Disclaimer : I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and it's characters.
I don't own the poem Unbeaten by the rain (雨にもまけず, Miyazawa Kenji), nor I do own this version of its translation (by Hart Larrabee)
Paiiring : Botan/Youko
Rating : T
Genre : Comedy/Romance, hurt/comfort
« Remember »
synopsis : In a moment of panic, Botan is the only person he thinks can help him.
"How did you find yourself in this situation?"
Botan stared, with what seemed to be an odd mix of annoyance and amusement, at the fox demon who was sulking in a corner of the dark classroom. The only bits of light came from the window through which she entered a few moments before.
She had been on her way to get back to ferrying souls after her lunch break, when she suddenly received a mayday call from Kurama. The call was unexpected, but at the sight of his golden orbs and fluffy ears on her communicator's screen, she knew she did not have time to waste on interrogations and immediately rushed to his university.
When she got there, she found a restless Youko who was trying hard to fit and hide inside an old closet.
The fox proceeded to fill her in on his situation. He had apparently been eating out with his classmates, which was nothing out of the ordinary. Until, a girl he particularly fancied, offered him a beautifully set dish she had spent hours making especially for him. This would have not been a problem if the lunch did not contain red pepper and garlic, two ingredients that were notorious to rile up his demon side, who was extremely sensitive to strong scents and spicy flavors.
He should have refused, but, unfortunately, he was not able to think of a good enough excuse at that time due to the blazing sun and the blood rush causing his head to boil up, and accepted the dangerous gift, praying to kami that he would have enough time to excuse himself and flee the scene before creating any suspicions.
Thankfully, he made it in time to an empty classroom and was able to find a shelter there, while waiting for his demon side to subdue back in the recesses of his mind.
To assure no one would bother him, he shut the door tightly closed with plants he summoned and immediately called the first person who flashed in his mind.
Botan.
"I needed help to tame myself, and you were the only one I could trust and think of on the heat of the moment." Youko's confession came in a soft defeated tone and he inwardly cursed himself for it.
She bit down on her lip to stifle the laugh that was threatening to escape and, instead, faked a disapproving expression at the fox that seemed to make him visibly flinch.
"Are you mad?" he asked in an uncharacteristically small voice, a complete contrast to his usual cocky tone.
Her complaint came instantly "What do you think? I had to take an early leave from my work especially for you." she put emphasis on the you with a pointed glare aimed at the fox "Now I'll probably have to do extra hours to make up for it. Koenma won't be pleased."
He felt bad at the prospect of her getting in troubles because of him -them- but could not help try to wash himself off of any responsibility "That's not completely my fault, it's Shuichi's damn soft heart's."
He was also a victim in all of this.
She raised an eyebrow incredulously at him "Aren't you both literally the same?"
"Well, technically. But-"
"There you have it."
He scowled at her as she made her way to the table he was atop of and sat down next to him, but he realized she was not completely wrong. They were the two main parts of the same being, no matter how differently they acted when they had the control over the other.
"I guess there's no helping it. So what would help us kick you back in that dimension that is Kurama's subconscious and bring him back? I believe classes are starting soon."
"Uhm." he thought for a moment before a devilish smirk found its way on his lips, sending chills down her spine.
She gulped and quickly added "Something that doesn't involve murder, please. Like … huh … the girl! That girl you seem to like."
"I don't, that's all on the damned human." he scoffed "You're the only one for me." he leaned towards the deity in an attempt to kiss her, but she stopped him short as her hands flew to his face and pushed him back.
So cold, he thought.
"We called it quit a while ago." she reminded him.
"Both of you did, I never got a say in it." his tone was biting but she could discern some sorrow in it.
She felt guilt gnawing at her heart.
Although not a lot of people knew, she and Kurama had entertained a kind of romantic relationship together up until recently. The separation happened on good terms and they were still irreplaceable friends to each other, but romance was pretty much ruled out of the scheme.
He wanted to live his human life and enjoy his loved ones' company until his mortal body was no longer.
Breaking up had been a decision the redhead took, not Youko. On the contrary, she had felt him being strongly against ending things, and being under the impression that she was the one pushing him away. But what could have been done when he was still in need of a physical body to control and own? She could not force herself on a man that had already moved on. She thought it selfish to toy with Shuichi's body and subconscious whenever she wanted to spend time with the fox spirit, and eventually, the latter understood. However the pain and the feeling of betrayal have not been completely erased.
Something she was hesitating to tell him, though, was that she still had hopes that maybe one day they could finally seek each other again, have the reunion she and Youko both longed for. But that would not be before several decades.
Botan cleared her throat and addressed the hunched fox next to her "Would some reminiscence help?"
He directed his perplexed gaze back at her. The slight trembling of her lips and the way she forced herself to stare back at him, as if she was on the verge of crying, did not escape the fox and he could not help but give in.
That's not fair for you too, isn't it?
He straightened up and smiled at the deity, in the way he would always do whenever they reached an agreement "As long as it's only the two of us in the picture."
The soft giggle she let out made him heave a sigh of relief "Deal".
They sat there, trying to remember some shared anecdotes they could bring up when-
"Remember-"
"Remember-"
Still as synchronized as ever, eh.
"Please go on," she gestured at him.
"Okay," he smirked "Do you remember our first t-"
She cut him short, glaring "I'd rather you don't mention it."
"Tsk, you're no fun. Theeennnn, remember when you got lost in Genkai's forest?"
"Are you trying to start a fight with me today?" she practically growled, which did nothing to deter him.
"Not at all! I'm actually really fond of that memory. The way you kept running around with these bees flying behind y-"
"I was scared to death!"
He let out a genuine laugh as she tried to hit him with her oar, which he easily plucked away from her tight grasp "It was that day I realized how utterly adorable you could be when completely powerless, actually. Like now."
"Screw you... " her face flushed before brightening up as she was struck by an interesting memory. She stopped her attempt at assaulting Yoko and made her usual sly cat face "Remember when you hid behind me during the whole duration of the summer festival?" she laughed "Didn't realize such a buff and powerful demon would be reduced to a shivering and scared mess because of tiny fireworks."
"I'll have you know that my ears are extremely sensitive."
"But still."
"Remember when you almost got eaten by my guardian plants when you sneaked a kiss on an innocent, slumbering me?" he asked as he fluttered his eyelashes at her.
"I-" she gritted her teeth "Why are you making me sound like a predator?! It was just a peck on the forehead!"
"I admit the reaction was extreme, my apologies."
"You should curb your plants!"
"To be honest, I did the same plenty of times while you were sleeping too."
"I know." she confessed.
"How?"
"I had a hard time falling asleep when you were there."
He put a hand over his chest, his eyes widening "Was my presence getting you so hot and bothered?"
"No, I was just scared you'd try to dissect me out of love. You're still Yoko Kurama after all."
"Touché."
After that, he fell silent and closed his eyes which made her peer at him in concern "Are you alright?"
"Yeah... I feel like he's gradually coming back." he replied in a drawled out, almost exhausted tone.
She tried to not let her disappointment be heard as she inquired "How long?"
He reached for Kurama's bag and rummaged inside, until he retrieved a picture which he handed to her as he spoke "Fives minutes at most." When he noticed the confused look she gave him, he expelled a sigh before explaining "This is her, his soon to be girlfriend."
"Oh right," she uttered as she studied the short haired girl on the picture before asking "She's adorable, what's her name?"
"I believe it's Maya." he paused and then added "I still think you look better though. Shuichi's taste is a bit bland."
"That's not a very nice thing to say, you know?" she scolded him though she could not deny his comment was flattering, however mean it sounded.
"Hey, Botan."
She turned to him "Uhm?"
"Could you sing that rain song? I don't know when we'll see each other again so I'd love to hear it now, while I'm still there."
Unbeaten by the rain. It was originally a beautiful poem about compassion and withstanding life's hardships, but the first time she had the chance to hear it, it was sung by a little girl whom she was ferrying to the spirit world a few years ago.
The deity was so moved that she could not help but bawl her eyes out throughout the whole duration of the journey. Since then, not a day went by without her thinking about the child and singing these beautiful lyrics. So simple but yet so touching.
Youko had been the first person she had shared it with, and, to her surprise, he instantly fell in love with it and would always ask her to lull him with her singing at night.
It kind of became their song.
"Sure."
"Going east to nurse the sick child
Going west to bear sheaves of rice for the weary mother"
Pools of gold gradually got hidden, as he fluttered his eyes close.
"Going south to tell the dying man there is nothing to fear
Going north to tell those who fight to put aside their trifles"
Tresses of silk and silver started to roll and crumple as they turned crimson.
"Shedding tears in time of drought
Wandering at a loss during the cold summer
Called useless by all,"
Soon, a pure mist shrouded his whole body, shielding his form from his companion's eyes.
"Neither praised
Nor a bother"
His limbs shortened bit by bit …
"Such is the person
I wish to be."
… until the fox was no more, and the human had taken his place.
"Minamino? Minamino are you here?"
"Oh god, I hope he's okay..."
"He's been locked inside for way past an hour!"
"I hope it's not my fault, what if he was allergic?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Kitajima. He looked like he was genuinely enjoying it."
Emerald eyes fluttered open as the pleas behind the door got more intense. He sat up and let out a yawn, before standing and walking to the door. The vines he had previously summoned dried out and disappeared completely.
He pushed the door open, finding himself face to face with the group of students he hang out with earlier. As he swept his steady gaze on them, his eyes met with beautiful pools of hazel, full of concern for him.
A bitter smile drew itself on his lips.
Maybe one day?
Notes :
Still short but slightly longer than the previous two! But I feel like it came out kind of meh lol
I'm not really sure what I'm doing with my awful writing lately but it typing out words make me feel good XD
The next in lines are :
- S x Botan (not that romantic but it was a nice ship to experiment with lol)
- S.K x Botan
- 2 Hagiri.K x Botan that are bordering on the M territory (actually one of them is straight up M but I'm not sure if I'm ready to post it yet T.T)
- Kurama x Botan
i don't know which one I'll post first, tho (and some might even get added to the line *cries*).
Wendy McCalister : Aw you're adorable T.T thank you so much! I'm happy you liked those. And yup! he knows how to subtly get what he wants XD You can look forward to some more cunning Kurama in upcoming chapters, some prompts I've drawn for him are ... interesting lol.
