||* d u l c e *||
Author Notes: For starters, I just want to express a deep and very meaningful apology to all readers because I know that in my last note, I said that I would be updating this chapter by the weekend and that was like a month or so ago, but I didn't like the way it was written at all! o(_)o I tried to fix it, but my brain just about stopped working and I ran into writer's block. So yeah, this fic has been sitting in the dust for a little while, but…but it's back. ^-^!! So yeah, hopefully, you accept my apology, minna-chan.
The next little thing that I would like to broach is the fic itself. It's more of a warning really. (1) This chapter is quite longer than the previous 2. That could either be a curse or an added bonus, depending on the way you, as a reader, perceive it. (2) Despite the shower thing and the descriptions, I still think that this chapter is harmless and has not exceeded the PG-13 boundaries. I hardly think it's lime, although if you have a very active imagination, it could rather err…limey. (3) Depending on the type of person that you are, you might come to believe that the dear author has a perverted sense of humor (admittedly so). Bwahahahaha~!! On occasion anyway. Or you might not even be affected at all and probably telling yourself that the dear author has a really bad sense of humor – so dry. But I don't write humor. I talk humor…not write. I'm only trying. =)
Lastly, enjoy. ^-^!! Comments and flames, even, would be nice. Suggestions are helpful too. =) It would make updates go by quicker. Hint hint.
**
Shuuichi flicked on the light switch as soon as he got the front door open with Botan very close behind, the golden pup cradled in her arms.
She was still irritated at the red-haired singer for getting her into such an uncomfortable and, not to mention, embarrassing predicament, but it had died down somewhat since the time that they had left the studio.
"Hungry?"
"No, I lost my appetite a long time ago," she retorted.
"Please don't tell me that you're still angry with me. I'm sorry. I'll find some way to make it up to you, okay?"
Botan didn't answer but instead paid attention to the pup in her arms. Shuuichi rolled his eyes and shook his head as he walked towards the kitchen.
"You sure you're not hungry?" he asked as he pulled out a pint of ice cream from the freezer.
"As if ice cream could really fill one's stomach," she said, a faint smile on her lips. "But no, I'm not hungry. Thank you."
Botan took a seat on one of the stools by the counter, Kurama having no choice but to take a seat beside her.
"So, you have any plans for tomorrow?"
Botan wrinkled her nose and looked up at Shuuichi.
"You make it sound as if everything is just peachy. Have you already forgotten about these?" She brought her wrist up inches away from his face.
Shuuichi gazed at Botan for a while before putting his spoon into the pint.
"Look, Botan, there's no other alternative to our current situation so just drop your defenses. I'll get us out of this – I promise. "
Botan raised an eyebrow in outright skepticism, but held her tongue.
"P – p – please?" With enhanced round, green eyes and the finest puppy dog face any teenage boy could muster, he tugged on Botan's sleeve pleading with a childish voice almost causing the latter to fall off of her chair.
Botan looked at the youth before her, studying him almost, as the minutes ticked by, and just when he was about to ask her what was wrong, a small giggle escaped her lips.
"What?"
"Sorry, Shuuichi," she said in between small fits of giggles, "but that was a cute little display. I didn't think someone like you would do something like that."
Shuuichi smiled and shrugged.
"Alright. Granted that you keep your promise, I'll hold up my end of the deal and let go of my defensiveness."
"Alright!"
Botan shook her head in amusement and proceeded to continue tickling the pup that was prancing about on the marble counter top.
Minutes flew by and no words were exchanged between the two teenagers until finally, Botan began to fidget.
"Hey, Shuuichi, can I ask you a question?"
"Shoot."
"Back at the studio…just before we left…well, you didn't sound as if you were on cloud nine having a career as an idol singer so early in life and I was just wondering…" she commented, timidly peering at him from the corner of her eyes.
"I…" he paused, trying to think of the right words to say, "It's not that I don't like what I do. I love to sing. I love to compose. That's what got me started in the first place."
He stuffed a scoop of ice cream into his mouth.
"But…lately, I've been getting the feeling that the drive that I had at the beginning is…just gone, y'know?"
"Maybe…maybe you've just been too serious about your career." She slowly brought her eyes to look at his almost frustrated ones. "You're only 18. You should let loose more often."
Shuuichi raised an eyebrow in question at the blue-haired girl sitting beside him.
"You might…might just find what you've been missing after a break."
Shuuichi was silent for a moment contemplating her words before breaking into a grin.
"You know, maybe you're right."
"I am?"
"I'm sure you'd be more than happy to walk down memory lane with me and perhaps I'd remember what letting loose feels like…" and he added with a mischievous grin, "…cuffed or not. I never did say when tomorrow I'd promise to have them off."
Botan blinked, realizing that he did have a point.
"Come on, Botan. I mean, it'd beat staying home all day," he coaxed.
Botan blushed and nodded in response.
"Good. It's a date then." He smirked in triumph.
"D…d…date?"
"Hai," he replied grinning ear to ear.
Botan took her eyes off Shuuichi and began to engage in an abnormal staring contest with the counter in front of her.
"Say, Botan, do you mind if I ask you something myself?"
"Mm?"
"Today at the park, before Shingo caught up with you, I noticed you walking around the park without a smile on your face."
"Oh." Botan laughed nervously. "That. Um, you see, I was just having problems today. That's all."
Shuuichi didn't utter a word but looked at his companion with doubt. Not wanting to pursue the answer to his question knowing full well that doing so would probably only rouse complications, he sighed and turned back to his ice cream.
Silence lingered in the air for but a while before Shuuichi heard Botan's voice sound, barely audible, and almost cheerless. Taking his eyes off of his food, he looked at the girl who was busily making little circles on the counter with her slender finger, her eyes fixated on nothing in particular.
"It…it was my birthday today…and I know that I should be happy," a bitter smile curled itself onto her soft, pink lips and her eyes glazed over as her voice caught in her throat.
"Mm, I'm…16 today. Sweet 16…but it seems that not a family member is here to celebrate it with me. I really should consider myself lucky…to have friends that care and remember…but my parents…I was at least expecting a phone call…a birthday card even…"
"Botan…"
"…But there was nothing…" A long pause lingered before she twisted her head to make eye contact with Shuuichi.
"I'm sorry for having lied to you, Shuuichi. My mother isn't expecting me at all. She's living abroad with my father for business…and other affairs."
Her voice had come to a trembling whisper before her eyes looked up at Shuuichi.
"Um, I'm really sorry, Shuuichi. I don't normally talk about my personal life with people I've just met. I shouldn't have said anything…"
Before letting Shuuichi have a word out, she plastered a forced smile onto her face and rubbed at her eyes.
"Well, enough about me. I think I've said too much anyway."
Smiling, she continued by asking the puzzled boy teasingly, "Um, Shuuichi, what ever did go through your mind to blindly put this thing on my wrist?"
Shuuichi who had figured out the obvious didn't press the subject as much as he would have wanted to and played along.
"It's in my nature to be flirtatious, even if it's taking a risk," he stated, raising his eyebrows suggestively.
"I'm so sure," Botan rolled her eyes and giggled.
"Finally having a good time, B?"
Botan smiled genuinely for the first time that day, much to Shuuichi's pleasure, and nodded her response.
"Yes! We still have a whole night to go you know."
"Oh, how fun," she replied with a sarcastic edge.
**
"Uh, Shuuichi, you wouldn't happen to have anything I could wear, would you? I mean this was a last minute decision for a sleep-over."
"I'm sure we can find something," he looked over his shoulder and gave her a teasing, suggestive look, "but if not, you could always just sleep in your underwear. I certainly wouldn't mind."
And he was instantly met with a slap to the face.
"Pervert!"
"Oh come on. Take a joke, B. You were the one who said to let loose and have fun."
"But I didn't mean it like that," she huffed, steam almost coming out of her ears.
Shuuichi only chuckled and turned the doorknob directing to the master bedroom. The pup immediately jumped on the soft, large bed, made a full circle and lay down as it had all the nights before as if it was a ritual.
"Wow! You come home to this every night? It's as big as my apartment."
Botan stood at the entrance still gawking at the soft, white-carpeted room. The room had been elaborately furnished with velvet furniture and crimson, silken curtains that gracefully hung around the glass doorway leading into the balconies. Ivory pillars stood about the room in various places adorned with circling vines and blood-red roses. An entertainment system complete with all the works stood in another corner of the room looking new and unused…and very inviting.
"Shuuichi, would you mind having your architect and interior decorator do my house?"
Shuuichi chuckled and dragged the gaping girl into his bedroom.
"It may look nice, but it's not all that great when you have to spend your life living in it by yourself. Mom prefers living in the home that she raised her family in so I have this all to myself, but trust me, it's not as exciting as people would think it'd be."
Botan began trudging around the room and poking at various things, especially the rose-entwined columns, while Shuuichi followed rather amused at the spectacle that the young lady was making.
"You like roses, Shuuichi?"
"Yeah. Plants in general, actually, but roses are nice too."
"Nice, but I think peonies are prettier," she mused.
"Hey, B, if you're done with your self-tour of my bedroom, I'd like to take a shower…"
Realizing what he just said, he began waving his hands in front of him fervently blushing hotly all the while, Botan's expression not too far off from his.
"Don't take it the wrong way, B. It's just…just that I've been perspiring in today's heat and I don't wanna go to bed…feeling dirty…"
Botan didn't say anything but looked at her feet and fidgeted.
"I know we're handcuffed, but you won't see anything that you wouldn't want to. You'd just stand outside of the curtains until I'm done. Please don't take it the way I think you're thinking."
"No," Botan started quietly, "it's alright. I just wasn't expecting really bold words. I was just unprepared," she looked up at his unmistakably crimson face, "and obviously, neither were you."
Shuuichi, in all out hesitance, walked over to his bathroom, Botan following in suite, her eyes wandering around the hallways and stopping occasionally to prod the various flowers that were placed in porcelain vases scattered about on the marble tables lining the hall. Upon reaching the bathroom, Botan's mouth parted into what must have been the perfect "O".
"Oh my gosh! Your bathroom's big too," she chirped.
"Beautiful observation. I think you'll be a wonderful scientist," came the sarcastic voice.
"You seriously have to get me in touch with your contractors." She grinned. "I'll be your very best friend. I'd do you a lot of good in the long run."
"Sure. Why not." He figured that humoring her, though she knew the idea was farfetched, would do them good. "Wanna turn around for me, B?"
"Ehh?" she asked cheekily.
"What? Must you watch me strip? I know I'm irresistible and all but…"
"No! No! I'm turning around now."
Botan blushed again and abruptly did a 180, her cuffed arm moving around as Shuuichi tried to rustle out of his clothes.
Because Botan happened to be a red-blooded teenager, she couldn't stop her mind from summoning images of the red-haired singer topless, resulting in her only turning a deeper shade of red. Despite the fact that at times, she found him to be too teasingly narcissistic, she couldn't deny that she was, even in the least bit, attracted to him.
What girl in their right state of mind wouldn't feel some invisible magnetism to the handsome idol? Not only was he a talented singer but his face was heaven-blessed.
Long, beautiful crimson locks and deep, captivating emerald eyes that put the gem used to describe it to shame, he was physically every woman's dream come true. He was tall, toned, and had cheekbones to die for. Knowing smile, cocky attitude, high hormone drive or rather, very high hormone drive…
The sound of rushing water soon took her out of her reverie. She hadn't realized how long her mind had been gone on its random walk but she figured it must have been a pretty long while and instantly felt her cheeks rise in temperature.
The bathroom was now clouded with steam and the large mirror opposite her was completely fogged over. The scent of shampoo had been lingering about the room and it was only now that the smell began to waft to her sense of smell.
Her eyes scoured the large area for a while looking about for nothing in particular, perhaps admiring the golden rimmed bathtub and mirrors.
"Shuuichi, you done yet? My face is starting to get really moist."
"Oh, sorry. Almost done, Botan."
"Um, okay then."
Minutes ticked by and the water still continued to run. Botan was beginning to get bored and so lazily began to finger the intricate designs on the shower curtain hoping that Shuuichi would soon come out. Coming to the edge of the curtain, she was immediately yanked towards the shower and would surely have fell in had her reflexes not kicked in.
"Botan? You okay? Sorry…there was soap," came his sheepish chuckle.
Grabbing onto the thin sheet that was the metal bar where decorative towels were hung, she impulsively brought her cuffed hand to her chest and clutched at her heart, her eyes nearly bulging out of her head and her breathing intense.
"Hey, Botan. You okay?"
"I…I'm…I'm fine, Shuuichi. Perfectly okay."
Her breathing finally slowing and returning to its normal pace, she realized just how close she had been to being in the shower stall with him. Her cheeks began to burn with the sudden conception and she tried in vain to jostle away the rather…disturbing images that her horned and tailed conscience conjured up.
"Botan?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I have my hand back?"
Looking down, Botan became conscious of the fact that her cuffed hand was still clutching her chest and in doing so, she had also brought Shuuichi's along for the ride and was now resting on a place where she would rather not have it rest.
In her hurry and prompt desire to get his hand off of her breast, she had managed to trip and fall into the stall where a bug eyed Shuuichi stood looking at the shocked girl staring at his naked body.
The next thing Shuuichi knew was he had lost his hearing. Eyes shut tight, Botan had began shrieking at the top of her lungs, flailing her arms and trying desperately to get out of the stall, but only resulted in falling back down getting soaked even more.
By now, Shuuichi had grabbed a towel and covered himself up and tried to help the hysteric girl up but was only met with a slap square in the face.
"You're such an idiot, Shuuichi!"
"I'm an idiot!?"
"Yeah! A really big idiot!"
Shuuichi was met with another indignant slap to the face, though he didn't know exactly why he deserved that. Perhaps it was some sort of female mentality. Shrugging, he shut off the shower and exited the shower stall, as he had no choice; Botan was haughtily making for the door.
"Ehh…Botan?"
"What now?"
She refused to turn around and face him after her little accident.
"I have to change." He pointed at a pile of neatly folded clothing sitting on the gray marble bathroom counter.
"Right. Sorry."
By now, the blue haired teenager had become almost psychotically neurotic about seeing a naked man that each time Shuuichi moved towards her in an attempt to retrieve something beside her, she tensed and would immediately turn in the other direction.
Finally turning in about as many directions as humanly possible, she found herself in front of one of the larger mirrors in the bathroom, both her and Shuuichi's reflection as visible as ever now that the steam that had materialized minutes prior had evaporated.
Her face could have easily put a tomato to shame, so red her face had become, and it wasn't helping much that she was holding her breath all the while.
There he stood behind her, half naked, eyebrow arched in confusion, emerald eyes nothing but a pool of bewilderment. His damp hair produced tiny droplets of water that streamed down the contours of his shoulders and chest, outlining his slender but muscular figure. He was a naked man save the cream colored towel that hung about his waist to hide his treasure.
Botan stood in the very position that only Shuuichi's fan girls could only ever dream of and she had caught laryngitis all of a sudden and a case of being immobile.
Shuuichi looked at her, quite amused. "You're a weird girl, you know that?"
He grinned suddenly. "But feel free to look. I aim to impress."
A bar of soap immediately made contact with Shuuichi's head and he only shot her an idiotic smile in response.
"Not funny, Shuuichi!"
"Oh, I don't know about that."
He paused for a moment, his lips curling upwards into a teasing smirk.
"You and your staring problem, B. We really have to fix that. How about being blindfolded next time? Sound good?"
"Ugh! Shut up!"
A snicker.
Botan concentrated her eyes on her now damp socks and somewhere in the back of her mind was she ever screaming how much of a babe that Shuuichi was and another part of her was strangling that "fan girl".
And just when did she become attracted to the Kurama? How much worse that it was Shuuichi?
"Shower's all yours, B."
"Huh?"
Her thoughts broken, she looked at the empty shower stall and the extra towel hanging at the top.
"Oh…err…I see."
Botan fidgeted for a while, debating the many ways she could start undressing without feeling too uncomfortable with a man in the very same bathroom as her. She would have allowed her consciences to continue their verbal bashing had Shuuichi's voice, more than mischievous, piped in.
"Nice view, Botan."
"What?"
Botan could have sworn that little fox ears had popped onto Shuuichi's head, his face glowing with pleasure and snickering all the while as he pointed at her. Looking down carefully, she was mortified as she saw exactly what he saw.
When she had fallen into the stall, she had managed to get herself soaked through and white had never been too good around water.
"Kyaaa!! Pervert! Do you realize how much I'm starting to hate you again?"
And did Botan ever give Shuuichi a good punch to the face. Impulse taking over, her arms immediately went to her torso covering as much as they could.
Regaining his posture, Shuuichi grinned at Botan but didn't say anything and just pointed at the shower stall.
She looked at it skeptically and kept looking back and forth between the boy and the stall finally deciding to take her shower and trusting whatever good morals there was in the redhead.
Narrowing her eyes, she glared at the youth with every intent of ripping his head off if he did not heed her warning.
"Don't look!" she growled.
"You have my word as a dignified being of the male species," he raised his hand in mock oath, "I won't look."
Botan felt a heavy unease as she began to undo her drenched blouse and shorts, keeping a watchful eye on Shuuichi at every moment. She trusted him but not enough.
Her clothes finally a rumpled heap on the ground at her feet, she hopped into the shower stall still very much paranoid and keeping a close eye by the curtain. But to her surprise and content, Shuuichi had kept his word and stayed his ground outside the shower making no attempt to bother her during the duration of the time that the water had been running.
Meanwhile, Shuuichi couldn't stop his own mind from going to the gutter.
She was a cute thing, he admitted, but then again, he found a lot of women attractive. For God's sake, he was 18, and his hormones were all over the damn place.
But there was something else about her; something different about her; something that he didn't find in the other girls like Kitajima. During the short time that they had spent together, she had begun to grow on him. He had only met her that day and yet he found himself to be very comfortable around her – as if he had known her all his life – and that had been proven when he had talked to her earlier in the kitchen.
Hours seemed to go by before the sound of rushing water finally ceased bringing Shuuichi out of his current musings.
"Hey, what do you know? I guess it is true what they say about girls and taking forever and a day to get out of the shower."
"Speak for yourself, Shuuichi!"
"I'm a rock star, babe. I have an excuse. I have to look and smell good all the time."
"Oh please. Don't flatter yourself."
A chuckle escaped his lips and then the sound of rustling shower curtains instinctively brought his male eyes to the shower stall. He gulped.
Botan emerged from the shower stall with an eyebrow raised as she looked at him, his eyes roaming over her.
Her silky sky-blue hair clung to the sides of her face and her neck, thick wet locks of it cascading down her shoulders down her back and chest. A pretty and petite girl indeed, that she was. The towel wrapped around her barely covered what it was supposed to conceal not even long enough to hide her thighs, her long slender legs very visible. A small, delicate hand was pressed to her chest where the towel came together making sure that the towel would stay wrapped about her body.
Completely oblivious to the fact that Shuuichi's eyes were looking at her almost hungrily, she proceeded to ask him if he had any clothing he could lend her.
"They might not fit you."
"So? They're still something I could wear."
"I'm telling you, B, you'd look a lot cuter in your underwear."
"Keep dreaming, Shuuichi!" She stuck her tongue out at him. "It'll never happen."
Shuuichi shrugged and sighed.
"Alright then. Suit yourself."
"How would you feel if you slept in your underwear!?" she retaliated.
"Comfortable. I'd be free, if you know what I mean. I sleep in my underwear every night. Haven't you ever heard of boxers, dearest?"
"Ugh! Has anyone ever told you that it's useless arguing with you?"
"You only noticed that now?"
"Oh, you're horrible!"
"I know, but you can't resist me."
"Give me a break!"
Shuuichi snickered and pulled her down the hallway connected to his bedroom and dragged her into yet another room within his room, a variety of clothing gracing them. Rummaging furiously through a bureau for a little while, he finally threw some garments over his shoulder and into Botan's arms.
She looked down at the fabric in her hands and frowned. A big gray T-shirt and black sweats awaited her. Looking back up, she was pleased that Shuuichi had turned to face the other direction on his own accord leaving Botan to get dressed as best that she could with one hand.
"You can look now. I'm dressed."
Shuuichi turned around to see Botan clad in his clothes, and not to mention practically lost in it. Her petite frame could barely support the clothing. The T-shirt had reached her knees and one side was going off one of her shoulders. The black sweats were at least three times her size and had done so much as to hide her feet.
"Nice outfit there, B."
"Shut up."
"I told you that your undies would have been more comfortable."
"I said shut up."
"But nope. No one ever listens to Shuuichi. Tsk tsk."
"God, please tell me that I haven't been handcuffed to someone that doesn't speak my language."
Shuuichi chuckled and dragged her out of the walk-in closet choking on his words and mumbling something about a comb and some toothbrushes.
**
Final Notes: B-chan has a pretty sad family life, ne? Don't worry. I promise that by the time this fic ends, everything will be peachy cool. =)
I know full well that Kurama is perverted in this fic, and that's the way I want it. He's more in touch with his youko side, wouldn't you say? Bwahahaha~!! And if you don't like it, then all I can do is apologize, but I think that adds humor to it in a sad, pathetic kind of way. *sweatdrop* I'm trying my very bestest. I pwomise! Hehe. Err…hopefully this hasn't changed the way you look at darling Kurama-sama. *even bigger sweatdrop*
I already have an idea for the next chapter so hopefully, if I can find the right words to incorporate into the following chapter, it should come out shortly. If not… *sweatdrop* …well, let's not even get into that. Plus I'm on summer break and I have a bunch of other things to attend to, but at least I have more time to brainstorm for the next chapter. ^-^!!
Lastly, legal disclaimers apply here. I don't own jack! Although I certainly wouldn't complain if Togashi-sensei decided to let me adopt his work. Highly unlikely, but hey, a fan girl can dream, ne? ^0^!!