Another attempt at YoukoxBotan with a twist of KuronuexBotan. Why? Because I love Kuronue! I won't go on babbling so read, enjoys and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. Please don't sue me.

three-shots-

All that he remembered…was that it was raining - hard.

His body was battered, cuts and gashes along his skin decorated with dirt, mud and blood. His legs stung and pained with every single step, his whole body ached with every single breath. Long, silky, wet black hair was plastered onto his skin, dirtied with various thing such as leaved, blood, mud, rocks or debris. Once was glorious, silken, black wings was how a head of torn and marred features, useless and ineffective. Worthless. Now nothing more than a hindrance to his seeming nonentity existence. The rain itself made it more wretched, beating down on him as though the world hated his very existence.

Oh, if only that was a lie -!

"I have to…keep on walking…"

From a far distance, it seemed as though he was a pitiful, black smudge, trudging meaninglessly on through the ways of Maikai. However, if you were to open your eyes and look closely, you would see a blue and white payload in his arms.

His freight was a young, disheveled girl who was safely residing in his arms. However, anyone could tell that something was severely amiss at first sight of the female. Her emotionless face was as pale as a lonely soul, searching and crying out for her lover. No blood was running though her veins, leaving her skin a dead, ghostly color. What seemed to had once been a neat, white, fighting uniform was now a ripped and torn heap of various pieces of dirtied cloths, clinging onto the girl's body in various places, debris mixed with blood and rain staining the soft materials. Her body was battered and severely bruised with many cuts and deep gashes, scarring forever her once perfect skin. Long, silky, blue hair was smeared with blood, plastering to her face and shoulders, whereas other strands flowed with the wind. Her most fatal injury was clearly a gaping hole that marked the area right below her heart. Rain fell continuously onto her ghastly face, giving her the solemn illusion of tears falling from her once amethyst eyes.

She didn't move, shiver, nor complained. She wasn't awake nor asleep.

Lucid evidence made one thing clear: she was dead.

Deep, violent eyes glistened sadly as he finally reached an outline of a deserted village that was . The rain beating relentlessly down his face, making it look as if many tears were running form his eyes and cheek, the thunder and lightning from the air accentuating the miserable feeling in his gut. Slowly, his head hung down, turning to face the young girl in his arms as the water trickled down his face onto hers.

"We did it. We made it back home…Botan."

He surveyed her body, not being able to take another step forward. His body was just as badly beaten, though he was able to survive due to lessened injuries. He was shivering, tired, cold, sulked, dejected, the rain not making it any better for him, not even overpowering the empty abyss in his heart that was slowly killing him. Salty tears fell down rapidly as his legs finally failed him after 2 weeks of constant battling in his condition through Maikai, clutching the young female's body to him as he fell to his side, desperately trying to pull her closer to his hard, cold, quivering body.

He remained like that for many minutes, replaying the horrid memory through his mind as through it was a broken record that he was unable to stop. His body trembled and convulsed his unbearable pain and frustration. Soon, the cold got the better of him - and he couldn't fell the icy waters hit his body, or the meaningless feeling of the ground against him.

However, he still felt his tears running down his cheeks, as if they were his blood, running out of his body, leaving his slowly dying so pitifully and despondently. He stared loving at the body beside him, apologetically, miserably, tenderly.

"…oh, Botan…" his eyes lowered in tiredness as a shaking hand reached out desperately, trying to touch her cheek. However, his energy betrayed him as his hand fell, mere inches from her. "…Botan…"

His strength was draining away as fast as the tears straining down his face. He wasn't any longer trying to satnd back up or breath - only fighting just trying to keep his eyes open. Finally, using all of his strength, he slide his lifeless hand over hers' as his violent eyes started to closed shut.

"…I'm so sorry, Botan…" his voice as raspy and soft, "This…wasn't suppose…to happen…but…I do - I do.. . love you, too…"

He managed a smiled as he though he saw her lips moved, even though he himself knew that that was impossible. However, the weight on his heart suddenly disappeared when his mind showed him his dead lover's lips mouthing his name…

'I love you too, Kuronue.'

His eyes finally closed.

Thank you so much for loving me.

Flashback-

"Botan!" Kuronue cried as he continued to whip and slash the numerous number of Youkais attacking them. He used his fists, punching two you kais who had the courage to charge at him, flinging them tiredly aside as three more took their place. From the corner of his eyes he saw his teammate, fighting her own battle, though he could tell that she wasn't going to last any longer after fighting for so long with so many demons. Distracted, a youkai took advantage and slashed him in back of his knee. He yelped out in pain as his lost his pose , his breathing irregular.

Botan cursed as more demons lunged at her, depseraprtly wishing that they would just stop. She was so sore and tired, her ki was drained and zapped away, reaching a dangerously low level. After taking out a few more crow demons, she was blessed with a few seconds break when her senses clamored loudly to her.

'Oh no, please don't come anymore!' her mind cried as she dodged a few youkais, turning around swiftly as a shot of ki exploding from her hand, taking out more of the cursed beast that was able to sneak attack her partner. Kuronue flashed her a smile before he continued on with his own problems, leaving her on her own once again.

Suddenly, a gust of wind shot at her, leaving her blind for a few seconds. She groaned, using her arm to cover her sensitive eyes as duct flew in on her when she felt her body suddenly being moved. Immediately her eyes shot opened and found herself pinned to a tree, many more yards away from Kuronue than she was before. Angrily, she turned to face her captor.

His golden eyes gazed strait at her angry ones. His arm dug into her arm, making it bleed. His body was dangerously close to hers, expertly immobilizing her.

"Let me go," her voice was low and dangerous, though anyone could tell she was out of strength. From a distance, she heard Kuronue call her name, followed by a cried in pain, telling her that he was in trouble. "Now."

Her captor smirked at her, shaking his head. He was wearing a cape and a hood, shielding his body to the air around them, along with his face. He chuckled menacingly as her heart rate quickly, leaving her struggling meaninglessly against him.

"I said let me--!"

Her voice was cut short as a knife suddenly appeared mere centimeters below her right ear and dangerously close to her neck. The man in front of her chuckled humorously as he flicked another knife along his fingers. "Hm? What's wrong, onna? Are you scared?" he smiled mockingly. Botan's breathing quickened, her body stilled. "Well, you should be."

Kuronue growled as he knew that Botan was in trouble. He fought desperately to get to her but as more demons came, they were always much more stronger than the ones who previously attacked him. His strength was disappear much to fast for his liking, having him constantly cuss for his weak state as he urgently tried to get to her.

Botan's eyes narrowed at her captor, trying to knee him. However, he took it as a joke, chuckling even more.

"If I were you," his voice was calm and smooth as the knife in his hands stopped, pointing at her neck, "I would stop struggling!"

As he said his last words, he whipped the knife forward, aiming at her heart.

Kuronue screamed.

Botan cried as crimson blood gushed from her lips.

The knife connecting with her chest, blood flowing rapidly and freely from her wound as a unbearable, spreading pain engulfed her whole body.

"Kuronue…am I going to die?"

The bat-winged demon shook his head as his slowly grabbed a hold of the knife that had blazed his partner's chest. "No, Botan, you're not going to die. Now please hold still - "

Her blood spattered out all over the place as he pulled the dagger out form her chest, wincing as he saw her body flexing in pain, her eyes blanked lucid and her mouth opened in a silent scream. He quickly patched the wound up and gave her a quick drink of water.

"Kuronue…"

Kuronue slowly took her body into his, careful not to move her much as he readied to lift her.

"I'm going to take you home now Botan. It's all over - we don't have to fight anymore. We don't have to fight anymore." His voice was soft and lovingly as he gazed at her blank eyes, trying to stop the rapid bleed in chest without hurting her farther. The blood seemed to never stop flowing as he tried to apply more pressure to it.

The pain has numbed her body, making the hurt slight more bearable as sleep was quickly claiming over her,. However, she fought to keep awake.

"Kuronue…I'm going to die, ne?"

"Don't try to talk, onna," the bat-winged demon chided as he groaned in frustration. Reaching down, he took the hem of his black shirt and ripped a good long piece off, proceeding in wrapping it around his partner's torso.

Botan groaned in slight pain. "I don't want to die, I don't want to die…"

Kuronue frowned, shaking his head. "No, you're not going to die. Because I'm going to take you home. We can be together now, Botan - finally so you better quit talking like that!"

He finally grin successfully when he noticed that the bleeding seemed to cease greatly. Slowly, he finished wrapping the piece of clothe around her.

"Together?" the blue-haired girl echoed softly. She reached out of clasp her hand over his. "…that sounds so nice."

She closed her eyes for a few seconds. "…take care of yourself, okay?"

The raven haired man smirked, bringing her hand up to his cheek and closing his eyes at the fell of her warm hand. "I rather be taking care of you now."

"Kuronue?"

Her voice was so soft, he couldn't even tell if she'd even called out to him.

"hmm?"

"…thank you…so much…for loving me…I love you."

His eyes opened slowly as he noticed her hand slump down. "Botan?"

He didn't move.

"Botan!"

He shook her slightly. No response.

That was when he'd noticed that the pain in his legs form the pervious battle was gone. He looked down; they were healed back to normal.

Slowly, he looked at her in shock, tears forming in his eyes. His teeth grind together.

"…baka!"

He shut his eyes tightly as he was falling down, embracing her stiffed body tightly. "Botan, you baka! Why!"

She'd healed him. She'd used up all of her energy to heal his legs without him noticing. Every last ouch of energy she had was now coursing through him, screaming out, "Take me home."

"What are you thinking about, Kurone?"

Warm violet eyes shifted to the all-too familiar voice that called his name. Smirking at who he saw, he got up from the chair he was sitting on and stretched his wings out slightly.

"Nothing really. Useless memories."

His friend frowned. "It's best to forget about them then."

The bat demon smiled. "Aa. I know but," he pointed to his head, "my mind won't let it go."

"And why not?"

"Because," Kuronue smiled matter-of-factly, "I don't want it to go. It's precious to me."

"A memory? Precious?" his friend scoffed horridly. "What memory can possibly be so precious? And you had just said that it was merely a useless memory."

Kuronue frowned. "Unless but priceless. Come on, Youko, haven't you ever been in love before?"

Kurama stared back blankly. "Um…no?"

"Well," Kuronue replied as he started to walk out of the room, "I have."

Once he reached the door frame, he heard the kitsune muttered, "What's so great about falling in love?"

He smirked. "She was a ningen."

Though he couldn't see his face, Kuronue knew that his friend was slightly irked and staggered.

"A…ningen? You fell for a pathetic ningen? Preposterous! Not to mention tabooed among the three realms…"

The raven-haired man smirked. "Well, my friend, Botan was worth it."

The kitsune's ears perked up and swirled slightly with interest. "Oh, Botan was her name, was it?"

Kuronue turned at face Youko and smiled dreamily. "Yep. Beatuiful name, ne? Stands for peonies."

Youko grinned as he sat down on the chair that Kuronue had preciously sat. "I know that, baka," he chided. Kuronue chuckled. "It's just that…I once knew a ningen onna by that same name: Botan. She was a lovely creature, too."

Kuronue cocked his head to the side, interestedly. "Really? Do tell."

Youko's eyes seemed to had glazed over as if in reminiscence. "She was beautiful, I guess. From a small village out east. Worked as a sorceress and alchemist."

Kuronue's pointy ears twitched. That's ironic…he thought musingly. So was she…

"I remember," Youko's voice got low, "she had the most long, beautiful, soft blue hair and the most clear amethyst eyes - like she could see right through you constantly. She was completely pure and chaste."

Kuronue head shot at him in shock, reality setting in slowly in the pit of his chest. That description sounded just like -! Or m it was all just a coincidence…?

"And what…" Kuronue strained, trying to keep on a strait face at his partner, "…happened to this 'Botan' ningen?"

A short pause.

Youko Kurama chuckled. "On the night of a dreary and monotonous night…" he droned slowly.

Kuronue's face paled.

"…I killed her."

Kuronue's heart stopped.

"…A what a shame at that for she indeed beautiful."

Wow. After writing this, I'm thinking of changing this story into a full-time KuronuexBotan story. But than again, I still have Youko to work with so to decide what to do…

VOTING TIME!

Vote to see who you want to be the pairing in this story:

BotanxYouko
BotanxKuronue

Thanks and review!