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Guest: Yes there is, it's the center of the story in some way. I'm glad you love it!
Laine: I'm really glad you enjoy this story so much, I hope you'll love this chapter as much as the previous one.
Kath: It makes me happy to read that it thrills you! There's still so much to come so I hope to keep you thrilled till the climax.
Note
English isn't my native language but I'm trying my best. Do tell me about reoccurring error's so I can implement and improve wherever needed. Tell me what you think or theorize in the comments, they always inspire me.
Conceal it
Hiei angrily slammed his fist against the doorpost. "Then tell me, old hag." His teeth gritted as he tensed his jaw. "If they weren't in the area, how the fuck did it end up with Kurama?!"
Kuwabara was dumbstruck, not only had he just arrived, he had not been informed about the situation at all. "I'm not following." He hesitated, leaning away from Hiei as he expected an outburst from the fire demon. The outburst never came, Hiei had his eyes set on the ground.
"Hiei was set on dealing with it." Genkai turned towards Kuwabara. "But in a twist of events it has chosen Kurama as its host."
"Wait, does that mean.." Kuwabara burned his eyes in Kurama's back as he slowly turned towards the door opening.
The brilliant emerald orbs were mirroring everyone's worry as he had absorbed the information, gathering pieces of a seemingly never ending puzzle. "That means... We're fucked." Kurama shifted his gaze slightly away from them. "I'm fucked."
"I don't think we're fucked." Kuwabara smiled uncomfortably, in all honesty he had no idea whether Kurama hosting it was a better or a worse option than Hiei. "You have the discipline.."
"Yeah!" Yusuke budded in. "You're our backbone, you can stay calm and level headed no matter what the situation. We can work this out."
Kurama lifted his hand out of the water and held it in front of him, his eyes trailing over the palm of his hand before he returned to Yusuke and Kuwabara. "I don't know 'bout you but I'm everything but calm." His heart was banging against his ribcage, each pulse sending a stinging shockwave through his entire being which ended in his throat giving a sensation resembling the need to vomit. Even though the panic and stress made him sick, he kept it in.
Kuwabara frowned as he heard the forced calmness in his voice. He didn't sound any different but it was that small tremor which deceived him. It made Kuwabara wonder how many times Kurama wasn't exactly calm past their expectations.
"So what?" Yusuke's over the top positivity had floated to the surface but from Kuwabara's perspective, Kurama didn't seem to buy it. "Stay here with Genkai and you'll definitely figure it out faster than Hiei over here." He pointed at Hiei with his thumb.
Hiei didn't seem affected by his words. Kurama wasn't comfortable, Yusuke's words were not helping him in any way and Kuwabara started to feel bad for him.
"I can't stay here." Kurama muttered. "I've taken off too many days already, I can't afford to be away for any longer, I'll lose my job."
"You hate your job, right?" Yusuke shrugged at his own logic.
"That doesn't mean I can afford to quit right now!" Kurama's tone took a desperate turn which silenced Yusuke after a soft 'You're right'.
"Go to your work and see if you can take some more time off." Genkai interrupted. "But promise me." She pointed a finger at him. "Promise me you don't use your energy, no matter what happens."
Kurama nodded absently. "I don't want to. So I can promise you that I won't use it." He took the bundle of bandages off of the table and wrapped it around his hand, concealing it.
"Won't they notice?" Kuwabara noted. "What will you tell them?"
"That I burned myself." Kurama said flatly. "It's not a lie, but it isn't the full truth either."
"Think that'll do." Genkai nodded.
"But how do I explain this to Botan?" Kurama stood after he had finished bandaging his hand. "No-one should use their energy on me, if Botan sees I'm 'wounded' she'll insist on healing it."
Yusuke and Kuwabara were dumbstruck. "That's true, maybe just give her a call on our way back?" Yusuke asked.
"I might." Kurama sighed. "I know it's bad to hide it from her."
"I don't think you should tell her about it, anyone for that matter." Hiei interfered coldly. "She'll be added as a target when she knows about it. It's not about worry, It's about safety. If someone is still looking for this, they will grab anyone who has some kind of information on it. When you unleashed it, though small, it's shockwaves were pulsating through my spine. It wouldn't surprise me if they felt it too." Hiei straightened himself. "They are coming for you." There was a sense of unease in his voice. Hiei was staring Kurama down as if he had stolen something from him and it unnerved Kuwabara to the point where he wanted to attempt to make a joke to lift the tension which had filled the room.
"It's for the best we don't tell anyone about this." Genkai also felt the tension and stepped in before Kuwabara could say something. "Though if they have felt the shockwaves, their target point on the map is right here. I suggest you go home, go to work and figure out a way to leave for a while. I will see if I can distance the temple from any outgoing energy signatures or find a place which is suitable." She grabbed the potted plant with the intent of discarding it. "What we have on our hands is something every demon would want if they heard about its powerful properties, but this is too dangerous for any demon, let alone human. Now go."
"Which means I'm dismissed and allowed to finally leave?" Hiei grumbled.
"Yes." Genkai hadn't completely answered yet or Hiei had disappeared.
"Back to his various crimes I suppose." Yusuke shook his head. "Come one buddy, I'll take you home." He said as he stretched his hand out towards Kurama, he didn't take it, nor did he make a move to approach them.
"Hey can you give me a lift while you're at it? I gotta get home too ya know." Kuwabara grinned as he swung his bag over his shoulder.
"Sure, but you're in the backseat." Yusuke patted his back before motioning to Kurama. "Let's go."
"I'm fine with that!" Kuwabara stretched his arms over his head. "Perfect place to take a nap."
"You're disgusting." Yusuke shook his head as he opened the shoji, allowing Kurama and Kuwabara to exit the temple.
"One more thing." Genkai called after them. Kurama stopped and turned towards her. "Your hand will hurt but if anything changes, come and see me immediately. We don't know what this thing does so don't take any chances."
All three of them nodded before walking down the stairs to the small parking-lot below. Kuwabara was the first to reach the car and dove onto the backseat. They drove in silence for a while, Kurama leaned his elbow on the door, allowing him to rest his chin upon his hand. It was a bit of a gamble but he had found a position where his hand didn't hurt too much and he could comfortably rest his aching head upon it. Yusuke kept his eyes on the road, amping the radio up a bit as Kuwabara snored on the backseat.
It was on a long piece of boring highway road when Yusuke spoke. "You okay?"
"Yeah.." Kurama sighed. "Just a bit lost on what to do."
"I can imagine." Yusuke shifted on his seat, both hands on the steering wheel. "I'm sorry for busting into your apartment like that... And for acting like I did... And for-"
"I understand." Kurama cut him off. "I knew you were as lost as I was... Am... I still am." He corrected himself. "No matter how it happened, it wasn't your fault, nor was it Kuwabara's or Hiei's. I apologize if I made you feel that way."
"So we can all agree that we all acted like a bunch of idiots?"
Kurama and Yusuke both stifled surprised gasps as Kuwabara stuck his head in between the two front seats.
"God damnit Kuwabara." Yusuke mumbled as he pulled the car into a different lane. "Didn't notice you waking up."
"You did catch us off guard.." Kurama chuckled nervously. "Why are you saying 'we'? You didn't act like an idiot."
"I did." Kuwabara rested his arms on top of the headrests. "With you talking to trees and such."
"Don't be stupid, you didn't offend me with that." Kurama shook his head.
Kuwabara shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so." He sat back down, staying silent for a few minutes before sighing. "Are we there yet?"
"We're still on the road so no we're not there yet, We have to get off of the highway soon so we're close." Yusuke kept his eyes on the road, smiling silently to himself as Kuwabara reminded him of a kid eager to get out of the car. They sat in silence, listening to the radio. Kurama had closed his eyes momentarily and Kuwabara was emerged into his phone.
"We're here." Yusuke said after he had parked the car in one of the parking spots in front of Kurama's building. Kurama cracked an eye open before taking off his seatbelt but was momentarily confused as both Yusuke and Kuwabara got out of the vehicle.
"I know where I live, you don't have to join me all the way upstairs." He said as he closed the door behind him, having it beep when Yusuke locked it soon after.
"We're joining you upstairs, whether you like it or not." Yusuke crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"Yeah." Kuwabara chimed in.
Kurama arched his brow. "Are you sure? It's quite late already, I don't want you to be home too late."
"No change we're dropping you off here. We're coming in, besides, I'll have to check on that bathroom door of your's." Yusuke rubbed the back of his head nervously as Kuwabara gave him a questioning side glance. Kuwabara wasn't aware of the elevator being out of service and was the first to complain when they climbed the stairs.
"And this is what you pay so much for?" He panted.
"Can't be helped." Kurama said as he lifted his foot onto the next step. "They will repair it after the weekend but we'll have to deal with it for now."
They reached his apartment after a few more painstaking moments. Opening the door, Yusuke and Kuwabara slid into his living room and melted onto the couch as if they were liquids. Kuwabara recollected his breath and looked into the room as Kurama switched the lights on one by one. His heart skipped a beat as the sight of dried vegetation became visible.
He reached out to the one next to the couch, accidentally breaking a leaf off of the sorrowful plant. "So this is how you found out.."
"Unfortunately yes." Kurama walked past them, not batting an eye. "I don't want to touch any greenery until I've figured this out."
"Understandable." Yusuke nodded as he moved to sit up straight. "Need us to clean them up or something?"
"No need." Kurama gave him a grateful smile. "I'll just have to snip them, they'll come back to live after a while."
"Okay." Kuwabara suddenly stood. "Hand me your scissors, how much has to be cut?"
Kurama handed him a pair of scissors. "Just make sure there is about five to ten centimeters left."
"You got it." Kuwabara rolled up his sleeves and started snipping away some plants while Yusuke discarded the pieces into a trash bag. It was when he reached the plant closest to the bathroom, he stopped to observe the mangled hinges from which the door was loosely hanging. "What happened to your door?" Kuwabara asked.
"Yeah, long story short." Yusuke started. "I came here on Botan's request just after this happened." He motioned at the branch he was about to dunk into the bag. "Kurama was hiding in the bathroom and I forced my way in. Took him to Genkai soon after."
"Damn, so that's what you meant with you checking on his bathroom door." Kuwabara scoffed, receiving a simple shrug from Yusuke. Tossing the last chopped plant into the trash bag, they closed it and placed it in the hallway.
"We'll take it with us on our way out so don't worry about it." Yusuke gave him a thumbs up before continuing to his bathroom door. It hung from the top hinge alone as the bottom hinge was completely detached. "Got any tools?" He called out as he lifted the door out of the frame.
"I do." Kurama made his way to the hallway and opened one of the drawers of the dresser. "What do you need?"
Yusuke hummed to himself as he collected the screws off of the ground. "Just a small screwdriver and another pair of hands." He looked up as Kurama approached him with a handful of screwdrivers.
He handed them to Yusuke. "I have these, one of em should fit." Kurama sat next to Yusuke on the floor as he positioned the hinge back into place and inserted the screws, trying out some screwdrivers before finding the perfect fit. He was done in a flash and stood up, grabbing the door with both hands he lifted it with the intention of sliding it back into the sockets.
Kurama stood in an instant and made a move to help but received an angry stare from Yusuke.
"Sit your ass back down." He said in a warning tone, though Kurama knew he was joking, it was still unnerving. He didn't make a move to sit down, he rather stayed where he stood even as Kuwabara passed him and helped Yusuke navigate the door. They finally had the door hanging again after littering it with insults.
Feeling quite useless in his own home, Kurama made his way towards the kitchen to retrieve some drinks. "Are you crashing on the couch?" He asked them as he opened his fridge.
Yusuke looked at the watch on his wrist and tutted. "If that's alright with you.."
"Of course." Kurama replied as he grabbed two beers and headed back to the couch where Yusuke and Kuwabara had already resumed their liquid state. He held the beers out which they took with excited grins.
Kuwabara took a sip but raised an eyebrow as Kurama sat down. "Aren't you having any?" Kuwabara asked.
"Don't feel like it." Kurama gave him a smile. "You two can take my bed, I'll take the couch tonight."
"No." Yusuke said. "Bad idea. You're sleeping in your own bed, the couch is big enough for both of us."
"Yeah I don't want to chase you out of your own bed." Kuwabara added.
"Fine." Kurama shook his head laughing silently. "Whatever floats your boat but don't tell me I didn't offer it if you wake up with back pain."
Yusuke shrugged his shoulders at Kurama in response and fished his phone out of his pocket. "I'll text the missus I'm not coming home tonight, she won't mind." He started typing his text. "Staying at Kurama's place tonight, will explain everything to you tom-" Yusuke halted and deleted the message draft as he remembered what Genkai and Hiei said. "Staying at Kurama's place tonight, no worries. Love you."
He laid his phone back down and took another sip of his beer. Looking over, he saw Kurama's eyelids were about to drop. "Go and sleep." He said as he patted Kurama's shoulder. "We can turn off the lights ourselves."
"Ah, I'll get you some blankets." Kurama rubbed his eyes and stood from his place, entering his room and retrieving two blankets from his closet. Yusuke and Kuwabara took the blankets from him as he returned. "Are you sure?" Kurama asked.
"Yeah I'm sure, get some sleep." Yusuke said, Kuwabara nodded in approval.
It was a few minutes after Kurama had disappeared into his room that Yusuke's phone buzzed. "No problem, see you tomorrow." Keiko replied. Yusuke's eyes widened as he saw another message, this time from Botan. "How was he doing?" It read. Yusuke quickly replied with a "He's doing a lot better." before he locked the phone again. Kuwabara had fallen asleep with his empty beer bottle still in his hand. Yusuke took it from him, trashing them before sliding underneath his blanket.
...
Yusuke had dragged Kuwabara into the car in the late morning after Kurama had made them breakfast. Kurama had decided to clean his apartment from top to bottom to clear his head after which sat by himself in his apartment, the sun already setting as his eyes gliding over the bandage on his hand. A knock on his window made his jump slightly, he relaxed when he saw it was Botan. She was allowed to sleep in human world on Saturdays so he had already kind of expected her.
He opened the sliding doors to his balcony, allowing Botan to enter. Dismounting her oar, she waited until he had closed the doors before sliding her hands around his neck.
Kurama was apprehensive, his head was running on overdrive as he hesitated on touching her. "You'll be fine as long as you don't use your energy on someone else and vice versa." Genkai's voice rang inside his head and he gave in, enclosing her small form against him as he sighed deeply.
There was a minute of silence before Botan retreated, keeping her hands on his shoulders as her eyes met his. "I'm so glad you're doing well." She said solemnly.
A silent chuckle escaped Kurama's lips, 'well' wasn't really the word but he was set on not endangering her so he kept up the act, just as he had done with his mother for all those years he lived with her. "Improving every day." He replied.
Botan smiled at his response which made Kurama's heart flutter.
"I see you've cleaned." She said as she paced around his living room. "Too bad about the plants."
"It can happen." Kurama smiled awkwardly. "Gives me a chance to reorganize."
"Aha." Botan hummed when her attention was directed towards the television. Kurama sighed softly in relief as he sat down on his couch, leaning his head back and closing his eyes momentarily.
Botan sat down next to him, scooting over close enough so she could rest her head on his shoulder. "Wanna watch something?" Botan asked softly.
"Sure." He mumbled under his breath, his eyes still closed.
"What do you want to want to watch?" She snatched the remote from coffee table.
Kurama opened his eyes and looked at the listing she had brought up by pressing the 'on demand' button. "Anything 'll be fine."
Selecting a movie from his watch list, Botan looked towards him for his approval. Kurama nodded at her choice and extended his arm to press Botan closer as she leaned on his left shoulder. Botan took the blanket which was hanging over the backrest of the couch and covered both herself and Kurama with it. They occasionally snickered at the movie but most of the time they were bashing on how bad it was.
As the credits started rolling, Kurama felt a kiss being planted on his jawline. He smiled as she smothered him with small soft kisses, her hands disabling him from turning away from the sudden assault. He chuckled when she moved to his neck, where she knew he could be ticklish.
He heard her hum once more and then felt her weight lifting off of the couch, he stared at her as she laid a hand on his shoulder, the weight returning. His emerald eyes met her amnesty ones, he recognized that look. Botan sat on his lap, softly running her hands through his hair. Kurama kept his hand out of sight, glad she hadn't noticed it yet or just didn't see it as a big deal.
"I see you're in a good mood." He purred.
"Just happy to see you." She closed in, pressing her lips on his as they seemingly melted into each other.
"I'm just as happy to see you." He said in between breaks.
Botan grinned. "I noticed." She whispered against his skin. "Wanna prove to me how much you missed me?"
A mischievous chuckle left Kurama's lips as they connected with Botan's, in that moment, where it was just them, he felt grateful she came into his life. From the moment he met her, he knew she was a pillar of light in the blinding darkness. He felt blessed she chose him too. Her tongue carefully pried at his teeth, asking for entry, which he granted her.
Kurama slid his hands around his waist, pressing her body closer to his as. Botan was prying at the buttons of his blouse, loosening them one by one before moving to his belt. Her hands resumed their position as she caressed his neck, sliding softly onto his chest.
A strange sensation crept up Kurama's spine and his jaw involuntarily and instinctively tensed, accidentally biting down on Botan's lip as pain shot through his arm. It disappeared as soon as it appeared.
"Aah!" Botan yelped as she pulled away, her fingers lightly touching her bottom lip to check if it was bleeding, which it wasn't.
Kurama reached out with his left hand, cupping her cheek. "Oh god I'm so sorry." He said, his brow furrowed in worry and regret. "I'm so sorry." He repeated. "Are you okay?"
"What was that for?" Botan whimpered, her eyes watering slightly. "Is something wrong?"
His heart ached and he pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry." Kurama repeated again. "There's nothing to worry about. Are you okay?"
Botan nodded as she nuzzled into his neck. She took a couple of seconds before she pulled back, locking eyes once again. "I'm okay." She smiled before kissing him softly. "There, all better." She laughed as she slid Kurama's blouse off of his shoulders.
Kurama shook his head teasingly as he pulled Botan's shirt over her head, continuing their ritual. Her nails scratched his back, slowly caressing the skin. She tugged at the collar of his blouse which he was still loosely wearing and pulled him off of the couch. Kurama let her guide him and stood from his place, grateful she hadn't tugged his blouse off which would've revealed his bandaged hand.
Botan backed up, the fabric of Kurama's collar tightly clutched in her hand as she guided him into his bedroom. He let her push him down onto the mattress where she proceeded to pry at the blouse, edging it further down his arms.
To prevent her from taking it off, revealing the bandage hidden underneath, Kurama rolled her under him to reverse the rolls.
A sharp sting traveled through Kurama's arm as his hand touched the mattress. Although he kept from tensing his jaw and biting down upon her lip again, his eyes squeezed shut and his brows furrowed. He counted his blessings as Botan was too close to see it, thus not noticing it.
It was after a few more teasing minutes that the burns on his hand started to throb heavier. Kurama frowned again, mentally biting down to block out the burning sting which made his arm feel like it was being stabbed by a hundred hot pokers.
Botan retreated for a short break, to catch her breath from what they were doing. The emeralds which looked back at her weren't filled with the lust she saw a few minutes ago, his eyes were shut tightly, his forehead and nose wrinkled as he seemed to bite down a hiss.
She raised her eyebrow. "Dear..?"
Kurama's eyes opened as he gave her a toothy grin. "Everything okay?" He asked her.
"I should ask you that question." She answered.
He shook his head as Kurama leaned back down, locking his lips with Botan's again. This time he did it to conceal it, to conceal what she saw, to shrug it off. It was just a few more seconds before Kurama broke the kiss, turning his head away from her.
A frown laced her face again as he repeatedly turned away after a kiss, a vein now clearly visible underneath his eye. The breaks, where he would turn away or lower his head until she couldn't see his face anymore, became longer until after the third time she noticed his arm was shaking.
"Is something the matter?" Botan whispered softly.
"No." Kurama's reply was short and breathy. "All is fine."
Botan hesitated but decided to trust his word, all was fine. Her heart sank into her chest as Kurama suddenly yelped, dropping onto his elbows. Considering the softness of the mattress, this resulted in him crashing down on Botan as his elbows dug into the mattress, his hand unable to carry his weight any longer.
"Oh god!" She exclaimed as it took her by surprise.
Kurama tried to lift his torso again but doubled over with an audible groan, biting his cheek before he could shift the weight to his wrists.
"Stop.." She breathed as he tried to lift himself again. "Stop." Her voice finding its volume as she lifted his chin up with her hands, his face still tense. Her breath caught in her throat as he rolled off of her, moving to sit at the side of the bed, his back towards her. Botan frowned as Kurama raised the collar of his blouse back over his shoulders and around his neck, the edge of what seemed like a bandage peeking from underneath the cuff of his right sleeve.
She reached out and Kurama almost cursed at himself, she had found it. Kurama knew it was just a matter of time until she would've noticed, he was good at hiding things but something this significant was impossible to have kept hidden.
"What happened to your hand?!" Botan edged closer to him, her hand firmly around his.
Kurama gritted his teeth as the burns ached beneath the pressure. "I burned myself, nothing to worry about." He lied. Of course he lied, he would never be able to forgive himself if she gets targeted for knowing.
"Let me heal it." She said as she was about to power up. Kurama gasped in surprise and yanked his hand back. "Is something wrong?" She said, shocked.
"Don't use your energy on me." Kurama said quickly.
"Why not?" Botan frowned.
"Because I.." Kurama thought. "Because I'm using it to get a couple more days off from work." He lied again.
"Are you sure?" Botan retreated her hand. "You can't even lean on it, you're in pain.."
"I'm not in pain and yes I'm sure." Kurama smiled. "Don't waste your energy on me, it's not as bad as it seems." Another lie left his mouth, no matter how much he wanted her to know, he couldn't risk it.
A strange feeling settled in Botan's stomach. "Bullshit." She said calmly. Kurama turned towards her, his eyes wide like a deer in the headlights, he sure did feel like he was about to be run over by a truck. "You can't even support your own weight, your words may be deceiving but your face isn't."
Silence filled the room as Kurama kept his eyes on her, she stared him down and Kurama felt a pang in his heart as she looked at him with distrust. She didn't believe him, there was no dancing away from it now but he couldn't tell her.
"You're right." Kurama swallowed thickly.
"What happened to your hand." Botan said firmly.
"I can't tell you." Kurama shook his head, his eyes fixated on the floor as he stood and started buttoning up his shirt while walking towards the door.
"Why not?" Botan's voice grew louder as she scooted over the bed on her knees, continuing on foot as she stepped off of the bed. "Do you not trust me?"
Botan stopped as Kurama turned towards her. "I do, honey. But I can't tell you, I really can't."
"But why?" Botan's arms fell limply at her sides, her shoulders dropping.
His heart ached in unison with the throbbing pain radiating through his arm. "I'm so sorry." Kurama sighed softly as his features softened. "It's for your own good. I-"
"My own good?!" Botan fumed, maddened by the lack of knowledge which Kurama refused to supply. "It's for my own good I know what the hell is going on! What are you hiding for me?!"
"I have no choice." Kurama kept calm. "I want to keep you away from danger."
"What danger?" Botan raised her hands to her head as she grew desperate. "What is going on?!"
"Botan I-" Kurama reached out.
"What?!" She snapped at him. "You what?! Save your half hearted excuses Kurama, I'm not blind." Her voice hitched in her throat as she suppressed a silent sob. "I'm not blind." She repeated.
Kurama stepped forward, pulling her against his chest. "I know." He whispered as he caged her small form within his arms in a protective manner. "I want to tell you so badly but I can't."
Botan raised her head to look up at him.
He loosened his grip as he pressed his forehead against hers. "This is to protect you, I promise you I will tell you everything when I'm allowed to."
A dry sob left Botan's throat as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm worried 'bout you."
"Don't be." Kurama whispered. "It will all turn out alright, don't use your energy on me, please."
Botan nodded against his skin as she clung to him until she was sure she had calmed down. Kurama allowed her to take her time before walking back towards the living room in order to shut everything down for the night.
The bed was still warm as Botan slid underneath the covers, waiting for Kurama to return. She watched as he undressed when he did, observing his right hand as the bandage was revealed.
Kurama laid down next to her, extending his arm to allow her to rest her head upon it. Botan hesitated to rest on the arm which had been hurting him but he reassured her it would be okay, that it wouldn't hurt him there. She softly relaxed in his embrace, lacing her leg with his as they lay awake.
The night was long, they both laid in a tight embrace though none of them slept. Kurama was the first to leave the bed, planting a soft kiss upon Botan's forehead before he silently tiptoed to the living room. Botan had pretended to be asleep, opening her eyes sorrowful as he closed the door behind him. She turned on her back with a sigh, snatching her phone off of her nightstand. She sighed as she reviewed the time, just a couple more hours before she'd start work.
The smell of fresh baked eggs made its way into the bedroom where Botan still laid upon the bed. Sitting upright as her stomach acted upon the scent. Her footsteps were soft on the wooden flooring, she slowly opened the door and peeked inside the living room.
"Hungry?" Kurama's voice echoed from the kitchen. Botan leaned against the wall in the kitchen, observing his clothed back and the way he refrained from using his 'injured' hand, she scowled silently. "Take a seat, it's almost ready." He commented, his back still towards her.
Botan sat at the high table in the kitchen, crossing her arms on the table as she laid her head upon them. A soft hand gently rubbed her back, sliding up as its fingers ran through her sky blue hair. She lifted her head as she was presented with breakfast. Kurama hummed questionably as he ran his hand through her hair. Botan softly leaned into his touch. "I'm sorry, just tired, I haven't slept at all."
Kurama sighed softly. "That makes two of us." He smiled as he sat down at the opposite side of the table with his plate.
They ate in silence after which they cleaned the dishes. "I'll be taking a shower." Kurama said as he helped Botan placing the plates on the top shelve.
"Can I.." She wanted to ask if she could join him but stopped as she looked at his hand, thinking he'd probably didn't want her to see it.
"You can." He smiled as he dried his hands and made his way to the bathroom, Botan following in his footsteps.
She watched him as he unbuttoned his blouse, sliding his arm out of the sleeve before prying at the bandage. The white gauze falling down in ribbons as the dark marks became visible. Botan's breath hitched in her throat momentarily as he caught her staring.
No words were exchanged in the shower, Botan clamped her arms tightly around Kurama's torso as he rested his chin on her head. "I have to go to work soon." Botan said softly, her lips moving against the bare skin on Kurama's chest.
She felt his arms tighten around her smaller form as he spoke. "I..- Just be careful."
...
Botan's ponytail bounced in unison with her steps as she carrying a pile of papers which Koenma had requested her to retrieve and bring to his office. Turning another corner she accidentally bumped into someone, causing the papers to fly into the air and onto the ground.
"Oh no!" She blurted out. "I wasn't looking, I'm so sorry!" She hurriedly started collecting the papers but looked up when a hand came into view. It was the hand of a handsome man, Botan smiled as she took the hand which helped her up. She loosened her grip with the intention of breaking the contact but the hand held on. Before she knew it, the man had yanked her into one of the smaller hallways.
A surprised gasp left her as her back was pressed against the wall, both her hands locked above her head by the hand of the stranger. Botan closed her eyes tightly as the stranger invaded her space, pressing his nose into the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply as he moves up towards the hairline near her ear.
Her voice returned in a sharp snappy tone. "What in the world do you think you're doing?!" She yelled. Her eyes widening as the invader pressed his hand over her mouth.
"I recommend you keep your pretty mouth shut." His voice was soft but the underlaying tone made her skin crawl. "It's her. The exact same scent as the one we found in his apartment." He said. Botan lifted a silent eyebrow.
"We're in luck then." A second voice chimed in. Botan turned her eyes to see a second figure approaching. "Never expected it to be Koenma's loyal lap dog."
"We sure are." The first man said. "You're Botan right?"
Botan didn't respond, frowning as she gave him her most intimidated stare. It only amused him further. "You are exactly the one we're looking for." He began. "See, there is something in the vault that belongs to us. Considering you are Koenma's favorite, I guess you can grant us access to the vault, yes?" He slowly removed his hand from her mouth.
"And why would I help you?" She spat. "You just assaulted me."
"Watch your tongue little deity." The man pressed his nose against her neck again, making Botan flinch. "This isn't all we can do."
"What is that supposed to mean?" A small tremor in her voice.
"Oh I don't think you'd like to know." The second man grinned. "Like we said, lead us to the vault."
He cautiously released her. "No need to get those papers, you won't need them where we're going." The first man said as he pushed her the other way, leading them to the vault. She knew she wouldn't bump into anyone who could help during her walk through the rarely visited corridors to the spirit world vault.
Standing in front of the heavy doors to the vault, she pointed towards them. "Here they are, I'll be taking my leave now." She said quickly as she turned away.
A stern hand on her shoulder pulled her back towards the vault. "We're not done with you yet little deity." The second man squeezed her shoulder painfully hard. "Open it."
Botan swallowed thickly, she knew her voice granted them access. She froze as the first man spoke. "You wouldn't want anything to happen to them, do you?"
"Them?" Botan asked.
"You know who." He replied. "Open the vault."
Botan inhaled deeply before stepping in front of the door, pressing the button next to the doors. A beep was heard and Botan spoke, initiating another beep which was followed by heavy creaking as the vault opened. The second man pushed her inside while the first made his way further into the vault.
"What are you.." Botan started but was cut off.
"There is something here that belongs to us." The second man interrupted. "We're just taking it back."
As if he was called back, the first man returned, an oval shaped disk wrapped inside a cloth clutched underneath his arm. "I got it."
"Good." He didn't release his grip on Botan. "Are you ready to go?" He asked from behind her.
"Go where?" Botan was unnerved at the tone of his voice. The first man stood in front of her, he smiled softly to her before a sharp sting dimmed her light. Sight and sound stolen as she fell limply into the arms of the stranger.
Finally some real progress in the story... I'm sorry Botan.
I passed my first semester so I finally got the time to finish this chapter. I hope you liked it and look forward to the next.
See you soon!