Winter Fireworks

Chapter 2: Present Lives

By: Diana-Jae

Botan's yelp took everyone by surprise as they turned around, and to their enjoyment, found the young fashion entrepreneur about a foot off the ground and in the clutches of Kazuma Kuwabara's strong arms.

"Didn't think you were real," he commented light-heartedly as he set her back on her feet. "I was just making sure I wasn't hallucinating."

Botan playfully punched his shoulder. "Even after five years, you're still such a goof." She grinned. "So you're pro and the star athlete for the Jets now, huh?"

He shrugged modestly. "If that's what they're saying about me, then I guess I am. But I'm still just Kazuma Kuwabara. You know, tall, strong, dashingly handsome…"

Botan rolled her eyes and laughed. "You really are a goof," she grinned, "but can I have your autograph anyway?"

He laughed. "I don't know if I should be asking you that instead. After Yuusuke went Botan hunting, he says that now you're some famous fashion designer. If that's true, I should be asking for your autograph."

"If that's what they're saying about me, then I guess I am," she mimicked him, a sly grin playing on her soft features. "But I'm still just Botan Furuya… minus the self-adoring compliments," she finished with a snicker.

Kuwabara would have continued his playful assault on the petite girl had Yuusuke's voice not cut in and announced that he and his wife had arrived. Botan's head impulsively whipped around to face the entrance, her eyes immediately brightening at the sight of Keiko, her healthy rounded belly announcing to the group of friends that the baby would be due very soon.

"I heard that you were willing to be Kimoko's godmother," Keiko began as she stood in front of Botan.

"Willing?" Botan wrinkled her nose. "You make it sound like I'm not too thrilled with the idea. I'm actually excited that you guys even considered me to be Kim's godmother."

Keiko smiled. "I'm glad."

"Okay, you two. If we can fast forward through the mushy moment, do you think we could get settled into our table since we're all here because I don't know about all of you, but I'm starved." Kuwabara grinned maniacally and guided the group of friends up the crimson-carpeted stairs of the restaurant towards their reserved corner of the room.

Botan entangled her fingers into Chiaki's flame-colored tresses, combing softly through it from time to time. The white-gold piece of jewelry on Botan's tiny wrist told her that it was nearing eleven, but her friends' high spirits would have managed to convince her otherwise. The other customers had left well over an hour ago, about the time when they had finished their dinner, and now they were the only ones left, the store manager, being a close acquaintance to the athlete's sister, entrusted them with lockup.

Chiaki had fallen asleep as soon as he had finished his plate of spaghetti, cuddling up to his father, but when Shuuichi had excused himself for a few minutes to go and use the restroom, he had come back to find that his son had curled up into a ball with his head on Botan's lap who had been sitting on the other side of him. He smiled affectionately, not really knowing whether it was meant for his son or the scene that he saw, but he said nothing and sat back down, strategically jumping back into conversation.

"Botan," Yukina shifted her attention from her fiancé and twin brother's playful bickering towards the blue-haired young woman, "we hear that you're one of France's fashion prodigies."

Botan smiled nervously. "I've been getting the same comment since I've set foot on Japanese soil, Yukina, and every time it's brought up, I think it gets exaggerated a little more than the last."

Kuwabara laughed at that. "You're the main subject of gossip among us, you know, being the one that disappeared for five years and all. So what do you expect?"

"I'd actually beg to differ," Botan argued. "You and Yukina are the ones getting married. I would think that it was the both of you that would be the main subject for talk."

Shizuru smirked at that. "Hooked and sunk, little brother." Her slender arm reached over the table for the bottle of Hennessey and poured herself a shot and then looked at Botan. "So, would you mind answering a questions that's been gnawing at me, Botan?"

Botan raised a fine brow and shook her head. "No, go ahead."

The older girl lidded her eyes so that they were almost closed and took in the small amount of alcohol sitting in her glass at once then slowly returned her gaze to the younger girl. "Why did you leave Sapporo?"

Botan's fingers suddenly stopped running through Chiaki's hair, and her purple irises had slowly left Shizuru's mocha colored ones and concentrated on one of the near-empty bottles of champagne. Now she was wondering why she hadn't seen the question coming, and now that it had been thrust in her face, she wasn't quite sure how to answer. Telling the truth was completely out of the question, especially because her reason was sitting two seats away from her. So she blurted out the first and most logical answer that came to mind.

"Fashion design," she mumbled.

"Beg your pardon?"

"I…" Botan began fumbling for words, "I wanted to pursue a career in fashion design."

"So why didn't you pursue it here?"

Botan's shoulders moved up slightly and then back down in a slow shrug. "I don't know. I guess there was also this need to travel. Besides, because of Mom and Dad's job, they had a place in France so I was pretty much ensured a place to stay."

Her answer was followed by silence, which made Botan a little anxious before the hazel-haired beauty nodded her head with eyes closed and said, "Okay, I'll buy that."

Botan's eyes scanned everyone else, and they had all already found some other thing to talk about. But when her eyes found Yuusuke's, she found herself being shrunken by his gaze, as if he didn't completely buy into her lie like the others. It was as if he knew that there was something she wasn't saying. Yet what worried her most was that her assumption could be very well true because unlike the others, Yuusuke had more insight than they did. After all, he did know that she had a thing for Shuuichi, but could he have managed to connect it to her leaving? It was definitely possible; it doesn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together when you have the right information.

The tapping of a cigarette box against the table made all eyes turn to the elder Kuwabara sibling. "I'm going to go out for a smoke, and then I'm about to call it a night. I don't know about all of you, but I have work to do for a certain someone's birthday party." Her eyes looked knowingly in Botan's direction where you could distinctly make out tufts of sea-green hair on her lap. "So if anyone wants to come with for a smoke, you're welcome to join." Shizuru excused herself and began to walk out followed by Hiei.

"I can't believe the runt's turning five," murmured Kuwabara. "Seems like only yesterday he was in diapers and pulling hair."

Shuuichi chuckled. "If it makes you feel better, he still does the hair pulling." He ran a hand through his fiery tresses tenderly to emphasize his point and then averted his gaze towards Botan. "You'll be there, right? After today, I'd think that Chiaki would be upset if you didn't show up."

Botan blushed. Indeed, the two had formed a quick bond of some sort. When she, Shuuichi, and Chiaki had gotten to their seats, they had separated. Shuuichi and Chiaki had moved farther down the row, and Botan had opted to sit beside Yuusuke at the end of the row closest the aisle. But, perhaps half an hour into the game, when Yuusuke had gotten up to retrieve a soda and a hotdog, Chiaki had hopped out of his seat and sat next to her, explaining that she looked so lonely by herself. This she had found hilarious because Yukina was sitting on the seat next to Yuusuke's and because such sympathy came from a boy four years of age, but she hadn't said anything, and instead cheered along with the child for Kuwabara. When Yuusuke returned, he found that his seat had been stolen by the child and was thus forced to sit next to Shuuichi.

Botan didn't know how long she had looked at Shuuichi without saying anything so she shyly nodded. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Shuuichi winced, and this reaction did not go by unnoticed by the woman who had elicited it.

"Shuuichi?" she asked in concern.

He seemed not to hear her at first, and when she called his name again, he shook his head and smiled warmly, almost apologetically, at her. "I'm sorry. It's just that…" he paused and scanned the rest of the concerned glances on his friends' faces. "Never mind. It isn't important."

He laughed it off in an effort to convince his friends that they, too, should just forget it. They slowly did, but Botan frowned, her eyes full of guilt not leaving his profile. She had had an inkling as to what could have caused Shuuichi to be jarred. When he turned to look down at his son, he caught Botan's eyes, who immediately turned away, embarrassed at having been caught staring. Her eyes widened in surprise when she felt a strong hand rest on her shoulder and squeeze firmly but gently. She pursed her lips and looked at Shuuichi, who wore a reassuring expression on his face.

"If you're still worried about me," he whispered, "forget about it. I'm fine. I just had a weird flash of déjà vu."

Botan couldn't do anything but nod. Her cheeks burnt with the mortification of having to be comforted by the person she had troubled.

"The party's at one tomorrow afternoon."

"I could come early to help set up or something," she offered.

"Well, if you don't have anything else to do, but if you need to unpack or if you're tired…"

"No, I'd love to come and help," she interrupted with a bright smile. "If you're still living in the house that you lived in five years ago, then I could just walk there, and it wouldn't be a bother to Yuusuke if he isn't planning on arriving early."

"Walk?" Shuuichi asked with an arched brow. "Where are you staying?"

"The Ritz," she casually explained. "It's only a twenty to twenty-five minute walk to your house."

"Why didn't you tell me that was where you were staying?"

She shrugged and smiled tiredly. "You never asked."

He chuckled. "Is Yuusuke giving you a lift tonight?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Yuusuke," he called across the table, totally ignoring Botan's question.

The other man looked up from his chat with his wife at the sound of his name.

"I'll take Botan to her hotel tonight."

Yuusuke cocked a brow, and without saying anything, looked at Botan, silently asking if she knew, and more importantly, if she were okay with it. When her reply came in the form of a shrug, he took it as his cue to ask, "Why?"

"Because you and your wife live in the opposite direction," he stated matter-of-factly, "whereas The Ritz is on the way to my house. I think it'd just be more convenient."

"Well, man, if she's okay with it, then by all means, be my guest. Her bag's in my car, and it's in the back lot. I'll meet you there when we leave." He grinned, thanking his friend through the expression.

"You wouldn't mind, would you?" Shuuichi asked Botan.

"I don't think I have a choice," Botan replied. "My original ride seems relieved to be left off the hook. So I guess it's okay if you're totally sure that you don't mind."

He smirked. "I offered."

Shuuichi's SUV turned smoothly into a vacant spot in the parking garage where he switched off his headlights and turned the ignition off.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?"

Botan, sitting in the front passenger seat, turned her head slightly to face him. "Yeah… um, I'll be at your place by eleven?"

"Sounds great." He paused and thought for a moment before adding, "You know, I could pick you up so that you wouldn't have to walk."

But she just waved him off lightly. "Nah, you'd actually be doing me a favor if you let me walk to your place. All that food tonight's going to accumulate in my ass and legs or something. Image is everything in my career," she rolled her eyes, "unfortunately."

Shuuichi blinked. "Your ass and legs are fine." And suddenly, he felt the blood rush to his cheeks and regretted that he had ever said anything.

Where did that come from?

"I'm sorry," he hurriedly apologized to a flushed Botan, "that's not what I meant to say… I mean that, well… I'm not trying to say that you don't have a terrific ass and legs. You do…" he growled. "I'm sorry again. I think I'll just shut up now."

And to his surprise, the twenty-three year old burst into laughter, and to the redhead's greater astonishment, he found himself engulfed in her open expression of amusement and was laughing as well. It was Hiei's drunken moan a minute or so later from the backseat that caused them to float back to reality, and the laughter slowly subsided.

Shuuichi looked back at her and apologized again albeit without the explanations.

"It's okay," she replied. "I know what you meant."

Shuuichi tapped his fingers in quick succession on his steering wheel and then announced, "Well, I guess we better head in so you can check in before we end up digressing again."

She nodded. "Are you sure you don't mind leaving Chiaki in here?"

"I'll only be gone for a few minutes," Shuuichi said, glancing in the back seat to check on the sleeping form of his son slumped on his best friend's form. "Besides, Hiei's in here."

"A drunken Hiei," Botan corrected.

"And a lot crazier," Shuuichi added. "Believe it or not, but I'd actually trust Chiaki to a drunken Hiei than to a sober one in this type of situation. Then I'd know that nothing would happen to my son."

Botan smiled lightly. "You're nuts, Shuuichi."

A deep, throaty laugh escaped his lips as he stepped out of the car. "We better get going." Then he walked to the back of his car and opened the back gate to pull out Botan's bag.

Botan adjusted her purse on her shoulder. "You know, you really don't have to do this."

"Do what?"

"Accompany me into the lobby and carry my bags. You've already done enough by driving me here."

"I know," he smiled lazily.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Furuya," the desk clerk managed sincerely albeit nervously. "There must have been a mistake because when you called, there was absolutely no vacancy."

"But the man that my secretary spoke to charged the fee onto my credit already," Botan spoke confusedly.

The desk clerk nodded. "I can reimburse you right now," he said, "and if you can remember who it was your secretary spoke to, I'll be sure to speak with him about this trouble."

"That won't be necessary," Botan answered almost dejectedly. "Would you at least be able to tell me if there are any other hotels close by that have vacancy?"

"You could try the Marriott right down the block," the clerk offered, "but I'm not really sure if they still have open slots. This is the winter season," he explained, "and because of tourism, the hotels get packed."

"Oh…" she trailed off. "Well, thank you anyway."

"I'm really very sorry for the misunderstanding, Miss Furuya. Please understand that had we had one room available, we would have been thrilled to have you staying here with us this week." He began typing on his keyboard. "I'll have your money returned to your account tonight."

Botan gave the clerk a half-smile. "Thank you, sir."

Shuuichi put his arm comfortingly around his friend's shoulders and walked her out of the hotel.

"I think I'm going to have a talk with Danae when I get back," Botan commented softly.

"Danae?"

"Danae Mimura, my secretary. She was the one that booked me my so-called room." She gave him a lop-sided smile. "Poor girl must have been really stressed out to have made a mistake like that. She doesn't normally make mistakes unless I pull an event out of the blue, like my sudden exit." Wriggling from his half-embrace and reaching for her bag from Shuuichi's grip, she added, "Well, thanks for putting up with this, Shuuichi, but I don't really want you to stay out any later on account of me."

Shuuichi cocked a brow, confused. "What?"

"I'll walk to the Marriott from here. It's only a block away."

The redhead stared at her as if she grew another head. "No way!" he nearly shouted. "I mean, it's nearly midnight, and what if all the rooms are booked there too? I really don't want the others to come after me with pitchforks once they find out you've been kidnapped or something."

"I'll manage," Botan retorted, laughing, "I'm twenty-three years old."

"And a girl," Shuuichi said, making a face.

"Sexist," Botan grimaced.

"I didn't mean it like that," Shuuichi explained. "It's just that…" He was cut off.

"Minamino, I'll have you know that I've taken three years of karate since I moved to France, and I haven't forgotten a thing I've been taught. Besides, I can get a head start on burning all that…"

"Botan," Shuuichi suddenly interjected, now his turn to cut her off, "why don't you just stay at my place?"

The words didn't immediately register into the girl's head, but when it did, she shook her head so vigorously that Shuuichi almost became worried that if she didn't stop, it would fall off.

"No, I couldn't," she began, "I don't want to put you through a situation where you'll feel obligated to help me. That's why I declined Yuusuke's offer to stay with him and Keiko."

He smiled encouragingly. "Call your helping with the party your payment for room and board, and I'll make sure you won't feel that I'll be obligated to help you."

"But," she began to protest.

"Be practical and think about it for a minute, Botan," he said. "It'll save you time and money, and it'll save me a heart-attack after I find out you've gone missing tomorrow."

Botan made a face. "Are you trying to keep me from burning off all that food?"

Shuuichi laughed. "If you're still worried about that tomorrow morning, you can take a walk to the park tomorrow. It's about ten minutes from my place and another ten to get back so there's your twenty minutes worth." He made an attempt to retrieve the duffel bag that she was holding and was pleased when she didn't try to yank it away from his reach. "I believe I've managed to convince you then?"

"Hooked and sunk, Minamino," she replied with a smile.

"Shiit," Shuuichi moaned. "Remind me in the morning to tell Hiei to go and take a walk with you," he jokingly added.

Botan looked at Shuuichi's struggling figure, stopped over his front door trying to unlock it with Hiei hanging on his shoulder, and laughed. When they pulled into Shuuichi's driveway, they had agreed that Shuuichi would take Hiei in and she would carry Chiaki. He had forgotten to consider that although Hiei was about his height, he had a greater muscle mass due to his other job being the head teacher at his Black Dragon Karate Dojo.

"Chiaki's room is up the stairs and should be the first door to your right when you walk past the family room. I'll be up after I catch my breath," he commented dryly after dropping Hiei onto a couch.

Botan entered the child's neatly kept room and gently placed him on his bed. From what she remembered five years ago, this used to be Shuuichi's bedroom. It still subtly smelled of him, rich and musky, though now, it smelled a lot like a child's. She reached over to turn his bedside lamp on and then took off the child's shoes, mentally reminding herself to bring them back downstairs with the rest of the shoes. Botan smiled and brushed off a wisp of hair from Chiaki's sleeping face.

"You act so much like your mom, but you sure do look like your dad," she breathed.

She bit her lip and stepped back, her tired, lavender eyes, scanning the room. It was what you'd expect when you walked into a child's room. His desk was decorated with a home computer and was littered with crayons and coloring books. And on the side opposite his bed, there was a television set sitting on a table with a game console idly resting beneath it. Game cartridges and storybooks were neatly pushed against a shelf beside it. Stuffed animals and plastic sports sets adorned every corner, and the walls were plastered with his heroes, Kazuma Kuwabara of the Sapporo Jets, Jin Kaze, pitcher for the Tokyo Giants, Son Goku from his favorite cartoon, Dragonball Z, and even one of Koenma Daioh back when he used to be a kick-boxer representing Thailand before he injured his knee.

"Little tyke's a big fan of his uncles."

Botan jumped, startled by the voice, and turned around and saw Shuuichi leaning against the doorframe. "Oh, it's you."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay."

Shuuichi walked over to a bureau in one corner of Chiaki's room and pulled out a pair of sweats to change his son into. "I put Hiei in the guest room, so you can take my room." He paused and corrected himself, "My mom's old room." And before Botan could even ask the question, Shuuichi answered it for her, "After Juri moved in with me, Mom moved with my step-dad. She's living in Fukuoka with him and comes to visit every other weekend. She insisted that it would be better if it were just the three of us, and when Juri passed away, she said she'd move back, but I told her not to. She seemed happy living with him anyway." He walked over and dumped Chiaki's clothes into a white hamper by his bed and then went back to tuck his son under his red, fox-printed comforter.

He turned around to face Botan, who wore a tired, but soothed expression. "Chiaki's really lucky to have you as a father."

Shuuichi smiled at the comment, thanking her without words. Botan wasn't quite sure if it was the way the light cast strange shadows on his face or if it was her imagination, but she could have swore that she had seen a hint of sadness in his face.

"Well, you better get to bed. I already put your bag in the room, and there's a bathroom in there if you need to wash up or anything."

"Where are you sleeping?" she asked, bothered that he was giving his room to her. "I could sleep downstairs or something. Shuuichi, you're already doing me a really big favor by letting me stay here."

"Don't be ridiculous," he argued, putting his hands on her shoulders and then turning her around guiding her towards his bedroom, "if our situations were reversed, I know that you'd do the same thing." He winked. "Besides, it's my house, and I have dibs on the couch."

She stood just outside of Chiaki's room, speechless, watching as Shuuichi shut the door to his son's room and then walk down the hallway towards the family room. Before he turned the corner, he heard Botan call out to him.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

He smiled and nodded, and then continued walking towards the family room.

Author Notes: Not much to say this time around. My brain's like over-fried or something. o.O Seriously. I just finished this chapter and another chapter to one of my other fics, I had to write a two chapters worth of my autobiography for school, and I still gotta go and bake a sample for my home economics teacher. And all cuz I missed that one week of school. :P

Please note that I have yet to go back and re-read this chapter, so if there are any grammatical errors or other kinks (such as things not making sense), please bear with them because I have yet to have time to go and fix the mistakes. I'll eventually re-read it, and if I find an exceedingly horrific amount of literary blunders, I'll edit the chapter and re-upload it. Other than that, I hope you guys liked this chapter though. Can you already smell the trouble brewing. x I can. Realized the mess I was getting into the moment I let my fingers type out Shuuichi's invitation to let Botan sleep at his place. Or was it the ass and legs thing? Ah well… this is the product of an over-fried brain. What can I say? Sorry if it sucks deep ass. I'm finding it kind of difficult to write Shuuichi x Botan fics lately. ;; I need my muses to return to the Yuu Yuu Hakusho dimension. They're currently stuck in another category.

Heh, I like Botan's secretary. She reminds me of yours truly when I get stuck in a mess like that. I panic. I like her name too. Danae. It's so cute, so uncommon, so my cousin's name. She's my age, but I've only met her yesterday. That's kinda funky. Alright, I realize I'm rambling. So I shall finish off with this: I'll try and get the third installment out next week. Thanks for the reviews guys! Diana hearts you uber lots! x

Well, please read and review. Comments, suggestions, flames, etc – they're all very welcome.

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Disclaimers: Yuu Yuu Hakusho and its characters belong to Yoshihiro Togashi, Shueisha, Fuji TV, Shounen Jump, etc. Don't sue. You are cool.