Note: So, this is my first attempt to make something, and it's of course Kurotan, or Botan x Kurama. I do not own Yuu Yuu or any of it's characters because if I did, well I'd simply have drawn Kurotan and made millions. I do have the rights to the plot, any original characters, and the story due to them being of my creation.

Thanks for the reviews, and I'm so sorry it took me so long to update! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'll try to be quick to get the next chapter up, then the fun will really start!

The second funeral for Urameshi Yusuke would be his last, there was no returning after showing some selfless act, no way of simply waking up in time before his casket was closed and buried six feet under. There was no way to steal his soul and ferry it back to its rightful place, and there was certainly no way to speak to him ever again. That was the gospel that Botan had been given when she approached Koenma the day of Yusuke's burial, an event in which she had refused to attended because she felt someway, somehow she could right this wrong. She pleaded, disbelieved, begged, cried, everything she possibly could, but still the answer remained the same.

He was gone, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

Yukina had told her that it had been basically closed casket, for the Reikai embalmers could only do so much for the body, and that Yukimura Keiko had sat there five hours after it had ended. She said that whenever Keiko was approached, she would simply say she was waiting for Yusuke to just appear and say something crazy to her. That she simply felt like it was a repeat of what happened those four years ago, and that if she simply gave it some time, he'd come back and things would return to normal. Of course, that wasn't the case, and after those five hours had passed, Keiko had simply broken down into fits of sobbing and anger. All Botan could do was take deep breaths with the information, how was she ever to approach Keiko again?

Sullen eyes stared blankly at the dark swarming around her room as she curled herself into a ball over her sheets, finding that her head was pounding so horribly that she was close to another shift of tears. Or rather, if she hadn't been rung dry, it had been a week since Yusuke's death and a day since his burial, and all she had done was mourn and hope relentlessly. As optimistic as she had been in her misery, neither the mourning nor the hoping had brought any good news, and she instead simply thought it best to put up her happy face. It was what was expected of her, after all, she was suppose to be the overly chirp of joy even in the tragedy of things, and she apparently didn't have the right to be so devastated about it. She frowned lightly about that, huffing to herself at Koenma's words.

'Obviously,' he had said, 'you should be more nurturing of Keiko's pain.'

She gave a rude roll of her eyes but quickly reprimanded herself for it, she knew Keiko was hurting and that she perhaps should have been by her side, but she had the right to have her own moments. She was always there for everyone else, always that reliable packet of sunshine, and never once was she allowed to frown while everyone else was doing it. It was troublesome and unfair, but she had to admit that it was partially her fault for allowing everyone around her to have no reason to doubt their expectations. But still, even if no one else was aware of her and Yusuke's feelings for one another, shouldn't she at least be granted to mourn for him due to their relationship as Reikai Tentei and Case Manager? Or even as close friends, which they arguably were to a degree that even Kuwabara sometimes found as a threat?

Wasn't she allowed to show such vulnerability too, for him?

"Paging Botan, please come to Prince Koenma's office. Thank you."

'Great.' She thought with a light roll of her eyes, now it was time to put on her happy face.

The travel from her room to the toddler's office was too short for comfort, but when she entered the room she had a pleasant expression set in stone upon her face. "You wanted to see me Koenma-san?" Her voice was sing song as she clasped her fingers behind her, tilting her head to the side lightly in question. The prince of Reikai swiveled in his chair to reveal his teenaged form, and opened brown eyes to peer at the shinigami. He remained quiet for a bit, eyeing her intently and unknowingly making the woman squirm inwardly. It seemed sure enough that there was more bad news on its way, and Botan really wasn't sure if she could handle it.

"Yes, well," The sound of his voice put her at ease, "there was actually something I'd like to request of you. In recent events, I think it's only fit for you to take a leave of absence." Botan's lashes fluttered in surprise, but before she could speak the prince placed a hand out to silence her. "However, this can only be so if you fulfill certain circumstances." Botan's eyebrow rose in suspicion, there was always a catch with Koenma. Always, and they weren't ever really too much in her favor. He decided to once again take a long, unnecessary pause, and clearly the blue haired shinigami was becoming impatient.

"Please, just tell me."

Apparently that same impatience caught the male off guard as he blinked for a moment as he eyed her, trying to confirm that she had actually spoken out against his contemplation. He coughed, regaining his composure. "You see, during the…," He paused to find words that wouldn't upset either himself or his prized shinigami before him, "happening, the surviving members were taken to the hospital-" She blinked, cutting him off lightly as she suppressed the urge to cough up a sob at the memory, "Members? I thought Hiei was in Makai with Murko-"

"He was." He gave her a hard stare at her interruption, and then had a sudden realization of something, "Are you telling me that you were unaware that Kurama was also there Botan?"

Her lips open and then closed like those of a fish in response, clearly showing that she hadn't even the faintest idea. She quietly stepped away from her position in front of his desk and stumbled back into a lounge chair. She hadn't seen Kurama during that whole time, had she so easily looked past him while she was running about? Did she somehow ignore him, and perhaps his vocal pleas? She began to cough uncontrollably as her body shivered, grabbing her shoulders as she felt her eyes struggle to spring out any moisture left in her body for Kurama's sake.

"No, Botan! No, he's fine!"

The voice of Koenma steadied her as she suddenly felt soft eyes digging into her, making her look up carefully. "He was injured pretty badly, but ultimately he'll live." Koemna sighed heavily, content that he was able to stop the girl's breakdown, "The problem is, during his injuries he somehow went into a lapse of control. His brain was damaged, not that he has amnesia or anything, but it's tampered with him somehow." He looked at Botan to see if she was paying him any mind, noticing that she had a quizzical stare pitifully etched into her pale face.

"I don't understand?"

"Kurama may be dying."

"WHAT?!"

Surprisingly, she didn't break down into crying and instead was now dangerously close to snatching the prince from his seat. "You just told me he was fine!" Her voice was as fearsome as her face, a fact in which Koenma wished he really wasn't able to agree upon. "Woah, calm down! I said he may be dying, not that he's dead! Let me explain!" To think that the prince of Reikai was momentarily afraid for his life and resorting to a begging tone of voice was laughable, but clearly he wasn't quite in a position to do such a thing. With a low huff, Botan released him, rubbing her temples wearily as she realized her sudden aggression towards her employer.

"I'm..so sorry Koenma-san, I just-"

"It's okay, I'm not blaming you." He gave her a reassuring glance as she slowly took her seat once more. "Kurama's physical wounds have been healed for the most part, but his internal wounds –his mind in this case- is taking a tad bit longer. Youko has been spontaneously taking control over the body, and I'm afraid that if Youko does in fact take over, the realms might actually be in a lot of trouble. Having spoken with Kurama while he was present, he said that he would need time to mend the damages himself, but couldn't exactly guarantee his success or his ability to keep Youko from reeking havoc. And that's where you come in."

Botan blinked and pointed towards herself. "Me?"

"Yes, you." Koemna cracked a small smile as he folded his arms before him, "You were one of the closest to him besides Hiei, and though Hiei did say he'd stop in from time to time, I'd rather not have him constantly around Kurama. There's…something about him that's telling me he wouldn't be a suitable babysitter and whatnot. That's why I'd like you to do it." He placed his chin between his hands as he gave her a darling look, making her shift her eyes suspiciously at him. There was another catch to this catch, she was sure of it.

"Uh huh, and what's the other catch to this 'break' I'm receiving?"

"Catch? Why, I'd never-"

She gave him a strange look, and quickly he smiled and gave a nervous laugh.

"Well along with having to live with him and try to help him along with his progress, you'll also be stuck with him twenty-four seven. That means, where ever he goes, so to you –and vice versa."

"Uh huh. But if he becomes Youko, can't he just, I don't know, eat me and then cause havoc anyway?"

"Well, yes-"

"WHAT?!"

"-But that's why I have found a loophole!"

Botan eyed him suspiciously once more, finding that she was becoming increasingly tired of his inserts running her around. It felt like she was on some sort of faulty rollercoaster, being thrust in a loop, stuck for about an hour, and then told that once it got moving she'd plummet to her death! And then, once she was about to have the impending heart attack, some amused announcer would say April Fools or some other cruel nonsense like that. She sighed loudly, placing her head in her hands considering she couldn't take staring into the giddy face of Koenma any longer. She sighed again, "What loophole is that Koenma-san?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked. You see, the only way to assure that Youko will not run rampant would be to try to domesticate him, like you would a kitten or a puppy."

"…Are you asking me to try to tame a dangerous, notorious, womanizing kitsune?"

'And that's putting it extremely lightly.' She thought sarcastically to herself.

"Bingo!" He said as he mocked her normal catchphrase. Her head shot up rather swiftly as she gave him an incriminating look, not at all happy with the gesture. "Wait! Before you strangle me, I'm merely saying give it a chance! He'll listen to you!" Botan certainly was not reassured, especially now that it seemed like she was expected to play some sort of lion tamer. She grew strangely silent, a fact that Koenma wasn't too sure he liked, but when she bowed her head seemingly in defeat, he held a victorious grin.

"Good girl, now it won't be all that bad, maybe just a month or twelve-!"

"TWELVE?!"

And so, after being forcibly ripped off of the poor, unconscious Koenma, Botan found herself standing before her new home for who knows how long. Clearly she was rather ready to jump the gun and run, but considering this was her only chance to keep to herself without interference, and the fact that she was guilty for not having even notice Kurama in Hodikei Forest, she decided against it. Nodding her head and scourging up her courage, she stepped forward to turn the knob of her shared home with Kurama.

Of course, her plan was immediately thwarted when it instead opened on its own.

"Hm, took you long enough."

Okay, so maybe the idea of running wasn't shot just yet..

Dundundun! So now our favorite shinigami is stuck in a home with Kurama/Youko Kurama! What kind of fate awaits her?! Find out in the next chapter!