To Snatch
By: yume-chan29
A/N: Part 2! Woot! Woot! More fluffiness in this chappie, I believe. So read on!
Chibi Youko: Many people who read did NOT review.
Yume: (frown) Is my story really that bad?
Chibi Youko: On the contrary, I thought the story was quite good.
Yume: (sweatdrop) That's only because you're one of the main characters. conceited little…
Chibi Youko: (Flashes blinding grin) yume-chan29 does NOT own Yu Yu Hakusho or the great Youko Kurama.
Yume: …Right.
Dedicated to all my lovely reviewers from last chapter!
-Flash-
She walked out in a huff, disappointment steaming from her ears with Koenma-sama's inability to reason. So absorbed in her own irritation, she'd almost forgotten that Youko Kurama, ruthless youkai thief, was standing within the vicinity.
That is, before he'd clucked his tongue at her.
"Tsk, tsk, ferry girl." He walked up beside her, gold eyes gleaming with humor. "I think you need a lesson in proper etiquette."
She eyed him warily, distrust edging her usually carefree voice, "What was that, Youko-san?"
He smirked, "Etiquette. We have yet to properly introduce each other."
Bowing in mock gentleman's style, he took her hand and placed a tender, lingering kiss upon the flesh there. She couldn't help her coloring. (She has pale skin, after all.)
"Miss, my name is Youko Kurama and it is an utmost pleasure to meet you."
Smooth. Kami-sama, he was one smooth operator.
"…Likewise." Botan murmured, actually quite surprised with the turnout of his character. The ferry girl had expected the grace and pride with which he carried himself (it was, after all, required within a master thief's job description.) But the light teasing tone? Not so much.
Botan had been sure, from his rumored maliciousness, that he couldn't have possibly owned a heart.
"Er…" She shuffled a bit, "My name is Botan. It's a…um…pleasure to meet your acquaintance."
Youko grinned, "Better."
After a slightly awkward silence (for Botan, anyway), she chirped, "Ok, Youko-san. Now that we have our introductions in order, may I show you out the door?" Botan felt an unexplainable uneasiness in his presence and was about ready to fast pace down the marble halls.
To her chagrin, the kitsune had yet to move an inch. Again he clucked his tongue. "My, my, ferry girl," he grinned, knowing full well of the frustration that radiated from her when he refused to say her name ("It's Botan."), "trying to get rid of me already?"
"Well…" she bristled for a plausible excuse, "…It's a little late to be…um…entertaining company, isn't it?"
"Manners, manners." Irritation lit her pink irises. What? "Aren't you going to apologize, first?"
Her brows knit, confusion forming in her countenance, "For…?"
Grinning he remarked, "For those none-too-polite things you told Koenma about me after I'd left the room."
Her eyes widened considerably, a flush once again rushing to her cheeks, "You eavesdropped?"
He scoffed, "No, I'm not that lowly."
"…Then how?"
He walked up to her in slow, languid strides, "What? You didn't think I'd catch your 'Koenma-sama, he's not a good person' rant? You have a pretty loud voice for someone so…petite. And plus," he touched behind his fox ear, "I have enhanced hearing abilities y'know?"
She gaped. Shoot.
They stood in silence, Botan, fidgeting every now and then under his eyes.
He was smirking. Again. "Now, you're lucky I'm such a gentleman." He muttered silkily, breaking the awkward quiet. "For I'll let your…insinuations about me go unpunished."
The bluenette let out a huff a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.
"However," he continued, putting a hand forward to caress the apple of her cheek, leaving the skin he touched abnormally warm. "You must allow me to take something from you."
She blinked confusedly. Then her carnation eyes widened at his devilish leer.
She stepped back, her brows slanted angrily and her redness, if anything, deepened.
"Y-you—" she sputtered, angry, bewildered, and humiliated all that the same time. "You PERVERT!"
Botan clutched a shaking fist, using all what was left of her self-control to keep from slapping the (now somewhat alarmed) youkai in front of her, senseless.
And she stormed off. Sorry, Koenma-sama, but there was no way in all Reikai (Makai, even!) that she was going to tolerate being in the presence of the arrogant kitsune. Ever.
-Flash-
Right.
That's exactly why she was alone with Youko now, the air between them akin to teasing (albeit relentless teasing) friends.
For some odd reason, she couldn't shake the rebounding word 'hypocrite' out the inside of her ears.
The demon smiled, taking out a small pink notebook from that wondrous little pouch he hung from his belt. He waved it teasingly in front of her, loving every minute of watching her getting all riled up.
"What's so special about it anyway?" He questioned, easily evading every attempt she tried at grabbing it from him.
Her cheeks burned and she replied all too quickly, "Nothing!"
The thief raised a speculative brow, shifting his gaze between the ferry girl and the little notebook. "Hm. Then why so eager to get it back?"
"Because—" she hesitated and then racked her mind for a possible excuse, "Ayame-chan gave that to me!" It'd worked with Koenma, right?
He clucked his tongue as he normally did whenever he saw right through her. "Liar."
She frowned at him and before she could stop herself, said something rather stupid, "It's against the law to steal someone's possessions you know!" She then blinked, realizing the idiotic comment. She inwardly suppressed the urge to slap her forehead.
Of course he'd know. Who better? Youko laughed, deeply amused with her characteristic righteousness. It never failed to amaze him that she often forgot he was a notorious, devious, youkai master thief, who'd murdered hundreds, stole millions worth in valuables, and was on the Black List of several vengeful Makai demons.
She saw him for…him.
"Just give it back." She mumbled stubbornly.
Why could he never stop grinning in her presence? "But why so insistent? You never displayed this much fervor for the other items I took."
She clasped her delicate hands together, sighing, "Because I lost count after that one pen you stole from me. The 17th item, I believe."
"You keep count?" Youko questioned, unable to mask the glee in his voice.
She threw him a look but reddened nonetheless. Instead she retorted, "You steal too much."
-Flash-
Botan gripped at the sheets of her bedding, unable to drift off to dreamland. It was no wonder, really, what with that stupid Youko Kurama smirking behind her eyelids.
Perhaps a glass of water would cool her down. She got up quickly, stretching in her baggy lavender bunny-coated pajamas, and adapting to the cold night air.
What was it about the youkai that irked her so much? She was already 197 years old for gods sake. She'd dealt with humans, demons, spirit people, ghosts, monsters, any type of being within Reikai library's records, and no one had ever gotten her this…flustered.
And she'd just met the guy too! She had spent, what? Like 10 minutes talking with him? Right now, she felt like tying up the demon, gagging him, and throwing him into the River Styx! Whatever happened to bubbly, cheerful, innocent little Botan-chan?
Chugging at her water, she quickly made for her bedchambers once more.
She opened the door, ready to collapse in her bed. She didn't realize there was another person in her room until an arm shot out, gripping her against her struggles and a hand grabbed at her mouth, muffling her voice.
A deep voice pierced the air, "Promise not to scream."
Cherry pools widened. Oh no. It was Youko. He was coming to get his revenge! He was going to have…his way with her! Botan wriggled once more. Damn. Damn. Damn. DAMN!
He whispered harshly, "I'm not going to hurt you." As an added precaution, he threw his infamous rose whip across the room. Botan knew that the action didn't guarantee her safety (as he could very well harm her with his bare claws), but seeing the weapon at a distance and not in the hands of the demon managed to calm her down.
Slowly she nodded and he let go.
"You…" she questioned carefully, "…what are you doing in my room!" she spoke keeping at least 5 feet between them. She didn't bother asking how. He was a master thief, duh.
"Your sleepwear is cute." She blushed and clutched quickly at her arms.
He grinned a little. "You know," he began, answering her question indirectly, "When I said that I'd take something from you, I meant an item."
And her nerves weren't so jumpy and her heart wasn't so skittish all of a sudden.
"Oh." She voiced dumbly, her coloring visible even in the darkness. Then, with a flash of a smile, he showed her what he'd been holding. A set of sapphire earrings.
"Hey! Those are mine!" She made an effort to grab them and he cheekily dangled the jewelry above her, fully utilizing his height advantage to bait her. He stuck out his tongue and Botan was thrown off guard at his…playfulness.
He made his way for the glass doors that led to her balcony. Throwing the exit open dramatically, he let the frigid wind blow in, whipping the white curtains about so that they oddly matched his attire. He, in all his moonlit attractive glory, threw her a grin over his shoulder, winked, and said, "Exactly."
He left in a gust of wind.
-Flash-
Youko smirked, still clutching at the handheld pastel book, "It's all for you, y'know."
Botan raised a delicate brow, "What?"
"To get your attention." He muttered, his golden eyes never leaving her candy colored ones. When he was met with silence, he continued explaining, "Upon our first meeting, you (abnormally, might I add) paid no heed to my devilish good looks," she rolled her eyes, but pinked all the same, "or my inherent smoothness."
"…Well," Botan started, looking down at her intertwined fingers, "I'm not exactly the type to fall at the feet of every attractive guy I come across!"
Youko smirked, making Botan's heart beat in fast thuds against her ribs. "So you do find me attractive."
She stuttered and the thief took her hesitation as a blatant 'HELL YES!'
He quickly ran a hand through his silver tresses, then lifted her chin so that they directly met gazes, "That makes me unreasonably happy."
Botan blushed yet again. Besides the fact that Youko had that amazing ability to make her redden more often that not, their faces were only inches apart.
She forcefully turned away, not being able to control the goosebumps running along her arms. "You didn't have to steal from me."
The youkai laid back against the heels of his palms, keeping his eyes on her. "It worked, didn't it?"
"But there were other ways to get to know each other! Ways that didn't involve you breaking into my room on a weekly basis!" She rationalized loudly.
Grinning, Youko retorted, "I wanted to catch you changing."
Something in Botan's right pink eye twitched. In an instant, Botan's oar suddenly materialized. And in another instant Youko's head was flat beneath it. "You pervert!"
Rubbing the small bump that sprouted on the top of his head, Youko growled a low 'Violent Ferry Girl' under his breath before turning to her again. "Kidding aside. If I'd just asked, 'Oi, ferry girl, would you do me the honor of treating you to some tea' would you have come?"
Quietly, she thought, "…no."
"Right." He playfully bumped the girl's nose with the cover of her pink notebook. "And besides," She made another unsuccessful grab at the little book, and he scoffed, though not harshly, "It's much more exciting this way, no?"
Botan refused to acknowledge the question with an answer. Especially seeing as it was too, too true. "Give it back, Youko!" She yelled again, her initial fury returning full speed.
"I will." He voiced confidently, "In exchange for a kiss."
Botan blinked. Then gaped. Then colored. Again. "WHAT?"
"A kiss." Youko repeated, as if exchanging kisses was a kind of every day thing you could ask for. "You want this little book back, right?"
Beneath the cool exterior, Youko's heart was thumping and his breathing was slightly irregular. He berated himself inwardly for…feeling, but he couldn't exactly help it.
He was asking for a kiss from Botan, after all.
Pointing a slim digit to the skin on his cheek, Botan thought, 'Oh. A kiss on the cheek.' For some odd reason, she couldn't help but feel…what? Disappointment? Shaking her head furiously, she sought some courage, shut her eyes, and closed the space between them.
'The cheek isn't so bad.'
And as she was about to make contact between her lips and his skin, she felt his head suddenly turn in a swish of long hair.
Her lips met with his in a quiet, but heart-racing kiss.
Breaking apart, she clutched at her pink mouth, "Y-you said a kiss on the cheek!"
Smirking, he answered, handing her the book, "No. I don't remember saying anything of the sort. I vaguely tipped my cheek, but you were the one to make the assumption."
She swiftly took the pink notebook from him, put it gingerly in the folds of her kimono and quickly set her palms over her burning cheeks. Her heart was inwardly sighing with contentment, but outwardly she mumbled, "That was underhanded."
He raised his hand to her, running a claw down her soft cerulean ponytail. In a near whisper, he told her, "I think you've got our roles reversed. You're the one who's been using underhanded means, Botan."
He said her name! Oh my god, he said her name! Botan vainly grabbed at her chest, trying to muffle her heartbeats in case his superhuman hearing caught it. "W-what? You're the thief!"
"And yet you've unjustly stolen something precious to me."
She sent him a wide-eyed stare, confusion on her countenance and an untold hopefulness rushing through her veins. He leaned in closer, placing a hand gently upon her arm.
"My heart, ferry girl."
This time, he brought his mouth upon hers in a passionate kiss, pulling her forward so she could feel the heat of his pale skin. She responded a bit timidly, but melted into him nonetheless.
When they needed to pull apart for air, he grinned down at her. "I hope I'm forgiven for any charges of thievery now."
She nodded numbly, surprising him when she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head upon his shoulder.
Vaguely referring to the pink notebook sticking out from her obi, he buried his face into her lavender-scented locks, "And for reading your diary."
She bonked him yet again with her oar but rewarded the new bump with a get-well kiss.
-end-
A/N: Whoo. You Kurama x Botan fans should consider yourselves lucky. You're the only fandom in which I successfully complete my fanfictions. Given, they are only two-shots but I always have had this nasty habit of never updating again…ever.
(dodges random throw of tomatoes) Hey, HEY! I'm pretty busy, y'know! Sorry, but life calls! Can't spend too much of my time indoors, sitting on my butt, laptop in…uh, lap, can I? I did, however spend a lot of time working on this!
Chibi Botan: …Yume-chan? Why do you always end your stories with a kiss?
Yume: …Eh? (looks over fics) Hm. You're right. I don't know. It's cute, I guess. smile
Chibi Youko: C'mon, Botan. I know how much you enjoy my kisses!
Chibi Botan: (Smacks with oar, blushing) Youko!
Yume: Shut up, you two. (Is jealous of sappy love between them)
Review Responses: (feeling offly generous today, so review responses, I'm up for!)
Pretty Pink Diamond: (is thoroughly flattered and conspicuously reddening) Thanks so much! (A big yay for first reviewers!)
animegirl007: (hahaha) ...I guess I'm just speaking for myself then. Here's part 2!
Blue Angel 1245: (heehee) here ya go! Thanks for reviewing!
Silvara: Thanks. I pride myself on my once-in-a-blue-moon bouts of coolness.
Icefire2: Hm...I like that word. Ficlet. Sounds more profound than ficcie. Thanks for the review!
KooriKitsune: (...koori? Is that...australian? (forgive me if I'm wrong...just curious) (sweatdrop)) (smile) Arigato!
BuBBLe Tea BaBe: Oh man! How'd you know! And a big HOORAH for YoukoxBotan fans. You guys rock.
himitsu: You ask too many questions. (hahaha) Review again please!
Kitsune of Darkness: omg! How'd you KNOW! Wow. It's like you (along with a certain bubble tea babe) read my mind... Hm. I wonder...(coughespionagecough) Thanks for the review!
Botan-Jaganshi: Thanks for catching the jealousy thing. I thought no one had, and sometimes that's what I thrive on in a ficlet.
Optimistic Moonflower: Hm. Two-word review. Practical but at the same time, thoughtful! I should definitely do that. Thanks for the review.
hottietottie90: (heart the name, btw) Grammar and spelling are my priorities after plot. One of my fetishes. (haha) Thanks!
midnight 1987: Seriously? Humor's not exactly my strong suit (sweatdrop) so I'm absolutely giddy that you found it to be.
(smile) (grin) (laugh) Nice pseudonym. Thanks for the review!
The Sacred Bovine: Ah! TSB! You reviewed! (smiles ecstatic) Sorry bud, but Botany ended where I liked it. (At a kiss, haha) To tell you the truth I was going to dedicate this ficlet to you because you were the first reviewer for my last KB story. Sadly, I feared too much the qualms of certain other Botany reviewers (coughPinayPalcough). Anywho, here's the next chappie!
P.S. I wish I could be in Australia now. (I'm absolutely bored to death here in Cali) (sweatdrop).
Botan's horse: I imagine Youko's little pouch...magical. (smile) And his person? Well, he's a master thief so I think him a bit on the...eccentric side. (haha. Especially when it comes to a certain bluenette ferry girl)
cetauri: (runs away quickly from hysterical cetauri) Here ya go! Enjoy and review!
So PLEASE review! (or otherwise leave me heartbroken)