Just the Two of Us

Chapter Eight: Rose Petals and Thorns


"Where are we going, Kurama?" Botan asked when Kurama kept walking past the house.

"Somewhere no one will disturb us," he answered, a serious expression on his face.

Botan wondered where that place would be. They were heading towards the north east, past the training grounds. They stopped in front of an old establishment with high stone walls.

Botan recognized the place; the first time she visited the training ground with Sayako, he pointed that place to her and told her that before Yomi was born, that place was used as headquarters for the patrol. It was abandoned when Master Yue gave focus to the fighters and decided to build a bigger training ground.

Kurama opened the gate and guided her to the side of the building. She found that they are now at the garden of the old headquarters. The surprising thing is that the plants and flowers in the garden are still in bloom…

Kurama nudged her, and they walked towards the middle part of the garden. Unlike the corners where an array of colorful plants bloom, the central part was only grassy. As one, just as they often do back when they stayed at the horizon, they sat cross-legged, facing each other.

She thought it was rather awkward, and was about to say something more awkward but forgot it as soon as she looked at Kurama.

He was… searching her face. As if he was looking for something… And as if he was yearning to touch her but something was holding him back…


"Kurama," Botan called, not at ease with his silence.

He breathed deeply and shook his head. "I'm sorry."

For a moment there, Botan forgot what they were discussing. What is it with Kurama that sends her to this… magic spell? Botan could not understand why, or how to explain, these moments they share when they are alone.

"Ehr… why? If it's about your argument with Koenma, I understand. You were both tired and…"

"No," he said, still staring at her.

She had the urge to tell him to stop staring but she couldn't even start to talk. His golden-specked eyes…

"I'm sorry about the past few days… and about today. I am not being fair, am I? I was mad at you because you're leaving without telling me, and yet I did the same after we argued last week."

"Oh."


Once again, silence.

Not knowing what else to say, Botan looked around and took note that some of the plants seem to be newly grown. "Were you the one who planted these, Kurama?"

"Yes. I spent the past week training here."

"Here?" she asked, surprised and relieved at the same time that the uneasy silence is gone. "I thought you were at the forest outside the village."

"I wasn't. I was training here. I thought of what you said…"

"Um, about that, I'm really, really sorry—"

He shook his head. "You were trying to protect me, eh?" He smiled. "I appreciate that, Botan—"

"But I was wrong to say those things. I should always trust you… I mean, I do trust you and know that you'd know what is right. It was wrong of me to tell you to stop, because you were doing your best. I promise to keep faith in you from now on, Kurama."

He smiled. "But you were right to say that I should try to find some other way… And I remembered what father told me before: that I should try to find something where I am good at and try to improve it. I realized that I need find an expertise and train myself at it, and not just depend on the fighting skills that they are taught on patrol. So I decided to skip the training for a week and try to find that one thing I want to master."

Botan listened to him intently. "And did you find it?"

He nodded proudly. "Yes."

"Great!" she exclaimed, happy for him.

"It was with me all along, I just didn't pay attention."

He demonstrated to her how he can easily command plants and turn them into weapons. "I didn't realize I could do this until I tried," he explained. "I just learned how to control blades of grass like and use it like spears. That's the only trick I could do so far, but I've come a long way trying to control it. And I will improve, I'm sure I will. Meanwhile…"


He surprised her by manipulating the grass she was sitting on. The grass grew taller and steadier and formed an armed-chair shape, raising Botan a little, automatically making her sit on it.

To her amazement, a grass-made armed chair was formed for Kurama, too. And to complete it, another shape formed—a round table between them.

Botan almost clapped with amazement. But it was only a part of what Kurama had trained himself for. She watched as he took out something hidden on his hair—a single, long-stemmed rose.

"Will you forgive me?" he asked gently, offering her the single rose.

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but she had to ask, "For what, exactly?"

"For not discussing things with you; for storming off and not trying to settle our misunderstanding; for not returning home for a week without explaining… Should we have any misunderstanding again, I promise to listen to you …but you should promise to listen to my side too," he added with a playful smile on his lips.

She smiled brightly and accepted the rose. "You are forgiven. From now on, we will always try to discuss things between us…and not let anything create a rift between us."

"Agreed." He smirked, and offered to shake hands.

She accepted it and stood in front of him, grateful when the table separating them returned to its original form, creeping back to the ground.


"Now that we're at it, can we discuss the situation first before you dash back to Reikai?"

"Hm. Maybe we should discuss first what you meant with 'She's mine.'."

"It was just something I said," he replied too quickly.

"O-oh."

"You look disappointed," he teased.

"Hmph." Botan looked away, flushed.

"Botan…" Surprising her when he pulled her towards him, trying to keep himself from holding so tight, and whispered, "I've been meaning to tell you but I couldn't find the right timing… I love you, Botan… Stay with me, please. Be mine for real…"

His words rendered her speechless; it took a while before she managed to react…

She cried.

"Hey," Kurama moved from her embrace to search her face. Surprised by the tears, he asked, "Why are you crying? If you… do not love me back, I will understand… Don't cry, Botan…" Carefully, he wiped away the tears.

"I've realized just lately… that I love you, too…" she admitted, not minding when he held her, more tightly this time.

"…but you were leaving."

"I wasn't."

"Then what was that prince doing here, if he wasn't going to take you back?"

She moved away this time, ready to reprimand him. "Don't be like that with him, Kurama. He's done a lot of things just to cover for me… you know that, don't you?"

"I don't like him near you," he admitted.

"You were jealous!" She laughed when his ears twitched, obviously trying to hide his embarrassment. "Don't be. I'm just a friend to him, as he is just a friend to me. And besides, he likes you for me."

"What?"

"He likes you for me," she repeated, smiling. "That's why he's not taking me back. When you saw us earlier, we were just going back to your house because he wanted to pay your father a visit."


Kurama wasn't given a chance to react.

Koenma suddenly appeared, announcing, "I'm happy for you two… now, does anyone here agree with me that we better make union this formal and binding? Because if that would be the case, I would not need to fabricate any reason for you to stay here…"

The couple looked at each other, but none of them were questioning the idea. It was only the thought that things were happening so fast.

But they welcomed it with all their heart.

"Now let's all go back… your family will be expecting us. If you don't know yet, it is within my power to bless a couple's union… just like in a ningen marriage. Do you still remember, Botan? Oh, we're just in time. Wouldn't it be lovely to get married on a garden just before sunset?"

As if in a dreamy mood, Koenma started towards the gate, the couple following behind.

"You planned this, didn't you?" Botan accused… not that she had anything against it.

Kurama just laughed at Koenma's antics. All his suspicions of him vanished into thin air.

"No," the prince denied. "But I expected it. Ain't it a good thing I was ready?"

It was good, indeed. It was more than anything she could ever ask for… it was an assurance that no one can break them apart.


A year after…

She smiled in her sleep when felt the bed shake a bit. Her mate has just come home from the night patrol.

There was no need to hear his voice, to feel his movements, to smell his otherworldly-delicious scent, to know that he's there.

He only needs to breathe and she would recognize his presence.

He eased himself, careful not to wake her. Without opening her eyes, she shifted, threw an arm around him.

He loved how she always welcomed him with a warm embrace.

In a sleepy murmur, she apologized, "Sorry for not waiting up on you."

"I already told you... you shouldn't. You need more rest for our child."

As if to prove his point, his hand moved to touch her still-flat stomach. He held her closer to him, a free hand caressing the back of her head.

She couldn't contain her smile. She knew they were both excited to have their first child.

The fruit of their love.

A look into a bright future they will share.

For her, she was the most blessed being in the three worlds.


To be continued. Thank you for reading :)

Hello all… I can't wait to get back to the present either…but we still have a slightly long way to go. . Umm and also I feel like I need to remind everyone that this fic is on the Romance category… so I hope no one's expecting fight scenes or such… if you get what I mean. Peace!