Rhythmic Promises, a yu yu hakusho fanfic

Rhythmic Promises

Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho (c) its creator. Nothing belongs to me except perhaps, the plot line. Even then I'm not too sure...

Work.

Work work.

Work work work.

Work work work work work work work work work work work-

PAK!

Ow! What was that about!

Quit that. It's ANNOYING.

But it's TRUE!

It doesn't change the fact that it's annoying.

You are honestly no fun when you're in your moods…

And I must be insane having this conversation with myself when I'm supposed to be doing work, thought the little tot sitting on his throne and stamping papers. It was a continuous, monotonous beat that never changed tune. Always it was the slide and rustle from the in-pile, the thud of the stamp and another slide and rustle as the piece of paper moved to the out-pile.

Slide, rustle, thud, slide, rustle. Slide, rustle, thud, slide, rustle. Slide, rustle, thud, slide, rustle. It was almost musical if you thought about it.

Unfortunately, Koenma was in no mood to entertain such… what was it really? Metaphorical? Fanciful? Distracted?

Well, whatever it was, he was in no mood to entertain such thoughts, as they were, and focused on the dull stamping that filled every day of his over (slide rustle) 700 year old life. Now, (thud) make no mistake, (slide rustle) the son of Enma Daiou and prince of Reikai was indeed doing his job. (slide, rustle) He did judge the dead (thud) to make sure they (slide rustle) were worthy (slide rustle) of moving on. (thud) No serial killers (slide rustle) or cold-blooded criminals escaped (slide rustle) his eyes and got passed on, thank you-

Whoops. Nearly passed that crazy ningen chopper that lopped off his victims' heads with a cleaver…

Koenma glared at his distractedness then placed that particular file in another area. He'd deal with it later.

And the music of Koenma's duties carried on with its slide, rustle, thud, slide and rustle.

Slide, rustle, thud, slide, rustle.

…sounds almost like music really, thought a certain blue haired ferry girl. She could already hear the rhythm as she walked towards the door and let out a sigh.

Koenma-sama was in one of those moods again, according to George.

She didn't mind it if the prince was up to acting like an utterly spoiled brat since he looked the part. That and threatening spankings with an oar quelled most tantrums. She didn't mind if he was feeling particularly sarcastic since Yusuke could be that way as well sometimes and she had seen how Keiko handled those moments – spout sarcasms right back. Keiko had been kind enough to write down a few replies for her to use with Koenma-sama too. She also didn't mind if he was venting his utter hatred of all paperwork and being very vocal about it. She had earplugs after all.

It was this mechanical, I-am-a-robot-who-is-programmed-to-stamp-and-ignore-everyone-around-me, mood that really riled her up the wall, as the humans put it. (Botan got the slight feeling she hadn't gotten that quite right but ignored it)

George had learned to put up with it. The blue oni's strategy was leave Koenma alone until the tot toddled out of the office and yelled at George to go get him something to eat and did he intend to starve the prince of Reikai? George would, with much relief, hurry to get him something sweet to munch on. Then did everything go back to something resembling normal. This usually took at least two days.

This particular mood swing had lasted for five and showed no sign of slowing down. Botan was the only one who would take none of this utter nonsense. So George the worried assistant, who knew this, had requested her help in this matter.

Pushing open the door, she stood in the doorway and checked off the symptoms against her mental checklist.

No looking up and sarcastically wondering if she'd forgotten he was the prince of Reikai and she couldn't just waltz in here so casually… check.

Too serious expression that was too serious even for Koenma standards… check.

And the disregard for all basic needs of sleep, food and water… check.

She let out another sigh. Beating him with the oar or plain reasoning didn't work in these circumstances, no matter how persistent she was. This she knew through experience.

It was time for drastic measures.

Slide, rustle, thud, slide, rustle.

Slide rustle, thud, slide, rustle.

Slide, rustle, thud, sli-

"KOENMA-SAMA!"

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!

Koenma stared at the two separate pieces of paper he had inadvertently torn at that very loud, familiar and extremely unwelcome greeting.

"George!" he called out, while staring at the paper pieces.

"Hai, Koenma-sama!" came from outside the office.

"Get me another file on a… Kigayoshi Ronin from Kyoto, will you?"

"Hai!" resounded again.

"KOENMA-SAMA'S OVERWORKING AGAIN! NINGYOU-SAN DOESN'T LIKE IT WHEN KOENMA-SAMA OVERWORKS!"

Koenma tried to calmly put the papers back on his desk. After managing that, he looked up and glared at the slightly furry horror being stuck in his face while resisting an urge to commit suicide.

Suicide, because no matter how powerful one was…

You Can Never Kill A Damn Puppet.

It was a law of the universe. The more annoying a puppet was, the more you couldn't kill it and make it stay down. Far too loud and irritating, so it seemed, for even death to take.

"Botan," began the tot in his special Koenma voice that usually was enough to strike fear into the hearts of his subordinates. "I remember that I strictly forbade you to ever bring…" He spat out the words. "Ningyou-san within at least 100 feet of me."

Any one of his subordinates but Botan that is.

"BOTAN-CHAN IS NOT HERE! NINGYOU-SAN IS HERE! NINGYOU-SAN DOESN'T LIKE KOENMA-SAMA TO WORK SO HARD! KOENMA-SAMA KNOWS NINGYOU-SAN DOESN'T LIKE IT!"

A headache began to creep up the prince's spine and settle on his brain, effectively adding to his torture. He massaged the bridge of his nose with his pudgy thumb and index finger, ignoring the temptation to grab the stupid sock from Botan's hand and throw it into an incinerator.

The last time he'd done that, she'd shown up the next day with two sock puppets, both more annoying than he could have imagined. This generation of 'Ningyou-san' had come about after he managed to throw the twins out a window, never to be seen again. This gray Version 3.0 had black buttons for eyes, a pink felt tongue and a screeching, high-pitched voice that grated on your nerves and scraped expertly against your patience.

"Bo-tan. Get," He spat out the words again. "Ningyou-san out of here. NOW."

The persistent ferry girl was not to be deterred by her boss's increasingly dangerous sounding tone of voice. Which was strange coming from a baby when you thought about it but hey, this was Reikai. (The guy can yell through his pacifier without sounding like he's got plastic in his mouth and without drooling. What logic is in that?)

"NINGYOU-SAN WILL NOT LEAVE UNTIL KOENMA-SAMA STOPS ACTING LIKE A WOODEN NINGYOU! NINGYOU-SAN MUST SEE KOENMA-SAMA TAKE A REST FIRST BEFORE NINGYOU-SAN LEAVES!"

That reeeally annoying tone was starting to get through his skin, past his nerves and straight to his brain. He threw up his hands in disgust, throwing dignity to the wind. "Alright already! Alright! Just get that THING out of my sight NOW! Before I take the Mafuukan out of my mouth and seal that blasted PUPPET!"

Mission accomplished, Botan took the sock daintily off her right hand and grinned at her boss.

The tot glared back with utter hatred. "I could fire you now. Or even worse. I hope you know that."

"But you wouldn't, Koenma-sama. I know you wouldn't."

The tot continued to glare up at the blue haired girl who was cheerily grinning at him, more annoyed if that was possible.

Annoyed because for all his yelling, she was right.

He'd never fire her. Or even worse. Whatever even worse was.

But he be damned if he ever said that out loud. Koenma sat back in his chair with a tiny sigh as George hurried in with a new file and a cup of tea (he knew Ningyou-san as well). Botan just continued grinning, watching her boss sip his tea.

After an hour or so of making sure he took a break, Botan had gone back to her job and Koenma to his, with promises that he wouldn't over exert himself for at least a week more. The threat of Ningyou-san guaranteed that he would keep it.

They didn't see each other again for the rest of the day.

Night fell quickly like a dark curtain on a stage.

With a yawn, Botan returned from her route, rather tuckered out. She blinked away the tears from yawning too much as she walked along the corridors. A long warm bath, she decided and then shut eye for at least eight hours, more if she could help it. She'd skip dinner. She was more tired than hungry.

All that flew out of her head when she saw the light glow from inside a familiar room.

And Botan was not at all pleased to see a light where it really shouldn't have been.

Stalking over to the room, she threw it open violently, signalling that Botan the Ferry Girl was Annoyed. The wooden door made impact with the wall, creating a large bang.

Little Koenma promptly jumped two feet from his chair. Heart stopping shock at the sudden noise quickly changed to an air of, if one paid attention closely, pure, unadulterated guilt.

That was mixed with fear because when Botan got mad, she got capital 'M' Mad.

"KO-EN-MA-SA-MA."

"There's a lot of work to finish today, Botan! You know it yourself! You're the one ferrying the souls!"

Botan advanced with calculated lioness steps towards the prince who was starting to back up against the wall. "KO-EN-MA-SA-MA…"

"Botan, I'm still the prince! Hurt me and I fire you!"

"You PRO-MISED, Koenma-sama…!"

The prince now threw dignity as a prince to the winds once more and crawled under his desk for shelter. "Botan, I command you to stop looking so threatening!"

Botan glared at the desk, went round it and dragged Koenma out by the collar before she shook him about three feet above ground level. "YOU PROMISED! NINGYOU-SAN'S GOING TO BE SOOO FURIOUS! HOW COULD YOU BREAK A PROMISE, KOENMA-SAMA!"

Wincing, Koenma scrambled to plug his ears with his fingers while being shaken like something in a blender. "Not the voice! Not the voice!"

Botan continued to mercilessly shake her miniature boss although she dropped the high pitched tone. "Koenma-sama, how could you break your promise like that?"

"B, Bo, Botan, Botan, p, put me, me d, down! Botan! BOTAN stop shak, shaking me-!"

"Koenma-sama you PROMISED!"

When the girl didn't listen, he decided there was only one way to stop her.

POOF!

"KYAAA!"

WHOMP!

The blue haired Peony found herself on the floor with her hands grabbed around the teenage Koenma's shoulders. And herself on top of the teenage prince by complete accident.

Isn't this a very familiar scene in romance novels? Thought Botan, feeling a slight blush reaching her cheekbones.

There was a short pause before Koenma, controlled and polite, stated a request. "…Botan, please get off me."

Only the hero usually wants the girl on him, not off.

"H, hai…"

The ferry girl scrambled to her feet, slapping herself mentally for comparing this situation to a Mills and Boons novel. With much dignity, Koenma imperiously got to his feet and deliberately brushed dust off him. Then, with measured movement, he folded his arms and gave her a look.

The Remember-That-I'm-Your-Boss-Now? Look that Botan really dreaded.

"…Koenma-sama, you promised," said Botan finally, hanging onto that one line like a shipwrecked sailor onto a piece of driftwood in a stormy sea.

"Botan, I will thank you to remember that I'm your boss. Regardless of how often I appear to be a baby."

And how often you act like one, Botan nearly muttered. Nearly.

"Botan, you need to understand this."

Koenma's expression suddenly softened into one of seriousness, pleading for her to comprehend his intentions. The fact that he no longer looked like a baby helped this expression along.

"There're a lot of souls in those piles there and they all need to go out quickly. Those souls are counting on us. On me. They need to move on and if I don't get that done… they won't. I don't know what it's like not to move on. But I can imagine that it's not fun."

Botan appreciated the fact that her superior was suppressing his impatience to try and explain something she already knew to her. Nevertheless, she sighed.

"I know, Koenma-sama. I know this is important. But we don't want you to burn out. If you get sick from not taking care of yourself and have to take a long leave, what will happen to the souls then? You need to think of the long run, Koenma-sama."

Koenma had known her far too long to be surprised by this change of attitude in the ferry girl's normal occasionally clueless routine.

"You have a point. But it still doesn't change the fact that I do know what I'm doing… most of the time," he added with a tinge of reluctant admittance at her look.

Botan shook her head. "You're going to bed now, Koenma-sama. It's too late for you to continue working."

"Botan…" The I'm-Your-Boss expression returned.

Botan folded her arms and glared right back. "Koenma-sama…"

"I am your superior and prince-"

"You promised."

They continued exchanging a round of glares.

"You are too stubborn for your own good, Botan."

"So are you, Koenma-sama."

The prince shook his head and went back to sit behind his desk. "Fine. See this?" He gestured to a pile about two and half feet high.

She nodded. The prince picked up a paper from that pile.

"When I finish this, I'll go to sleep. I promise."

"I don't believe you, Koenma-sama."

"Then stay and watch if you like. But I will finish this pile tonight."

So, Botan sat down and watched. No more conversation was made as Koenma went through the papers, insisting that he do it alone. It was his duty even if he hated it beyond reason.

The rhythm of the stamp and paper began as it had the whole day.

Slide, rustle, thud, slide, rustle.

Slide rustle, thud, slide, rustle.

Botan determinedly watched the paperwork, glaring at it as if willing it to grow shorter if only out of fright.

Slide, rustle, thud, slide, rustle.

Apparently, paper was not easily scared by blue haired girls with purple pink eyes.

Slide, rustle, thud, slide, rustle.

The rhythm went on as Botan's eyelids grew somewhat heavier. But still, she forced them open, trying to keep awake. She decided to think of various things to keep her awake. Reikai, Makai, Yusuke, Yusuke blushing around Keiko, Hiei being angry, Kurama trying to keep the peace, peaceful clouds… waterfalls… soft, fluffy pillows…

Slide, rustle, thud, slide, rustle.

Slide rustle, thud, slide, rustle.

Botan caught herself just in time before she went off to La La Land and shook herself. She would see Koenma-sama to sleep even if it cost her more than forty winks.

Just to distract herself from the tiredness stealing over her, she listened to the beats the stamp and paper were making.

And tapped her foot on the floor to accompany it.

Slide, rustle, tap, thud, tap, slide, rustle, tap.

Koenma then somehow subconsciously joined in this chorus.

Slide, rustle, tap, suck, thud, tap, slide, rustle, tap, suck.

Botan resisted a giggle. What a strange office orchestra this was.

Slide, rustle, tap, suck, thud, tap, slide, rustle, tap, suck.

Slide, rustle, tap, suck, thud, tap, slide, rustle, tap, suck…

Slide, rustle, tap, suck, thud, tap, slide, rustle, tap, suck.

Slide, rustle, tap, suck, thud, tap, slide, rustle, suck.

Slide, rustle, tap, suck, thud, slide, rustle, suck.

Slide, rustle, suck, thud, slide, rustle, suck.

Koenma frowned. Something seemed missing.

Blaming his tiredness, he continued on.

Slide, rustle, suck, thud, slide, rustle, suck.

Now, he sat up, frowning harder. Something was definitely missing.

He looked around himself to see if he could identify this missing something when he noticed the sight across the room.

Botan had fallen asleep in her chair, her tapping now having surrendered to sleep.

Koenma watched her for a minute or two before he glanced at the pile. There were just three more pieces to go before he finished. With Botan asleep, he could just go ahead with the others and make some head way…

Then he looked at her again. He couldn't see her purple pink eyes but he could imagine them in his mind. Those same pair of eyes shot an accusing expression at him.

Koenma-sama, you promised.

There was a pause as he continued to look at her, taking in her blue hair and her peaceful sleeping stance.

Slide, rustle, thud, slide, rustle.

That last rustle seemed to have an air of finality to it somehow…

Koenma tucked the blanket in round Botan's shoulders. Sitting on the edge of her bed, he shook his head at himself and at her tenacity, irritating as it was at times.

A prince who judged the dead should not have carried a subordinate back to her abode.

A prince of the underworld should not have tucked a subordinate in.

A prince who made the decisions for people's afterlives should not be gazing at his subordinate in undeniable affection.

But Koenma the person should and did. He smiled slightly.

Someday. Some day he would tell her what went on behind his brown eyes whenever he stole glances at her when she didn't know he was looking. And the prince hoped, with a slight rise of his heart, she would understand and accept.

But for now, thought Koenma as he let himself brush some strands of blue hair away from her closed eyes, for now this is enough.

He rose from the side of the bed and walked towards the door. "Have good dreams, Botan," was his parting murmur as he quietly left her to sleep in the darkness of her room.

Botan's lips stretched into a small smile of her own as the door shut with a small 'click'.

You too… Koenma-sama.

Slide, rustle, thud, slide, rustle.

Botan slipped into the office early that morning before going on her route. She shook her head to see the chibi Koenma already hard at work.

Slide, rustle, thud.

"Ohayo, Koenma-sama."

Slide, rustle.

"Ohayo," was the response without him looking up.

Slide, rustle, thud.

"Koenma-sama?"

Slide, rustle.

A grunt of acknowledgement.

Slide, rustle, thud.

"Arigato."

"…you're welcome." Slide, rustle.

Botan smiled and retreated. She didn't think there would be any more mechanical moods for today.

Because Koenma-sama had promised.

The End.