Goosebumps visibly formed on her skin while Botan involuntarily shivered as cold fingertips brushed along the side of her neck, passing through the sensitive skin of her nape before playing with the softness of her now loosened cerulean tendrils. She could only bite her lips in return after losing her will in reprimanding the continuous inappropriate actions of her charge. However, when the exploring counterpart of the combing hand drifted low and traced her clothed spine close to the curve of her rump, she recoiled and accidentally tipped her oar forward resulting to the slender form of the crazy man sliding flushed to her side.

"W-What in heavens name is wrong with you?!" Botan shrieked, turning towards the demon sitting idly beside her. If not for the peculiar covering, she would have kissed him square on the lips due to the sudden close proximity. Her face colored when she noticed the unwavering look of his eyes, suddenly feeling exposed in a non-sensual way. The darker shade of violet, brimming with blood-thirst during the tournament, shined with amusement while it reflected her vulnerability. Shouldn't it be her scrutinizing the soul of the departed and not the other way around?

"For an experienced ferry girl, you sure fly awfully crummy...Are you planning to kill me twice?" He taunted while enclosing her hand with his own, interlacing their fingers while helping her steer the oar. The mild crinkle at the corner of his eyes denotes the sadistic smile lying behind his mask.

If not for her duty of consoling the dead and guide them to their final destination, she would have let his soul wander off for all she cares. It also did not help ease her temper knowing that this man almost succeeded in killing her dear friend. "Tell me that when you are not molesting me in flight." She snapped, whirling her head to the opposite direction while trying to escape from his hold but relented when his grip tightened with every struggle.

"Touché."

They fell on a comfortable silence as the air shifted, from light and welcoming, the ambience gradually turned into the familiar eerie atmosphere when traversing this particular plane of Spirit World. We're close... Botan thought as the sense of foreboding made her reconsider her outlook towards the demon and made her regret snapping at him even though she still thinks it was well-deserved. This will be the last time that he will see the light, the least she could do is understand his reasons. "Did you mean it?" She asked all of a sudden, keeping her attention ahead. "I mean, when you said that killing the one you love makes you feel good. Did you really mean it?"

"What do you think?" The demon countered nonchalantly while observing her from his point of view, perceiving the tightening of her knuckles, aware that the woman is trying to keep her emotions in check. "You loathe me for harming Kurama..." He surmised as if it was the least most obvious thing in the world, a little surprised when her muscles instantly loosened its tension, allowing his fingers to fit between hers once again.

"I do not hate, Karasu... Understand that Kurama is my friend. However, your actions were rather appalling, no matter how expected they were considering that both of you were on a death match." Botan admitted, confused about the disclosure but later deemed it as a result of her innate nature, mortified beyond reasonable doubt when his guttural laugh rang in her ears. Crazy jerk! "Wh-what's so funny?!" she sputtered, whirling towards his direction, watching incredulously while his body jerked in time with his amusement.

"You are, onna..." His deadened eyes uncharacteristically twinkled with an impish glee, flippantly remarking after collecting himself. "My, I never thought meeting Death could be this... delightful... Nevertheless, your compassion is, dare I say, most laudable."

"Just because I am Death and everyone finds the notion of me unpleasant doesn't mean I have to act like one and spite them...or blow them up in your case." She mumbled begrudgingly, turning her attention back to the task at hand, sighing in exasperation when the demon chuckled before shamelessly resuming his ministration.

"Again, most laudable."

Silence engulfed them once again just as a strong breeze of dysphoric air passed by when they entered a portal, hitting Botan with a sudden wave of melancholy. No matter how vile a person may be, it still doesn't sit well with her for a soul to end up in this desolated place and she didn't know if he'd noticed, but despite his uncanny advances, she's been making a conscious effort for a protracted travel.

The oar gradually lost its altitude as they reached the bridge leading to his eternal punishment, hovering just a few feet from the ground as he alighted first before the deity followed suit to see him off. The back of his tall and imposing figure stood ahead of her while the crow demon looked over his impending fate.

"How is it... that an angel of death serves as a deliverance of dead souls, onna?" He asked out of the blue, still not turning to face her.

"Apart from pulling them out of misery, we usually grant their final wish, if there's any..."

"I see..."

"Do you desire something before – "

"Perhaps a kiss from Death would make an indelible finale with such a blast, wouldn't you agree?" He interjected with a slight shuffle. Purple eyes widened at the sudden insinuation, if possible, it widened even further when he turned to face her without the infamous concealment, long midnight hair swayed hypnotically in time with his movement.

Botan could only stand still as the unexpectedly beauteous man gracefully sauntered towards her. The diety was rooted on the spot due to the binding force of her duty of fulfillment, or so she thought, confounded at the noticeable shift in his countenance as it differed from when he was battling with the fox. It was solemn, peaceful and accepting even that it made her want to snatch him away and ask Koenma to amend the judgement.

"Why do you find it enjoyable to kill everything that you came to love?" She queried in a hushed whisper, just as his slender arms wound around her.

Karasu regarded the woman in his embrace thoughtfully. Finding peace with the fact that this will be the nearest form of heaven that he could reach after all that's been said and done, indulging her with an earnest confession that may very well be the first and last time he could express himself soberly. "There is only little bliss for someone who has nothing." He muttered before leaning down to possess her lips.

Botan lingered at the stony path even after Karasu disappeared behind the double gates leading to the abyss, indulging in the faintest trace of volatile power on her lips, slowly blinking while her hands lifted to wipe the stream of salty liquid that ran along her flushed cheeks. Realizing that this is the second time of her crying over a departed soul – and an enemy at that. But one that was extremely exceptional in hiding his pain from the world... She thought ruefully.

Their serendipitous encounter made her realize that she was no different with the crow demon. Somehow, she understood the reason behind his morbid fascination, even if her friends - Kurama in particular, may say otherwise. Karasu was so used on being empty that he finds a tremendous amount of gratification in annihilating everything that snatches his affection, just as similar as how Death needs deaths to validate its cruel existence regardless of the significance of the departed soul.

BOOM!

A bittersweet laugh resonated at the secluded portion of the desolated place when the first round of explosions went off the other side of the gates. Gently swaying her head from side to side, the deity procured a ribbon from her obi to tie her tousled hair once again, producing a series of mirthful giggles upon thinking that after being sentimental about it, she may very well be worrying for nothing...

For a crazy and depraved demon, Karasu might enjoy his time in hell.

A/N:

Well... Insanity is contagious...

This surprisingly came out in the middle of a meeting where an attendee reminded me of Karasu's maniacal laugh when he was about to blow Youko off the stadium...So, yeap... Another product of my mindless typing. Apologies for any wrong grammar and if it seems hurried...

Hope you enjoyed.

#iwillnotabandonanything

Thanks for reading...

Xoxo