A/N: Here is little K/B oneshot, hope it isn't too tasteless. This is a gift fic for my 'sister' Jakki. Well... happy urmm... well um just read the story.
New Year's Resolution
Botan took in all of her friends. Warmth flooded through her body. It had been quite a while since they had all gotten together. Koenma's jobs had been keeping her away from them. So it was nice to see them all again.
Yuske and Kuwabara were sitting at the coffee table seeing just how much alcohol they could drink before they passed out. Yukina sat with her head leaned against Hiei's shoulder; they have been inseparable since Hiei told her he was her brother. Kurama was chatting quietly with Keiko about something or other. Lastly Shizuru was cheering Yuske on not a foot away from the coffee table.
Botan tapped her foot against the carpeted floor and sipped at her apple cider (A/N: btw Jakki I'm still laughing at the caroling incident). No one talked much to her, so she just kept quiet.
It was five minuets until new years. Tradition was you were supposed to kiss someone at the strike of twelve. Of course that was all nonsense; no one has kissed her… ever.
She shuffled her feet, trying to make herself look busy. But in the end she sat the cider on the coffee table where an intoxicated Kuwabara was singing the Captain Planet theme song.
She slipped her blue jacket over her shoulders and slipped out into the snow.
Crystals were falling over head, leaving the world below with the bitter yet wonderful feeling of the snowing season's winter winds and crisp air. She took in a deep breath and rubbed her already numb hands together. It was freezing; to say that she wasn't afraid of frostbite would be just silly. But she has died before and has seen death many times.
She walked to the steps of the temple and sat down before staring at her watch. Four minuets to go. She shoved her hands into her pockets and looked up. Not too much to see grey, snow, moisture, black…
The crunching of breaking ice brought her gaze down to earth to Kurama who sat down beside her. "I can't really figure out what you're staring at, but I would really love to know," he said a hint of a joke hidden in his voice.
Her face turned red, thankfully not much redder than it had already been. "The snow, it is quite pretty isn't it?" she asked smiling.
"Yes, but why aren't you inside?" Kurama asked raising a delicate eyebrow.
"Why be inside, it is lovely out here," Botan replied smiling wider. "What a way to spend the New Year huh? With the year on its birthday."
"Mind if I join you then?"
Botan nodded the smile never leaving her face. The company would do her good. She was starting to think they didn't want her around. She never did like feeling self conscious. But she was a little flustered; she always got self conscious around Kurama.
Kurama looked down at his watch three minuets.
He sighed and stared out into the collecting snow banks. Streams of silence threaded the two delicately into a blanket of comfortable awareness, as they sat out in the snow with each other.
They both liked the dark, weather Botan would say it or not. The lights that emitted off from the temple gave them a strange glow.
Their silence was broken.
"Kurama, I don't really understand why you should kiss someone at the strike of twelve," Botan said looking rather sheepish.
He smiled softly. "Well I guess spending the New Year with someone you love indicates a more prosperous year. Or at least that is what I think."
She didn't really get it but she nodded just the same. "You know this feels a little weird, we never really ever talked much have we?" she asked with a thoughtful expression as she turned to look at him.
"No not very much, it seems rather strange that we never talked very much. We really don't know each other at all in a sense," he said giving a silent nod.
But of course he knew quite a bit about her. No, they never really talked, but he did his reading, and he observed her closely. He memorized her face, her movements, the way she blew her nose, actually just about everything. Youko had taken quite a liking to her after a while; Kurama had to agree with his attraction.
He never really understood why, or when, or even how it happened. Sometimes he would catch her looking at him, and at those times he actually felt self conscious. But he knew, when she looked down and blushed, that she felt the same. Even now he could tell she was uncomfortable.
Botan tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. Being with him was a little nerve wrecking. She was racking her brain for something to say, anything! She decided in the end to just stay quiet so she wouldn't embarrass herself.
She sighed and looked down at her watch.
Two minuets.
Kurama was rather amused by her antics. She would shuffle her feet a little, rub her hands, look up at him, then look down and blush. Part of him believed she didn't even know she was doing it.
She sat her hand down on the ground and he took that moment to slide him hand over hers'. "Will you calm down Botan? It isn't like the world is ending," he said playfully squeezing her hand a bit for emphasis.
She looked mortified and blushed heavily. He was… HE WAS HOLDING HER HAND!
She was torn between telling him that she loved him and taking her hand away to save what was left of her dignity.
He smiled at her a little and stared off into the snow. Youko was roaring with male pride as he felt her hand begin to shake. She was nervous and excited at the same time.
Of course Kurama wanted her to feel comfortable, but he was enjoying himself by making her blush.
"So what do you plan to do afterwards?" Botan asked.
Kurama shrugged his left shoulder and sighed. "Not much to do anymore," he said sounding a bit bitter.
She laughed bringing her unoccupied hand to her mouth. Kurama frowned. "Something amuses you?" he asked.
She got her breath under control. "Sound like you miss us," she said smiling widely still.
The frown left his face and he nodded. 'You have no idea'. "Yeah I guess I do."
Botan smirked and shook back the sleeve of her jacket.
One minuet.
They remained in a comfortable silence enjoying each others company.
Finally getting over her shy stage Botan leaned against Kurama's shoulder. "You think they will notice we aren't there?"
Kurama smirked. "Eventually, I don't think they will bother to notice until Yuske and Kuwabara faint or die of alcohol poisoning."
Botan laughed out loud a little.
Kurama decided to ask a question of his own. "You have a New Years' resolution?"
She thought for a moment. "Yes. If anything, I need to spend more time with all of you, we were so close up until just recently. Yes that's it I'm going to make sure I spend more time with you all," she said nodding firmly.
"So do you have a resolution?"
Kurama's eyes bled golden for a moment.
5….
"My resolution?"
4….
"You really want to know?"
3….
Botan nodded.
2….
"My resolution."
1….
"Is to make you mine."
0
Kurama sealed her lips with his the second the New Year was born.
She stood wide eyed for a moment before sliding her hands onto his shoulders and closing her eyes slowly. He responded quickly to her acceptance.
His arms wrapped around her waist drawing her as close as possible. This was right, she felt… perfect.
"Happy, New Years Botan," he murmured around her lips. His mind was twisted with emotion at the moment, ranging from a feeling of deep content, to one of utter restlessness. He prodded her lips a little and heard her gasp. He ran his tongue experimentally across her teeth earning a small purring sound from her. He gently brought his hands up to tangle in her hair.
And he was complete for the first time in his life.
When he pulled away, he stood back to admire his work. Bruised lips, flushed face, messy hair, she was beautiful.
"So. Is my resolution okay with you?" he asked.
She just nodded numbly as he took her in his arms and pressed his lips against hers' again.