-Shogatsu Love-
Finale
1/30/05
...-...

As Kurama came to a stop at the door of his apartment, fiddling with his keys a minute before pushing the door open and walking inside, resting Botan on his couch. "I'll be right back, Botan," He murmured, kneeling down to her level. "Will you be okay while I'm gone?" Slowly she nodded, curling up to the nearest pillow. He walked into the bathroom, flipping the switch on and toiling through the drawers and shelves. Finally he came out, handed Botan a blanket, and began to speculate the damage. "Botan? Do you mind if I touch you face? To check for any broken bones," Kurama asked.

"...Yes, it's fine. I don't mind" Botan replied, wincing slightly as his deft fingers traced the bruises around her face. His hand slipped down along her shoulder and neck, checking the red markings. "There don't seem to be any broken bones..." Kurama started, not really sure what to say next. He couldn't really say 'You should be fine.' The girl had nearly been raped for heaven's sake!

"I'm sorry, Botan," He whispered, almost to himself.

"Sorry?"

"I...I wasn't there. I shouldn't have left you alone."

"Kurama...you saved me! Kurama, it was my fault. I was just being a silly little selfish girl. I'm just a bit ditzy, ne?" Botan murmured, pasting a smile on her face. Kurama just stared at her for a moment before speaking again.

"Selfish? Ditzy? I don't think you're any of those, Botan. In fact, I think you're just a very clever girl who's got everyone fooled."

"Wha... what do you mean?"

"How can you smile? You're always smiling. But aren't you too, putting up a facade? Smiling so that everyone else thinks it's okay. So that they don't try to help. Because it'd be better to carry this burden on your own? Of course, no one would think of the cheery deity of death ever being sad. Not when she smiles so much. Botan, what happened to you? What ever happened to you to make you this way?"

Throughout this speech Botan simply stayed there, on the couch, shaking and holding back tears. But when he uttered those last words "Was it Koenma?" She just broke. "Ku...rama..." She whimpered, launching herself on he ground into a fit sobs.

"He didn't know... he didn't... he just wanted... to... to... fit in. he..."

"Botan?" Kurama asked, eyes wide. He had hoped and expected some reaction from the deity, but nothing this extreme "Botan? Botan, what... what happened? Did he hurt you! If he hurt you, I'll talk to him for you. I'll..."

"No! Please don't Kurama..."

"Botan? Why?"

"He doesn't know..."

"How could he not know? What do you mean?"

"My dreams. They've come to me every New Years. Of something I'd rather forget."

At the sound of Botan's solemn and serious voice Kurama stayed quiet, waiting for her to continue.

"It happened, so many years back. Nearly two thousand by now, I would suppose. You know, I wasn't born a ferry girl. I used to live in a village in eastern Reikai..."

---

"Mama, I'm back with the herbs you asked for!" A small girl called from the frame of a doorway. Her violet eyes were round and bright, like gems. She had curly blonde hair, pulled back from her face by a green bow. The home was small, enough to live in and not suffocate yourself in someone else's air, but little more than what one might call a shack." Will they make papa better?"

"Enma willing," An older woman said, taking the basket from the girl's hand a bustling into another room of the house. "Shukumei, boil some water for me," The woman called again.

---

"Father was unwell, with some unexplainable illness. It was a fatal disease, he was due to die soon anyways, I believe. But I don't think mama would ever have the heart to tell us... She liked to keep us happy, somewhat poor though we were."

---

"Yes mama. Mama, where is Akuen?"

"Probably out with his friends. I swear that brother of yours is-" There was a pause in her words as a loud clamor came from the door. "-Get that, will you, dear?"

"Yes mama," Shukumei chirped, going for the door. When she opened it she nearly screamed. "Akuen!" She shouted, the limp form of a boy coming to rest on her. His small body was bloodied and riddled with brusies. "Akuen, Akuen, what happened? Did someone attack you?" The shouts attracted her mother.

"Shukumei, what is going on? Why are you- Oh dear Enma!" She yelled, racing over to her son.

"It's them. They're coming..."

"Who is them?" Shukumei asked.

"The soldiers! From the north..."

---

"At the time, there was a war going on. Something about a mutiny, or high treason... I can't remember exactly what for. We had heard news, of how villages had been raided and burnt. But or village was so small and remote, we didn't really need to worry."

---

At his words, their mother's eyes widened. "Shukumei, take your brother into the cellar. Grab some blankets and whatever food is left in the cupboard. Go there and don't dare come out. Do you understand?"

"Yes, but, what about papa?"

"I will take care of papa, you go"

"But! If you stay with papa-"

"Go!" The mother shouted, eyes narrowed.

Shukumei simply nodded and carefully lead her brother to the cellar, picking up the fore-mentioned nescesities along the way. Quickly, she lifted two wooden boards off the floor and opened the door hidden underneath. There was a drop, possibly four feet, just taller than both children. The door closing behind them, Shukumei looked around. It was dark, and the air was stale. But it was safe. Wrapping the blanket around Akuen and herself she snuggled into a corner, trying not to cry.

"They won't take you." Came the voice of her brother. "They'll kill me before they take you."

"Ani, don't talk like that. There's no need..." Shukumei responded, and again they settled into silence.

---

"I'm not really sure how long we had waited. It could've been anywhere from five minutes to five hours. But when we were there it felt like an eternity..."

---

Dull noises came from above them, possibly footsteps of their mother coming to tell them that it was safe now, or maybe footsteps of something else. Other sounds drifted through the low ceiling, but they couldn't really be made into anything. Except for the last. It was, unmistakably, a piercing scream. Then there was the distinct sound of the shuffling, and fiddling with wooded boards, and a low creaking noise.

"Akuen!" Shukumei whispered.

"Shhhh... Remember..."

Akuen shifted, pushing his sister behind him, under the blanket. The noise of feet hitting the ground echoed throughout the small room, as well as low masculine voices. And through the darkness vague silhouettes could be made out.

---

"They found him. They didn't even notice me, and they took him. Maybe to train him as a soldier for their side, maybe as a servant. I don't really know. He always took on whatever he couldn't handle..."

---

Shukumei slowly crept out of the darkness, hopping through the small hole and into the clearance. She gasped. How long had she been down there! Where her house should have stood there was nothing, save a brick here or there and bits of smoldering flame. Placing a hand over her mouth, she looked around, spotting no one else. No life had been spared, not even the flowers. Where there had once been a valley covered in grass and wild flowers, cluttered with small buildings, and livened with the spirits of children stood a barren field.

Shukumei picked up the blanket next to her and tumbled to a piece of ruble, leaning against it as she cried. First her brother, then everything else...

---

"I was there for a while. I think I fell asleep... well I must've, because I woke up later to the feeling of something poking me. It was them."

---

"Look, see? I told you she was alive!" Said a somewhat rugged boy, with a stick in his hand. "Pay up," He said, turning to another boy around the same age and height, who threw some coins at him.

"How old do you think she is?"

"I dunno' She's tiny though..." They continued to speak as if she wasn't there, like she was some fool who couldn't understand what they were saying. And after all that had happened Shukumei was just a little annoyed.

"'Scuse me, but... who in Reikai are you?" Shukumei asked, standing up and brushing the dust off her clothing. If they were some ruffian boys come to pillage what little left of her life she would... well, she wasn't sure exactly what she would do- but it probably wouldn't be nice.

"Hey, look, the broad can speak. She's blonde... do ya' know what they say 'bout blondes over in Ningenkai? Say they're dumb as rocks!"

"Well we're not in ningenkai now are we?" Shukumei spat back. Cleary she didn't understand the common sense of height ratios. When there are three boys- all being about a foot taller than you- you don't usually piss them off.

"Shut up!" Exclaimed one of them, slapping her back to the ground "Nobody asked you! Hey, I know how to shut her up! What about this?" He said, and began whispering to the other.

After a few moments they signaled the third boy, who hadn't actually done or said anything, over and began talking in low voices. As the other two withdrew from the circle, Shukumei could clearly see the third boy's expression- pale, shocked, and terrified. And she couldn't exactly say that it did wonders for her outlook on the situation.

"You really want me to? I mean, is it really necessary? We could just-"

"Stop babbling. Just do it already! Or are you gonna whine to your daddy?"

"No... It's just-"

"Then Shut UP and do it, Junior!"

The boy looked at Shukumei, hands shaking and began ripping her dress. "Get off me!" She cried, kicking and wiggling in an attempt to free herself. Glancing over, she noticed the two other boys who were laughing. "Go to HELL!" She screeched, glaring at them.

"Just for that, make it rough!"

"No! NO! Stop it! STOP!"

---

"It was like he had no choice. They forced him, to... do things. And through it all I could tell that he was just as terrified as I was..."

"Botan... but how? I mean-"

"After it all, I decided I would get back at him. So, I dyed my hair, changed my name, and left to become a ferry girl. But, I met Koenma, and he was nice. He... he told me once... of how he hurt some girl in ways he couldn't describe. How he was so weak, and stupid, and... cruel. I don't think he's ever told anyone else. He doesn't know it's me. And I think it's better that way."

"Why?"

"Because I love him," Botan replied.

Kurama stopped to look at her, feeling a stab in his heart. She... she loved him? And what was he! Something to fill her time with. "You... love... him?"

"Yes, I suppose. He's like... like my brother. And I don't know what I'd do if I lost another brother."

"Oh... Botan, there's something I'd like to... ask you," Kurama murmured, green eyes wandering over to the closed window. "... Have you... ever been outside for the first snow of the year?"

"What?" Botan asked, as Kurama got up and grabbed her hands, whirling her to the window. Opening it, he pulled her onto the sill. "Kurama!" Botan giggled. "You know Botan, this is the first time I've ever seen the first snow of a new millennia. What about you?" Kurama said with a smile.

"Nope, I suppose I can't say the same."

"Oh..."

"But you know what?" Botan asked shyly, look down at her hand (and try to not see the fact that they were four stories up.) "It is the first time I've seen a New Year's snow with someone I loved..."

Kurama turned his head to look at her, and for a moment, had to remind himself to breathe. "Botan?" When she turned her head to look at him he didn't even speak, just grabbed her and kissed her full on the lips.

"Ku-K-Kurama..." Botan stuttered as he finally let her go... "That was..."

"I suppose it would have been a bit more romantic if it had been your first kiss, huh?" Botan smiled slyly at him. "It was," She murmured, and this time it was Kurama's turn to be pulled into an intense lip-lock.

And suddenly, the first snow of the New Year was the last thing on their minds...

End Notes:

Boo ya! How's that for an ending? Okay, so I do need some work on my kissing scenes, don't I? Maybe I'll write a follow up to this, but probably won't start it up until March. Suggestions and ways to improve are always welcomed. At the moment I'm still trying to figure out what I want my style of writing to be like, so I'm pretty open to suggestions.

I still can't believe it's finished. Hope ya'll liked it. R&R.