Disclaimer: This isn't my sandbox, I'm just playing in it for a while.
Notes: I stole these prompts. You hear me? I stole them like the dirty thief that I am. This is the 21st prompt (swear words; profanity) from the Theta List at 30kisses on LJ, and I haven't properly signed up for a challenge there, I stole the list because I needed something to get my creativity going.
This chapter contains Keiko/Botan and implied Yuusuke/Keiko/Botan.
Botan sat in the corner, watching Keiko pace back and forth. She had long since stopped trying to translate the muttering that was pouring out of her mouth, but occasionally she'd catch something like "never told me" and "he's just a kid".
"Keiko," she said quietly, once she noticed the hole developing in the carpet at the end of Keiko's route. There was no reaction, and she repeated herself, a little louder this time.
"What?!" Keiko stopped dead and whirled on Botan, her face panicked, on just this side of crazed.
"Talk to me," Botan said, still that low, soothing tone.
"About what? About how Yuusuke's been doing all this...all...all of this since he came back? How he didn't tell me? He's so reckless, so flippant about it, so...so...so fucking stupid!"
Her hand flew to her mouth, a shocked expression flooding over her face, but in a moment it softened into a sense of relief and satisfaction that made Botan chuckle.
"It feels a little good, doesn't it," she said, standing.
"Yeah, a little." Keiko buried her face in Botan's shoulder as the ferry girl pulled her close.
"He'll be okay," Botan murmured, stroking Keiko's hair. "He always finds a way. He always wins, somehow."
"He's an idiot." It was muffled, Botan's shirt absorbing the admonition, and Botan laid a gentle kiss on top of her head.
"I know." Another soft kiss, rubbing her back in gentle circles. "I know. But he's good at it." That got a watery chuckle, and Botan smiled. "There you go." Keiko lifted her face up, eyes red-rimmed.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have - "
"Shh." Botan kissed her briefly, a comforting press of lips. "It's fine. It helped, didn't it?"
Keiko nodded bashfully, burying her head back in Botan's chest. "Yeah. I think I know why he does it so much."