. In between servings, Kurama noted, "I was planning a candlelit dinner for the two of us, yes, but I never imagined it would literally be a candlelitmeal that consists of MSG-rich instant noodles and bottled water."

She smiled at his attempt at humor. After all, it's not every day such a candlelit dinner happens. "I find it romantic nonetheless…"

"Great, then," he silently took a sip of his distilled water before continuing. "But are you sure? I mean, if you don't want us to talk about it, it's okay, but I want you to know that I would like it very much for you to shed some light on your whole episode with the blackout, and, really, Botan, it's okay. I promise not to laugh or anything, in case that's what you're worrying about. You know I…" He trailed off once his head caught up with his speech.

"You what?" She faked the innocent smile on her lips, but the glistening in her eyes did not go unnoticed.

"Don't tease, Botan."

She laughed lightly. "You talk a lot sometimes."

"Yea? I guess it's the noodles. I don't know, maybe this stuff is bad for me and I just don't know it, or I haven't realized it, or I am yet to find out. After all, there are instances wherein a person only learns he or she is allergic to something after years of consuming the product little by little. The case is rare, but it does occur. In my case, it must be the content of instant noodles, especially when—"

"I don't like the dark." Her voice was soft, too soft, and Kurama would not have heard her had it not been for the absence of appliance-produced buzzes. "There, I said it. It's not that I hate the dark. I just… don't like it."

"Okay."

Looking up from her cup of noodles, confusion was evident in her face. "Okay?"

"Yes. Okay," the finality in his tone had her worrying about what was going in his head.

"You're not asking anything else? Not making fun of me?"

He shook his head. "I told you I won't laugh. So you're not a fan of the dark…" Placing down his cup on the nook, he shifted in his seat to face her. "No big deal."

What was an unmistakably assertive move on her part, Botan placed a chaste kiss on his cheek before taking another spoonful of her soup. "You're just saying that because you want more of my noodles. Screw allergies."