Disclaimer: Sorry. Forgot to do this the last FOUR chapters... I do not own Yu-Yu Hakusho, nor do I own any of the characters. If I did, Kurama would be naked for all of the episodes... in Youko form.
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Chapter Five: Botan's Return
"It's here!"
Those were the first words that Botan chirped as she sprang up on her mattress. She flipped her cover back and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her feet made contact with the floor and she hissed at the coldness of the marble.
She padded her way across the room, skidding her feet along the soft throw rug in the middle of her floor out of daily habit.
She smiled to herself as she opened the door to her bathroom and stepped inside. She reached over into the shower and twisted both faucet handles. She snatched her pins from her head and shook her hair loose from the bun they held them in.
She cautiously reached her hand into the spray path of the shower to check its temperature then stepped in, immersing herself in the warmth bursting from the high faucet.
She snatched the shampoo bottle form her window sill and squirted an ample amount into the palm of one of her hands before she set it down. She began to massage the shampoo into her scalp thoroughly, mixing the lather into her blue crown.
The same thought from before entered her mind and her arms shot into the air. She did a small, childish dance then quickly resumed scrubbing her scalp. She giggled girlishly at her own silliness then closed her eyes and inclined her head upward, rinsing her hair of the soap.
She moaned subconsciously as the hot water ran over her face and down her body, sending warm vibrations under her skin, almost as if a really good itch was finally being scratched.
"It's here!" she whispered aloud to herself, letting a smile play across her lips.
She sighed loosely as the hot water shot forth from the holes of the shower head and gently pelted her form with droplets, which bursted upon impact with her skin then trailed down the rest of her body before meeting the drain. She opened her mouth and allowed the water to collect then spurted it out, splashing the wall in front of her. She cracked one of her eyes open as a thought hit her.
The quicker I shower, the quicker I'm out of here.
Deciding to skip the luxuries of bathing, Botan quickly scrubbed the rest of her body with a bar soap then rinsed. She turned the shower off and stepped out, snatching a towel from a wall handle. She wrapped it around her head then grabbed another. She wrapped it around her body, pinching it at the side to keep it from falling.
She opened the bathroom door and entered her room once more, a gather of fog escaping after her. She walked briskly towards her large closet, leaving a trail of water in her wake.
She placed her hands on the handles to both her closet doors then slid them apart. She put a finger to her chin thoughtfully and began tapping her foot, sending tiny splashes of water flying from the small puddle that had come to gather underneath her foot.
"What to wear..." she mumbled. She eyed her favorite kimono. It was lilac with silver flowers embroidered along the hem. The sleeves were sheer and the cuffs were outlined in silver, as was the collar. Botan outstretched her arm to grab for it then stopped, dropping it to her side.
"Nah," she said, "too formal."
Then she snapped her fingers as she thought of an outfit. She reached into her closet and took out a pale pink hooded sweater jacket. She closed her closet then skipped over to her dresser. She began to dig through it, tossing articles of clothing every which way until she found the two pieces of clothing she desired. She threw a white spaghetti-strap tank top onto the bed next to the sweater along with a pair of khaki Capri's.
She folded her arms across her chest and nodded. Then she struck her tongue across the roof of her mouth producing a "cluck" sound.
"Botan, M'dear, I believe you've found your outfit," she said to herself.
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A small while later, Botan was finished dressing. Her hair was now curly, the result from not being dried properly. She didn't mind, though. It was quite pretty. In fact, she had decided to leave it down. She plucked a pink flower from her vase on her dresser and placed it behind her ear. She nodded in approval, deciding it brought out the color of her eyes.
She sighed and began chewing on her bottom lip.
It's here. Today's the day I go meet Yusuke after so long.
She shrugged then sighed once more. She spruced her hair a little more before she turned and walked towards the door. She opened it then exited, ready to see her friends and secret love once more.
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Koenma lifted his head from the papers on his desk long enough to see Botan walking hurriedly past his office.
"Ah! Botan!" he shouted cheerfully. A few seconds later, Botan's face popped back into his doorway donned with a worried expression.
"Hai, Koenma, sir? I was just on my way out," she said
"Come, come, now!" he said waving her into his office. She nodded then stepped into his office closing the door behind her. She approached his desk then bowed meekly.
"Hai, sir?" she said. Koenma smiled behind his pacifier.
"Where are you off to, may I ask?" he said. Of course, he already knew the answer.
"Back to Ningenkai," she said quietly. "It has been a month, has it not?" Koenma gave a quick nod.
"To see Urameshi, I presume..." he said. Botan nodded, a faint pink hue tingeing her cheeks.
"I presume, also, this is the reason for your appearance?" he said. Botan nodded again. Koenma closed his eyes and sighed.
"Of course..." he mumbled. Botan frowned.
"Koenma, is something wrong? Did I do something?" she said in barely a whisper. Koenma did not respond. He opened his eyes and regarded Botan for a moment before he broke into a genuine smile.
"Iie, of course not. You look nice. The flower highlights your eyes. Go have fun. you deserve it," he said. Botan beamed brightly at him then nodded.
"And be good!" he added.
"Hai, I will. Arigatou, Koenma," she said. She bowed again before she turned to leave. Koenma shook his head and chuckled lightly as his office door closed.
That silly girl is in love. Good for her.
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She couldn't wait to be back in his presence.
To see him grin.
To watch him frown.
To hear him shout.
To feel his touch.
The thought of him touching her, stroking her face, his breath warming her skin as he spoke, spurred her onward. She willed her oar to go faster, even more eager to see him than before. She nearly jumped from her oar in midair when she caught sight of a familiar diner. It was the group's favorite. They all always hung out there after school. She knew he would be there.
Botan lowered her oar as she came to her destination. She hopped off and began to straighten out her clothing, dusting off invisible dirt just to be sure.
She opened the door and stepped inside, smile ready in place. But her smile fell when she looked around the diner, not seeing the brown eyed Detective anywhere. Her shoulders slumped and she sighed shakily. She turned around and left the diner. She shook her head as she rounded the corner. She was being unreasonable. He could have been anywhere! He could have been at home. He could have been at the arcade with Kazuma, or at the library with Kurama. He could have been out with Keiko...
Her skin began to broil at that thought and her hands automatically fisted. She stopped dead in her tracks. Then she took a deep breath and calmed herself. She was not going to let silly thoughts of Keiko ruin her day. No, she was going to have a good day because it was her first day back and Yusuke probably----
"Ohiyo, Botan!"
Botan smiled and turned to see who had called her name, hopeful it was Yusuke. But alas, it was only Kazuma. He jogged towards her sporting a goofy grin. Her smiled wavered a bit, but she caught it before it slipped completely.
"Has it been a whole month already?" he said while embracing her in one of his air-locked bear hugs. He let go of her and she took a step backward nodding.
"Yes, silly! It's been tortuously slow for me!" she laughed.
"That's because you were the one waiting to get out!" he joked. Botan fisted her hips.
"What are you saying, Kazuma? That you weren't waiting, too?" she teased. Kuwabara folded his arms across his chest and glared at her.
"Hey! Don't you go twisting my words around, Botan!" he warned. She poked him in the chest.
"You were the one who said it," she said. Kuwabara laughed and hooked an arm around her neck.
"Let's go to the diner. I'll buy you a burger and a nice, cold shake," he offered. Botan sighed.
"No can do. I can't eat right now," she said. Kuwabara chuckled and poked her in the ribs with his other hand.
"What's the matter? Got the Jitters about seein' Yusuke?" He leaned over near her face and started making kissing noises. Botan swatted him away and laughed.
"No! Let's just go inside the diner..." she said quickly as they rounded the corner. Kuwabara pushed open the door and bowed politely, allowing Botan to go in before him. Botan curtsied playfully and walked inside, him following behind her. She walked over to a corner booth and sat down. Kuwabara slid into the seat across from her.
"So, what are your plans for today?" he asked. She shrugged.
"I don't know. I guess whatever you guys feel like doing," she replied.
"Sorry. I can't stay around long. I have to go see my koi..." he said dreamily.
"That's cute. I'm sure Yukina appreciates your visits since she hardly knows any humans," she said. Kazuma grinned.
"She does more than appreciate me... she adores me. She worships me. I'm everything to her," he said brushing his fingertips against his jacket. Botan reached over the table and pushed his shoulder.
"Whatever! Just don't let Hiei hear you say that!" she laughed. Kuwabara visibly shuddered.
"That shrimp is such a jerk! His ego is bananas!" he said folding his arms over his chest.
"No, Hiei is pretty tame. Yusuke's ego is bananas," she said.
"But they're both jerks. Yusuke's just taller," he mumbled. Botan laughed out loud.
"It wasn't that funny."
Botan clapped a hand over her mouth and whipped around in her seat. Yusuke stood behind her with a frown on his face. He looked pretty cute, though, she noted. He was wearing a black button-up dress shirt with a white T collar showing from underneath. He wore blue jeans and white tennis shoes. His hair was not slicked back with jell today, and two dark strands lay over his eyes.
His hands were shoved into his pockets and his dark chocolate eyes were locked on Botan's.
"Oi, Urameshi! What the hell are you doing scaring poor Botan like that?!" said Kuwabara standing from his seat. Yusuke smirked and rolled his eyes over to Kazuma.
"Oh, shut up, Kuwabara! I see you're having fun talking about me behind my back, ya' asshole!" he snapped back. Kuwabara snorted then slid from his seat. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked over at Botan.
"I don't have time to argue with your scrawny ass, Urameshi. I've got things to do," he said winking at Botan. With one last glare at Yusuke, he walked out of the diner, whistling as he went.
Botan sat with her hand still clamped over her mouth and her eyes wide. They nearly rolled out of her head when she felt Yusuke's hot breath on her neck through her hair. He chuckled a little then tucked some hair behind her ear.
"You're looking this good... for me?" he whispered in her ear. Botan slid her hand from her mouth and onto the table. She turned her head to see him bending down beside her, cocky smile in tow. She smiled timidly and looked down at the ground.
"No..." she said quietly. Yusuke cocked his head to the side, his two strands flopping to the side also.
"No? So now you don't like me?" he teased. Botan's eyes snapped up and her stomach began to turn.
How did he know?
"I don't...well, you just... yeah, I mean no, I mean but I...." she rambled.
As she went on, Yusuke's smile grew. Then he shook his head. Botan gave up trying to explain to him, on account of her becoming quite flustered. She sat there staring at him, her eyes wide and her face pink, an embarrassed frown creased onto her mouth. Yusuke laughed then stood. He slid into the seat Kuwabara had occupied only moments ago.
"Sorry for bein' a big flirt. I can't help it, it's in my blood," he said while looking out the window. Botan felt something constrict in her chest.
"Oh," she said nervously, "It's okay, really. I'm used to you flirting." Yusuke turned his head to look at her.
"Oh, you are, are you?" he said grinning wickedly at her. She opened her mouth but found that her throat was dry from nervousness.
Daioh, did he know what he did to her when he did that? Did he know she would gladly give herself to him to be ravished just because of that one look? Surely, he had to know.
"You already know about Keiko, right?" he said, his voice suddenly interrupting her thoughts. Botan snapped out of her What-I-Could-Do-To-That-Body state to notice he was no longer looking at her, but back out the window again. She nodded quickly.
"Yes, I know. Kazuma told me," she said. He snorted then smirked.
"Kuwabara has a big mouth," he said. Botan shrugged.
"I would have found out anyway," she said. He laughed, then, and it felt a bit awkward for Botan to listen to it due to the subject of their conversation. She shifted in her seat.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Any way, she's off to college in two days," he said.
"So you two are still speaking, then?" she said, it coming out more like a statement then a question.
"Of course. We're still friends. We'll keep talking until she leaves. And some even after," he said looking at her. Botan nodded, being careful not to let him notice her inner turmoil.
"That's understandable," she stated simply, now looking out the window. "Are you sad about her leaving?"
"Yeah, I mean, what guy wouldn't be sad about their girl leaving? I've known Keiko since childhood. No one would want to lose a bond that strong. I'll miss her a lot..." he said letting his sentence trail.
"Are you hurt?" she asked quietly. Yusuke quirked en eyebrow. He waited a while before he responded. He sighed, deciding she would see through his tough guy exterior anyway.
"I'm torn up. I'd probably be sulking if I wasn't the masculine hero I am. Or I'd probably be going on a killing spree right now if I didn't still have somebody I care about with me here. Let's just say it's a good thing you got back today," he said, a smooth smile sliding across her face. Botan said nothing in response, just sat there staring out the window.
Yusuke eyed her carefully for a moment before turning his whole body her way.
"Botan?" he said.
"Hm?" she said without looking at him. She tried to put on a cool front although it felt like her heart was revving for a race inside her chest.
"You like me...don't you?" he said. She looked at him then, her face blank and unreadable.
"You already know I do, Yusuke. Why do you ask?" she said trying to sound nonchalant. Her voice failed her, though, when it cracked at the end of her sentence. He snorted softly, amused by her response.
"Because I can't like someone who doesn't like me back," he said softly. Botan's eyebrows shot up and her mouth opened slightly. She sat there dumbfounded for a little while before she shook her head then cocked it to the side.
"Wha...what did you just say?" she said. Yusuke gave her a sideways smile then placed his elbows on the table and leaned over. His eyes roamed over her flushed face and he chuckled lightly. Had Botan been standing, she would have surely collapsed by now.
He opened his mouth and took her bottom lip in his. He suckled it softly before he released it ans placed a kiss on the side of her mouth.
"You know..." he whispered as he placed a kiss on her jawline. "I've always thought you were hot. Ever since the day I saw you."
He trailed kisses along her jawline until he reached the under-curve of her ear. He snaked his tongue out and brushed it along the tender skin of her lobe, sending jolts of pleasure down her spine.
"I had never seen a girl with blue hair before. I thought it was exotic. And when I saw through your kimono with that mirror..." he said. He moaned sensually in her ear and Botan bit her lip.
"But what drew me to you the most were your eyes... they were so warm, so inviting, so mesmerizing... you enticed me without even trying. You do a lot of things to me without even trying. I can't wait to see what you do when you really want to try something," he chuckled. Then he slowly pulled back a little. He looked her in the eyes before he snaked his tongue out once more and ran it along her bottom lip. He bit his lip then smiled.
"Ooh, are you wearing strawberry lip gloss for me?" he said. Botan gulped then nodded slowly.
"You said the ice cream was good... the last time you...um, you kissed... me," she said. She couldn't bring herself to look at him while she said that so she looked down at the table. Yusuke took placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head up to look at him.
"It did taste good. But I don't think it tastes as good as I imagine you do," he said, his face drawing closer to hers.
"No?" she asked coyly. He shook his head slowly.
"No. So how about it, Botan? Can I taste?" he said. Botan licked her lips then nodded. Yusuke smiled.
Yusuke opened his mouth slightly and united it with her waiting mouth. He closed his lips over hers then opened it again, sliding his tongue between her lips. He brushed his tongue against hers sensually and she moaned into his mouth.
Botan's eyes drifted closed. Under the table Botan clenched at her khakis. Her heart was having a fit and her mind was spinning. She couldn't even think straight she was so blown away. She had never been kissed that way. It wasn't lustful, yet, it wasn't innocent, either. It was just... wonderful. No, it was more than wonderful. It was indescribable! There were unquestionably no words for the feeling the kiss brought over her. All she knew was that she loved it. She absolutely loved it.
After some time, Yusuke pulled back, his eyes closely watching her facial expression. Her eyes were still closed, her cheeks were warm with ruddiness, and her mouth was partially open.
"Botan..." he called. Her eyes flickered open and she smiled slowly at him.
"Do you...like the way I taste?" she whispered. Yusuke licked his bottom lip and nodded slowly.
"You taste... sweet. Your mouth is smooth and your lips are soft. You taste... like heaven," he said while grinning at her. Botan laughed gingerly and pushed his shoulder.
"I like that analogy. I've never been complemented that way before," she laughed. Yusuke sat back down and took one of her hands in his. He lifted it to his mouth and brushed his lips across her skin.
"It's the truth. I think it's because you're an angel," he said placing soft kisses between her knuckles. Botan smiled ruefully, knowing that his statement was far from the truth. She looked out the window. Silence passed between the two of them for quite some time before Yusuke reached across the table and stroked her face with his other hand.
"Daijoubou, koi?" he asked her softly. Botan swallowed hard then looked over at him.
"I'm not just... a replacement, am I, Yusuke? I don't want to be here just because you don't want to be lonely," she said. Yusuke smiled, not at all offended by her words.
"Of course not, Botan. I could be with a Ningen girl to do that. Look, I care for Keiko, but my feelings for you are strong. I've tried to push them out of my mind while I was with her, but they refused to be ignored. Now I can pay them the attention they deserve," he said overturning her hand and kissing her wrist. Botan blushed and smiled.
"Now you don't have to be so modest, Botan. You can touch me as you please. I know you've wanted to for some time now," he said. Botan did not hesitate. She lifted her other hand to his face and cupped his cheek. His eyes stayed connected with hers as he leaned into her touch. Botan slid her hands up his face and through his hair. Her fingers cut through his chocolate strands like a knife through water and she enjoyed it thoroughly.
She couldn't believe it. She finally had Yusuke all to herself. She could touch him like that anytime she felt like. She didn't have to hold back because Keiko was around, her eyes watching her like a hawk... with a video camera.
She giggled to herself at that thought and Yusuke found himself smiling as well. He quirked an eyebrow in question and she shook her head, detaching her hand from his hair.
"I can touch you... anytime I want to now... without guilt," she said. Yusuke leaned over once more and gave her a small, sultry kiss on the lips.
"I was never guilty about it," he said.
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AN: I hope that was long enough, Loves! Don't worry. This isn't the end. No, not yet. The scene where Botan finally confronts Keiko is coming up! Oooooh...
But I won't be too hard on Keiko. Sorry guys. I know Kazuma was kinda' OOC so I apologize for that, too.
Sorry for taking so long to update. I REALLY don't want to be one of those authors who take a year and a half to update. I'll try to post more stories and chapters as often as I can.
Don't forget to read and review, Lovers!