Author's Note: I don't even want to look at this chapter anymore! I swear, I was going back and forth with it so much that I rewrote parts of it so often that I don't even remember what it looked like when I started off about a year ago. I just remember it was a monstrosity. I am so happy to be done with this chapter that it's not even funny. I HATE this chapter! On the plus side, I'm off to finish off the next chapter which I'll be breaking into two parts as a sort of gift for you guys. This also means that the voting for what tournament you guys like the most will be extended until a week after the next chapter. So, there's still time to get all of you back! As for the voting, it will either be one or the other. Either a dark tournament, or Makai one. Not both. Hurry and get your votes in! J RnR!
"….What's your name?"
"K….Ku…" Frustration. Anger. Embarrasment. The emotions filled his rapidly beating heart as his hands, still so new, held his throat as if to force it to work. "Ku…Rrra…. Ku…"
"You can't speak?"
A pale, furless head of silver shook in the negative before the massive body that the fox now took stumbled forward. The ground was hard and unforgiving as he fell to his knees, not used to walking upright on only his hind legs. Still, Kurama tried. Finally, he could tell her his name. He became a man just for her. He became a man so he could hold hold her, and love her. Yet, try as he might, he couldn't say his own name. "Ku…." Kurama tried to speak, to tell her just how much he loved her. But nothing came out. He couldn't say the words, for he knew not how. He'd only been a man for so little time, so little that Kurama couldn't do anything beyond stumble.
"It's okay. There's no rush. You can tell me when you're ready. Don't force it. Can I call you Ku-chan till then?"
He would like that very much. On shaky legs, Kurama rose to his feet again and stumbled closer to the girl who was nothing but kind to him. When he fell again, his forehead collided with the flesh of her swollen ankle. She did not cry out, but that didn't matter. He knew her so well, that her pain was as much a physical blow to him that he need not peer beyond the mask to see it. An apologetic bark escaped his lips, and golden eyes could do nothing but look up at the bruised flesh of the fair beauty he'd come to love.
"It's okay. It didn't hurt that much."
"I…" Kurama tried to apologize again, but only properly, but the mouth he had didn't work right.
"It's okay."
How could he make her understand? She knew what he wanted to say, and yet she could not hear the meaning. Kurama wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his face against her stomach. The hard lines of her ribs pressed firmly against the hot skin of his face, serving as a reminder of his failures. He wanted to do right by her. He wanted to make her happy and healthy. Even more, he wanted to love her. How could he do that? The words 'I love you' should not have been so hard to say. Yet all he wanted to do was tell her. But he couldn't. So he showed her, his heart, everything his mouth could not say. Kurama showed his heart the true depth of his devotion. Even if he didn't know how, Kurama let instinct take over.
"Ku-?"
It was so strange, the pressing of mouths. For all the times he'd seen it and for how often he'd seen the affects, Kurama couldn't fully comprehend the draw of such an action. There was nothing special about it. Her lips were so soft against his, so much so that he feared that one wrong move and he'd blemish them. The cut on her lip opened enough to allow drops of blood to smear crimson over both their mouths, but that could only be ignored as the true marvel of kissing slowly sank in. It wasn't the act, it was the feeling. Deeper than just their lips touching, it was the heat of a thousand nerve endings sparking with life just to enjoy the touch of another. It was the taste of her lips on his own. It was how that one touch made everything come alive with crystal clarity.
"Ku-chan!"
Kurama couldn't back away fast enough when she pulled away from him. Guilt and shame made his body cold even as the heat of the kiss still burned his lips with pleasure. He'd done something wrong.
"Don't go! I…I wasn't expecting….No one's ever kissed me before. Why would you do that? You don't even know me."
But he did know her. He'd watched her from afar for so long. How could she not see it? Be he a man or a kitsune, he was still him. There was no difference.
"Ku-chan? I know you, don't I? But, I've never seen someone like you before."
Yes you have, he wanted so desperately to say, trying to help her reach that stage of full recognition. It was there, deep in her eyes, but something was stopping her from making the link. His face may be human, but his eyes were the same. "K…" he tried to speak again, to tell her who he was and who she knew him as. Still, words could not form.
"You have his eyes; the eyes of my friend. Is it you? How is it possible?
She knew him. He couldn't hold himself back as he threw himself back onto the girl's lap. His knees struck the ground hard, but the pain of his abused joints went ignored. Instead, he simply held her as tight as he could without further harming her frail and abused body. Looking up at her, Kurama pushed his body upwards to kiss her again. When she didn't push him away, Kurama allowed himself to move even further in the expression of his love.
The air was damp and cold and the roots that surrounded him allowed for enough leverage to push against the body clinging to his own. He didn't know what he was doing, or why. All he knew was that it felt good to finally hold the girl in his arms. The light of the sun peered through the deep hollow within the tree, allowing for Kurama to take in her beauty. Though beaten and bloodied, she was so far beyond perfect in his eyes. The scent of paradise filled his lungs and overpowered the wet earth, making the fox surrender all the more to the physical needs born from the man's body he now held. Pulling away, Kurama basked in her light.
"Ku-chan," the girl in his arms whispered, as if to taste his name. Her voice was so soft that it barely carried over a whisper. "It's okay Ku-chan; One step at a time. There's no rush, Ku-chan, my dear friend."
The sound of her voice was like silk, it always has been. But to hear her say his name, even in part, was a symphony of sound. For so long he'd longed to hear her say it; to hear her scream it. For years he's been by her side, yet that moment marked the first that she'd ever said his name. If at all possible, the love he'd harbored for her grew even more.
Memories danced within Kurama's mind, so vivid that the smell of the earth and the feel of her warmth in the cold, damp ground. The taste of her lips. The feel of her very being. It was all so familiar. So much like now. Kurama fought to keep the memory alive, but as he reached for it the hazier it became. It didn't matter. All that did was the woman in his arms.
Pushing her against the wall behind her, Kurama gripped Botan's hips and pulled her body flush against his. One of her legs became trapped within his and in that moment he was lost. Kurama engaged Botan's tongue in a heated battle for dominance as he ground his hips into hers. Her taste was divine, as if absolute bliss existed within Botan's kiss. One hand followed the contour of Botan's hip to grip her thigh, hiking it up around his waist and lifting her off the ground. Her trapped leg ground hard against Kurama's growing length before coming free. Kurama groaned his pleasure, pressing his hips harder against Botan as her other leg joined the first to wrap around his waist. Botan's arms wrapped around Kurama's shoulders before her hands buried themselves deep into his mane of crimson red. Her sharp claws dragged over his scalp, bringing the groan to a deep moan.
When Kurama nipped at her lower lip, Botan mewed and bucked her hips hard against him. Her tongue writhed against Kurama's hungrily, committing his wickedly addictive taste to her memory. The feel of Kurama's hands over her set her skin ablaze, making her want, no, need for Kurama to touch her more. His palm over her thigh wasn't enough. She needed to feel him on her skin. Frustration and desire pushed Botan to slip on hand from Kurama's hair. Down her palm went until it became lost between her legs where the hem of Kurama's shirt became trapped. Her dainty hand slipped underneath, hiking his shirt higher so that when she arched into him, the flesh of her stomach could feel the delight of having his bare abdomen press against her.
"I know I said it before, but I really didn't think you'd have it in you."
Bliss turned to demonic fury as Kurama pulled back from Botan. Golden eyes turned from the image of an equally annoyed Botan to find the image of Takahiro Yutaka. Behind him, the many faces of his crew blended together, becoming a living mass of leers and drunken grins. Even farther still were the faces of the two girls Botan was dancing with as well as Maya's heartbroken expression. Kurama understood Maya being nosy and all, but the rest had no excuse to be injecting themselves into his business. What was so interesting about him kissing Botan? There were three in one room and five in another, all screwing, so what made him so special? "Is the audience really necessary?"
"This is just one of those see it to believe it moments. No one pegged you for being able to score so easily. Half of us thought you were gay."
"Well he's not," not completely*, "so do you mind?" Botan growled, her hackles rising. Her strong arms, which were deceptively delicate and slender in her current container, crossed over her chest. Her painted claws dug into the skin of her bicep without breaking through the flimsy barrier. Botan's anger at her interruption and the near bloodlust that bubbled beneath the surface struggled to extend beyond herself, making Botan's eyes narrow into slits and her lips press into a thin line. Her dizzy spells were chased away by a singing hunger and screeching malice. Annoyed wasn't quite the word to describe the feelings dancing in Botan's heart.
"She's saucy too. I really see why you like her."
What was it about alcohol and kids that turned them into such nuisances? Kurama didn't understand it, but he could only attribute that to the young man's suicidal behavior. "So you've said. If you'll excuse us?" Kurama caught one of Botan's flexing hands in his own before tugging her along around the growing group of meddlesome kids. As he skirted around the many teens, a tanned arm shot out to block Kurama's path to the only other available exit. A strange calm settled over Kurama in that moment. Even with his demon instinct beating against the surface, and with his need to mate shattering all inhibitions and carefully made guises, things just made sense. What was Kurama fighting to maintain his image for? There was no respect for him and his personal space. There was even less for the young woman hissing behind him. What was it all for, when that masked was backfiring in his face at the worst possible time?
Absolutely nothing.
His human mother knew who and what he was. After the summer ended, there were only a few more months left of school. Kurama would never see them again, and the school grounds were so far away. There was no one there to report him. There was no one there sober enough, or strong enough to challenge him. What was stopping Kurama from acting on his need to remind the weak human cattle* exactly who he really was? Kurama was in no mood to control his demon urges. He was far from it. Yusuke, Hiei, and Kuwabara had it right. Kurama knew this. He always had. Now, it was Kurama acting against the foolish child. It wasn't his instinct. It wasn't his high strung heart. It was Kurama through and through.
"You have all of three seconds to remove your arm from my path. Three." Kurama began to count down, ignoring the sudden pressure in his hand. Botan was telling him not to with the simple action, trying to remind him without any other aid of the life he'd carefully crafted for himself. Straight A student. Kind and helpful. Never did anything wrong and was always the one person students and teachers alike could count on to do the right thing. Kurama had spent years crafting Shuichi's image. Two decades of his life was spent, only to be wasted in a single instance all because his mating time made him more than a little cranky.
"Or what?" There was fear in Yutaka's eyes, but the heavy alcohol in his system as well as the goading of the bit of his gang with him made the male press on in his inebriated bravery. "I highly doubt you can pull a stunt like that again. A weakling like you? That was all adrenaline back there."
"Two." Gold and red rimmed Kurama's eyes, but the calculating consciousness remained. Though he was loath to admit it, Kurama felt a spike in his aggression, followed by the anticipation and want to do the human blocking his path harm. Kurama wanted to break Yutaka. It would be so easy. One less annoyance in the world would be worth the shattered image of sweet and kind hearted Shuichi.
"Ku-chan," Botan hissed under her breath, trying to stall the countdown. She knew Kurama was at the end of his patience. Part of Botan couldn't blame him. Kurama had been coerced into this party, and as such had no real desire to be there. What's more, Kurama was too old to be dealing with the pompous actions of a child when he was so close to his baser personality. Botan sucked on her teeth and stepped back once the final second was reached. The boy refused to back away, thinking that Kurama wouldn't do much with so many backing Yutaka. It's his own fault.
Botan didn't even flinch when Kurama grabbed the boy's arm and used the other to catch the youth by the back of his head. In one smooth notion, Kurama pulled the head in his hand around him to slam the forehead against the railing. The body attached crumbled to the ground and Botan felt her own tension ease somewhat to see that the boy was on the ground unconscious. The falling shikigami couldn't even bring herself to feel bad for the human. If anything, she felt better to see that he'd been punished for ruining her fun. She knew she would have felt better to lash out with her own hands, but Botan dared not admit that out loud. There were some things she wasn't ready to face about herself.
Hopping over the crumpled body, Botan returned to Kurama's side and offered him a curious expression. Was he alright? He'd been acting out a lot and surely the repercussions were something of worry to the youko. All she saw was Kurama shrug his shoulders and the light of malicious glee in his eyes. He'd enjoyed hurting Yutaka; that much was clear. Demons Botan thought with a roll of their eyes. But then, that would be her soon. Soon, she would have malicious urges as well. Already, she could feel them whispering words of dark encouragement to follow in Kurama's footsteps. Botan wanted to hurt the boy as well, not just lash out to express her anger. "Let's head home now? This party's boring anyway. We can try again when Shizuru throws one. That'll be fun, ne?"
Kurama simply nodded as he reigned in the last of his violent urges inwards. He was still far from himself, but in having Botan with him he was much calmer now. Kurama was no longer the mess of hormones and needs like from when everything started. He should be able to control himself better. However, the dam had been broken and his human persona was becoming less and less noticeable. He knew it. Kurama could feel the ease at which that mask was peeled away and there was no desire to give chase. Without it, Kurama felt closer to his truest self. It was as frightening as it was calming. Kurama let loose a sigh of contentment, rolling his shoulders and popping his neck before turning to his beloved. There was a brief inclination of his head, telling Botan that he agreed with Botan. This party was a bust because, barring Kaito, Kurama didn't even like the people in attendance. They were a certain type of people that Kurama didn't generally associate with.
"Maya, we should probably head out now. We can grab dinner on the way," Botan let Kurama lead the way towards the exit, but she took the lead of what would happen next. Kurama didn't have any patience gathered to pretend he cared whichever way. So, it was up to Botan to use her sweetness to usher the girl along. In her mind, the act was no better, but kind tones would be preferred over cold and clipped ones.
To stunned to say otherwise, Maya simply nodded and ran over to Kurama's side. Her heels hitting the wooden flooring served as the only sound. Everyone else was stunned into silence, unable to move or even process the fact that it was Shuichi that shut the gang banger up. Everyone knew Shuichi as a kind, but shrewd individual that was more a bookworm than anything. He was soft spoken and rarely ever said anything unkind. To see this display of violence was nothing short of unbelievable. When the door closed behind them all, the silence ended in an explosion of sound and nothing stopped the rumors from forming.
The farther the failed attempt at "fun" grew, the happier Kurama became. He knew the party was going to be a bad idea. Kurama knew the moment he learned who was responsible for the invite. But, the women of his apartment decided that some fun was in order to get him and Botan to recharge. In any other setting, Kurama would have agreed since everyone was high strung and ready to snap. Botan wasn't used to long drawn out missions where she was an active participant in a physical body. Kurama wasn't used to having a female partner during his mating time. Neither of them knew how to save the day without the aid of their friends. Everything piled on at once into a vicious cluster, leaving all a fragile mess of emotional baggage. Fun would have been good. The party was not. It wasn't even the party itself so much as the people involved.
Botan was right to suggest trying again when Shizuru decided to throw a party of her own. That, Kurama would be more than happy to go to. If Yusuke threw a party, Kurama would gladly go to that. If any of his friends and team were in any way part of some party to which Kurama was invited, Kurama would gladly go. The party that Kurama and Botan were invited to came from preppy rich kids that Kurama only knew as classmates and nothing more. He didn't even commit any of their names to memory; they were just Maya's friends and a bunch of rich kids. Those were the only categories Kurama needed in those regards.
"Sorry about what had happened at the party," Maya offered from the backseat, wishing that the "fun" promised and fought for had worked out.
"It's not your fault, Maya," Kurama offered. "I should have known better than to risk teenage interactions so soon.
"It wasn't all bad though, right?" Gently, Botan eased her hand between Kurama's palm and the stick shift, lacing her fingers with his own. Botan dared not look Kurama directly in the eye, choosing instead to peek through her thick lashes timidly. A pink flush encased Botan's cheek at the memory of their kiss shared. As warmth filled her, Botan sucked her lower lip into her mouth to catch it between her teeth. The heat of Kurama's kiss still lingered over them, making them tingle with an internal fire that danced over her nerve endings. Kurama's fingers tightened around Botan's, pulling her attention from his profile downwards to their intertwined digits. With want in her eyes, she watched as Kurama caressed the back of her hand before pulling her hand up from the consol. His lips pressed against her knuckles in an open mouthed kiss, his tongue flicking over her delicate skin.
Once the car was fully stopped, Kurama gave Botan a soul searing gaze. In his eyes, Kurama expressed his every desire and emotion. He wanted Botan. That want ran so deep that it became a physical need. "It wasn't all bad." Molten orbs settled on Botan's mouth hungrily, needing to have another taste. Kurama could feel the addiction already forming, digging deep into his core and taking root. He didn't care. Beyond the mission, Kurama cared for nothing else but finding ways to taste Botan again. More open mouthed kisses graced Botan's knuckles before he coaxed her fingers to uncurl. The exposed pads of Botan's fingers soon found themselves subject to the same treatment. Kurama nipped and kissed the delicate pads of her fingers, inching down her palm until he reached her wrist.
Botan gave Kurama's cheek a loving caress, so tempted to pull him near and allow for the both of them to pick up where they left off, but there was not the place, and then was not the time. The light would be turning green soon, and traffic would then force their moment of affection to a backwards crawl. As it was, Kurama settled both their hands back onto the stick shift and eased the car into first gear. Home was around the corner now, so their longing for physical affection would be met soon. They could wait a few more moments when they've already waited for what felt to be an entire month.
"So I take it you two are dating now?" Maya questioned from the backseat with a heavy tone and a dark heart. Hazel eyes were focused solely on the bags of food Maya held, refusing to gaze upwards to see the picture perfect scene of love between her beloved and the girl he'd chosen over her.
Kurama didn't care, smiling over at Botan without anything to hide. "Yes, we are." Saying it felt so strange, and yet Kurama could say it a thousand times over in as many different ways if only to see Botan's radiant smile remain a permanent fixture on her face. He didn't feel sorry for it. How could he? Kurama had the woman he wanted, bound to him of her own choosing even though their path would be far from easy. They were not yet mated, nor could they be for as long as Yuri's mark remained. However, Kurama felt his need to pursue Botan and claim her as his own diminish. There was no more desperate madness or frenzy. There was no rush to try and claim her before another could try and steal her away. There was only the cool calm that came with knowing that Botan wanted him, chose him, and would gladly give herself to him even though Botan knew everything about him and what it meant.
The car ride didn't last for much longer, but for Maya, it was an eternity in hell. It was official, Shuichi had chosen Botan and there was nothing that could be done to the contrary. When the car stopped, Maya didn't even wait for the engine to die. Maya's car door was thrown open to free her from her cage. With bags in hand, Maya could only watch with a broken heart as Shuichi shuffled around the vehicle to help her out of the car as if she were some dainty princess. It was only an afterthought, or the memory of manners that prompted Kurama to turn away from his blue haired love. When emerald eyes met her own, another piece of Maya died. Not a word was spoken when Kurama took the bags of fast food from her arms. The act of chivalry, which had once given rise to blushes and appreciative words, no longer filled Maya with warmth. Inside, she was now cold and barren.
Neither of them cared. Kurama* was too absorbed in Botan, and Botan would do nothing more than shoot Maya glances as if to say sorry. But sorry for what? Was she sorry for being responsible for breaking Maya's heart into a million pieces? Was Botan sorry for stealing away the first and only man Maya had ever loved? Maya didn't want Botan's sympathy. It only made her suffer all the more. Maya had already played her cards. There was no more ace to play, and even if there had been, Maya had lost. Botan should just leave her where she lay instead of spit on her with the witch's brand of winner's remorse. It was insulting. Yet, Maya couldn't help but prefer that over Kurama's indifference. He was in such a hurry to be alone with Botan that he was practically racing towards the elevator. Maya was almost left behind. Part of her wished she had been.
When the metal doors opened, Maya walked as slow as she could without breaking into a standstill, watching as the "happy couple" tried to be discreet and considerate of her in their hurry to get into their shared apartment. Their brand of consideration was salt on the wounds, bringing tears of anger into her eyes. The apartment door was thrown open before she could even reach the halfway mark in the row of doors. When Maya reached the doorway, Kurama and Botan were nowhere to be seen. The bag with Maya's dinner rested on the dining room table, waiting in silent mockery for her to come claim it. She didn't focus much more on it, snatching it from the wooden surface and ignoring the muffled sounds of Botan and Kurama. Maya stalked towards her room before slamming her door shut behind her, flicking on her lights as she did so. Her massive bed monopolized the room, covered in a thick comforter of purple and blue. On either side of it were redwood night tables that had been hand carved with floral accents. To Maya's left was her dresser, which was pushed flush against the wall. There was where Maya dropped her purse and bag of food.
Cold and detached eyes eyed the little pouch and chain. There was only room enough for her wallet and phone, yet still, it had been something bought by Shuichi during their first shopping trip. It was done in passing; Maya didn't even think Shuichi thought anything of it. Maya stripped herself of her clothes and walked towards her closet. With the same absentmindedness as her gaze, Maya threw her clothes and the boots she held inside before pulling her pajamas from one of the top drawers of her dresser. Once dressed, Maya grabbed her food and threw herself onto her bed before she curled into a ball of misery.
Maya wanted to cry, but no tears would fall. All Maya could think was that she tried her hardest and had even allowed herself to sink into something so twisted by jealousy. She couldn't even recognize herself when she looked in the mirror anymore. Maya couldn't help it. For so long she'd loved Shuichi. Since they're meeting, she had always known he was special, and that specialness was what drew Maya in like a moth to the flame. The more she knew him, the deeper Maya fell in love. Shuichi was just so perfect, while she….Maya was not. In the face of competition, Maya lost herself to jealousy like a simpering and catty individual. That was everything Maya once believed she wasn't.
"I guess even I'm capable of losing to my emotions." Maya's words were for no one in particular. She just wanted to fill the silence so the faint echo of Botan and Kurama would go away. Eventually, it became too much and Maya reached over to her alarm clock which doubled as a radio. The chorus of "Chocolate Love" filled the silence of her room. Maya tried to surrender herself to the song, curling onto her side so she could listen to the music and nothing else. From under her pillow, Maya withdrew one of her fantasy novels. Maya pulled a folded picture from between the pages and pressed a palm to the opened book. On it was the enlarged photo from one of her elementary school trip.
Her entire fourth grade class went on a trip to one of the public gardens of their town. Maya could picture it clearly in her mind. It was lunch time, and the scent of flowers hung thick in the air as she and the other children ran around and played. Not Shuichi though. He never played with other children unless he absolutely had to, and rarely was it ever anything beyond tag or hide and seek. No other games held his attention. But when it came time to eat their lunch, their teacher called for a group photo to commemorate the occasion. When everyone smiled or made faces, Shuichi just sat off to the side to stay in the shade of a nearby tree. Maya had gone over to his side in an attempt to get him to smile. The picture was taken of her leaping onto his back. He wasn't smiling or anything, just staring at her as if dragged from a distant world. It was almost sweet. So much so, that when offered, Maya leapt at the opportunity to have a print. The image was old and faded, but Maya treasured it more than anything else she owned. Smiling down at it, Maya gave into her heart's pain and wished with all her might that maybe she'd have another chance.
Maya lifted her book to her face when the memory became too painful. Instead, she focused on reading about magic potions, spells and their origins. This chapter centered around spells to induce love. If only they were real, but Botan had assured her that the book was nothing but rubbish. Real guides to magic couldn't be found that easily in the human world.
The white of Botan's pants stood out in great contrast to the dark of Kurama's shirt from the floor; having been discarded in the pursuit of comfort and freed limbs. Bags were soon added to the pile, no longer needed as Kurama and Botan found their places of coziness against the headboard of the bed. Containers of greasy fast food were balanced precariously on pillows too soft to provide a sturdy enough surface. The television had been turned on upon their entering, playing some cartoon or other that neither of the room's occupants were truly watching. They were too busy with each other to notice much else, laughing at the shock of the poor humans that they'd left and simply enjoying the thrill of laughing at nothing in particular.
However, no sooner than when their meals were gone was when Kurama and Botan found themselves to be a tangle of limbs and sheets. The entire length of Kurama's body was spooned against Botan to allow for their legs to tangle. He draped one arm over Botan's waist, happy to simply touch her and draw her nearer. Kurama's other arm propped his head up so he could look down on his dearest unobstructed. Occasionally, Kurama would lower his head to nip at Botan's neck or jawline before pressing feather light kisses until he reached her mouth.
Botan moaned into the kiss, twisting enough so that her arm could reach up and hold the back of Kurama's head. With her back flush against Kurama, Botan arched and allowed her hips to roll until she was pressed firmly against his lap. His leg hiked up between her legs, bringing about a moan from her lips. "I can really get used to this," Botan admitted once their lips parted. As a working girl, there was never any time for kisses and cuddles even though she thrived on all forms of affection. The downtime between the missions was like a vacation for her body. It felt so good she could have purred.
Kurama grinned down at Botan before pulling her closer and resting his head where Botan's neck met her shoulders. "So could I. But, we have been going backwards." Kurama had been pondering their relationship for a while now, and as much as he loved it, he felt himself to be selfish. In the past, that had never been an issue. However, for the woman in his arms, Kurama wished to do right by her. She meant more to him than just arm candy and an exceptional lay. Even more so, Botan meant more to him than a simple girlfriend or temporary mate. Going the right way, even in their current states was slowly becoming more important than anything else.
"We have?" The television in front of Botan went forgotten as she rolled over to face Kurama. The action took some doing, since detangling her legs from Kurama's wasn't as simple as originally thought. In her mind, given the fact that Kurama was in is mating time and she was cursed, it made perfect sense to do things in different directions. Linear courses of courtship didn't apply. By demon standards, they weren't even that far off from normal. Usually marks came before actual courtship. By Reigen standards, who were notoriously more social and closer in societal views and the like to the fae, sex came first. Nothing backwards.
"Yes, we have. By the human standard, I should have asked you out on a date first if I'm not mistake. Then I kiss you."
"We're not humans, though." Botan was only half human at birth, and the human in her died a few thousand years ago. At most, her human container still had human attributes. Still, Botan would never be human, so why should she be bound by the human standard? Sometimes Kurama was just strange in how his mind worked. Botan cocked her head to the side in a way not so dissimilar to a feline.
Her catlike qualities were what had endeared Botan to everyone, more so than even her bright and chipper outlook and invaluable knowledge and usefulness. To see it use against him in such a way had Kurama's smile growing and his heart melting. She was so cute. "I know, but you were raised human." Even if the past was still hard to come to grips with, Botan had been raised as a human, albeit an outcast one. Botan, for all her knowledge, only knew what she'd read about demons and what she'd learned from him and Hiei. As for Reikai, their standards were impossible to follow even if Botan was full Reigen. She wasn't, but for the thousand years that she'd spent living amongst them, she didn't behave or act like them because she wasn't. Why would Kurama treat her as something she wasn't? The human standard was safest and most straightforward. It also allowed for her importance to be shown. No more questions and what ifs. No more lengthy rules to remember or trying to find a place where they would fit with their complex situation. He would do right by her, even if it meant doing so as a human. She deserved that much, and as far as dating went, humans had the right idea for the most part.* "I want to do right by you, especially since you've been putting up with the worst of me."
Meow. "I wouldn't say the worst." Kurama wasn't that bad, and Botan had encyclopedic knowledge of what was going on with Kurama biologically. Common sense also told her that his body, though demon, was still biologically human so the warring chemicals in his body and brain were probably making things worse. Biology was the living's greatest enemy, so much so that Botan could recite every possible negative thing it could do to a person.
"Aggressive. Possessive. Jealous. Bloodthirsty. Frenzied. Unable to think clearly. Emotional." Kurama could tick off more of his flaws in regards to how he'd been behaving. Since the beginning, Kurama has fallen farther and farther from himself the deeper he fell in love with her. Even now, Kurama could feel himself still in free fall with ground zero fast approaching. Without the logic to back him, Kurama knew that by doing this he could somehow slow his descent lone enough for Botan to save him from himself. It's a good thing Botan can fly. "If not my worst, than close enough."
Seeing where Kurama was coming from, Botan rolled her eyes and offered a smile. That should all have been implied. "Well, yeah, but it's not your fault." It was all biology, and some demology. Kurama knew that, and he was probably trying to make himself feel better by explaining things. He was very used to being near stupid individuals that it was becoming a tic of his. Botan didn't mind it since having her knowledge reaffirmed made her feel better as well. Still, Botan didn't understand where Kurama was going with the conversation. He had her understanding as far in regards to his behavior, but the backwards thing still had her confused.
"Doesn't matter. My needs shouldn't be the forefront of our relationship, even if only to start. So, I was hoping you'd do me the honor of going out with me on a date." Kurama waited for the gears to start turning in Botan's head, knowing that once they began there would be a cornucopia of emotions dancing in Botan's eyes. The amethyst would fade into a limitless spectrum of pinks, purples, and even silver and blue. There were times when Kurama found himself trying to confuse her just to see the emotions and colors dance within them.
The question took Botan aback, her mind reeling. A date? "Really?" Never before had Botan even heard of Kurama going the extra mile for a significant other. Did she hear right? Botan truly thought that after they decided to be together officially that would be the end of it and that would be their happily ever after until the end of the mission, if at all. Kurama didn't do dating. He did full on PDA and screwing with the occasional show off sessions.
"Yes, really," Kurama chuckled, finding Botan's incredulousness to the idea adorable. He knew his file as well as she did, but he was more than accepting of the idea of change.
There was an extensive cabinet in her room that contradicted what Kurama just said, but still the happiness grew within her heart. However, work had to come first. "What about the mission?" The guys might all be fine with her taking a breather so she could go on the date, but Keiko would probably skin her alive for even thinking of a break.
"Kuwabara and Hiei can handle working together for one day to find us a few leads. Tomorrow will just be you and me." Kurama had more than a few favors that he could cash in to make that happen. Getting them to actually work as a team would be child's play.
Finally, Botan could accept that it was actually happening. Warmth exploded within her being and Botan's smile returned with a radiance that rivaled the sun. A date; an actual date. She never thought the day would come and true joy filled Botan to the brim. "I'd love to!" Botan exclaimed before throwing her arms around Kurama's neck and pressed her lips against his in a kiss.
Kurama returned the kiss eagerly, rolling the two of them over so Botan lay over his chest. Her legs fell to either side of his hips, giving Botan leverage enough to push her body upwards over Kurama's chest. Her body dragged over his as she moved to deepen the kiss, making Kurama's lips stretch into a grin. His hands moved from Botan's hips in favor of pulling her closer, one resting against the small of Botan's back while the other wove Kurama's fingers through the thick strands of Botan's hair. Lips parted to allow for their tongues to writhe against one another without any real prompting from either side. The mutual joy of simply kissing one another was what controlled them then. However, when Botan's hips started to rock against him, Kurama knew with a deep and satisfied hunger that more was what both wanted, and needed.
Hesitantly Kurama pulled himself from the warmth of Botan's mouth. His lips remained soft against her skin as he dragged them downwards until he could nip at her chin and jaw. The hand at the small of Botan's back followed the curve of her side upwards until they wound their way up to hold Botan's neck in a loving caress. His thumb danced over her pulse point, teasing the skin over the collar of her shirt. Kurama was in no real hurry. Instead he marveled at the sound of Botan's delighted moans and eager whimpers for more. Slowly, both Kurama's hand and lips trailed downwards. The first button of Botan's shirt came undone easily, exposing more of her neck to Kurama's hungry mouth and tongue. He followed the pulse of Botan's neck until he reached the side of her jugular, lapping and nipping at the skin before pressing heated open mouthed kisses over the pale skin. More and more of her skin was exposed by Kurama's working hand, but his focus remained solely on Botan's neck.
Botan moaned into the touch, arching her body into Kurama with the hopes of getting more of his touch. Raw hunger filled her very being with a mewling coo as the last of her shirt's buttons were undone. The shirt parted to allow for her breasts to spill free from their tight bondage. Botan could feel Kurama's hot breath fan over the tops of them from where he suckled on her neck, bringing goose pimples to rise with every breath. Botan tried to get more of it, leaning against him fully until her breasts were crushed against the solid wall of his chest. His hand became pinched between their bodies, but that didn't stop his questing fingers from tweaking her nipples to bring about a lengthy moan. Botan could feel her body flush with an internal flame, but was too hazy minded with pleasure to care. She rocked her body against Kurama and his hand, trying to put an end to the teasingly delicate.
He could feel her frustration mounting, but Kurama didn't care. He couldn't care. Botan's lusty desires were the thing that Kurama strove for. He wanted to tease her; to make her as hungry for this form of intimacy as he was. He wanted her to hunger for him. What's more, he wanted Botan to suffer a bit longer before giving in to her every want. Kurama wanted eagerly for Botan to give into her selfish desires and lose herself to touch and passion. He wanted for her to be free. No inhibitions. No questions running through her mind about what was and wasn't proper. Kurama desired to see the hunger in Botan's eyes when the final step was taken into the realm of 'I want, I get.' Grinding his hips upwards, Kurama ground hard against Botan's undulating hips, keeping sync with her rhythm with a hungry growl.
Botan's voice caught in her throat when Kurama ground against that spot; that one spot that sent shots of pleasure up her spine and made lights dance behind her eyelids. In the back of her mind, Botan acknowledged the stabbing pain of her scar, but it was nothing compared to that gloriously good feeling. She wanted more of it. Even if it meant dislodging Kurama from her neck, Botan sat up over Kurama's lap and ground her hips back into him with the hopes that she'd get that feeling again. Her lids became heavy before they fluttered closed. There it was again; that molten electricity between her legs. She could feel the metal teeth of Kurama's zipper snag against the flimsy material of her lacey white panties, but she couldn't bring herself to concern herself with any damages. All that mattered was the firmness underneath and getting more of that feeling between her legs.
Knowing what she wanted, Kurama grinned. That was the look he was searching for. Easily, Kurama helped Botan shrug off her shirt so it could slide off her arms and drop somewhere forgotten. His expert hands then returned to Botan's heaving breasts. Massive palms caressed the smooth skin, kneading them and tweaking Botan's nipples to add to her growing pleasure. Rosy buds became trapped between Kurama's massaging fingers, pinching them in a way that had Botan releasing a sharp moan.
Botan could feel herself losing her mind to how good it felt, growing hungrier with each spike of glorious pleasure. She braced her one of hands low on Kurama's hips to keep her balance, not trusting herself to stay upright. The other reached up to join Kurama's grasping palms, placing it over one to try to get him to squeeze harder. Vaguely her mind registered the fact that Kurama was teasing her again since they had to maintain a level of tame-ness. In the back of her mind she understood every move Kurama made, but she wanted more. Botan needed more, but couldn't form her complaints into words. Instead, she groaned when Kurama didn't oblige her.
The sound was cut short when Kurama sat up to seal his lips against Botan's in another heated kiss. His hands then gripped her hips tightly as if to coax a faster rhythm from them, helping her to grind hard against his clothed member. He could feel the heat of his arousal grow with each stroke of lace against denim, making it grow tighter around him. The pain of being confined was becoming unbearable, but Kurama tolerated it due to the dangerous game they were playing. Her pleasure was what mattered, that was enough. However, keeping his thoughts straight was becoming increasingly difficult with how delicious Botan's lips were. Greedily, Kurama nipped and suckled at Botan's lips, committing every nuance to memory.
Soft petals then pulled back from the kiss only long enough to drag over Kurama's jaw and find the strong pulse of his jugular. She couldn't stop herself, even if she was capable of making the conscious effort. The little nips grew harder until the skin grew red from the abuse as blood rushed up to the skin. With no wound, the flush glared against Kurama's sun kissed skin in a tantalizing display. Botan scraped her lengthening incisors against the growing mark and dragged her tongue along the growing borders of the hickey forming. The longest of Botan's fangs finally drew blood, creating a thin line for which the rich and musky ichor could escape. As the rich flavor coated her taste buds, Botan felt more of her control slip until there was nothing left. She bit down hard into Kurama's neck; drawing out more of his blood eagerly with mewls of hungry delight.
A deep rumbling started in Kurama's chest, reverberating through his body in a pale echo of his pleasure. He cupped the back of Botan's neck before easing backwards to allow for better blood flow. He could feel each draw from her mouth drain him, but even as his energy left him Kurama felt his own physical desires and libido rise.
Amethyst eyes snapped open when Botan realized what it was she was doing, pulling back from Kurama and sitting up to straddle him again. Both her hands slapped over her mouth to hide the telltale signs of her feeding, but her eyes, still hungry, gave Kurama all the evidence he needed. She felt guilty, and already apologies were forming on her hidden lips. Botan's eyes darted away from Kurama's form, looking for something, anything, to distract her from what it was she had done. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. I…"
"It's alright," Kurama assured her, pulling her back down to lay over his chest again. "I don't mind."
"But I…on your file it says that you hate people getting anywhere near your neck. All canine demons do.*" At the hotel, he did give her permission to feed from him whenever she needed, but again she fed without asking. Surely that was reason enough for him to be upset. Botan didn't understand the why of it, but there were a lot of things that Kurama seemed to be making exceptions for. The jerk. He seemed to enjoy throwing curveballs at her.
As entertaining as Botan's worries were, Kurama couldn't help but ponder the true depths of them. Botan always spent so much of her time worrying about others. It was sweet, but completely unnecessary when he'd already assured her that everything was alright. "That is true, but for you I don't mind in the least. Like I said before, I enjoy it and you need it. So, drink your fill until you are completely sated." Kurama had changed over the years, and for Botan, his tolerance had grown exponentially. When she bit him, she wasn't trying to dominate him. She never would in that regard, as was her nature. When Botan bit him, it was because she needed him and the blood and energy he had to offer her. For Kurama that alone could push him over because such her need to feed from him was erotic in nature and sent jolts of pleasure through his entire body. Then there was the pleasure born from the fact that Botan needed him physically in a way that transcended sex and his body. She just needed him. Kurama could never mind that. He got off on it.
Still, Botan felt like a broken record, but at the same time "Are you sure? I don't want to drain you….what if something bad happens?" It was her turn to be the worrywart, but she couldn't help it. Her bites looked painful and her teeth marks were deep. Were he human or something closer to it, Kurama would be scarred forever with the mark of being her food. Such a thing was a shame to the demon that bore it. At least, that's what she thought. Unless a mark of mating, to ravage the neck of anyone else was a crime against that person.
"Love, it's my job to worry, not yours." Kurama assured her before rolling them over completely. Botan was now trapped underneath his body, and all Kurama could do was grin down at her while pinning her arms to either side of her head. "The apartment is fortified, and hidden in a celestial blind spot. Only people that know of this place can get here. If anything were to happen, we're more than capable of fighting them off long enough to escape." Kurama was crafty, and Botan was stronger than she looked, as she'd shown many times in the past even before she began to fall. Her worries were cute, but ill founded. Botan was just worrying for the sake of worrying over something now that there was nothing to do but enjoy life and the downtime it offered. "Now hush, you're ruining the moment."
"Oh Ku-chan…." Eventually, Botan settled long enough to latch her fangs back onto Kurama's neck so she could drink her fill. Oblivious to her, Kurama's body went rigid for a fraction of a second.
There's that name again…why do I remember it now?
*1 – Just a reminder, like all demons over 100 years old, Kurama is bisexual. He swings both ways.
*2 – In general, Kurama has no real love for stupid and annoying humans. He'll still protect them from death, but beyond that he couldn't care less.
*3 - Remember, Maya has created a separation between Kurama's human persona Shuichi and his true name and self.
*4 – The only bit Kurama's iffy about as far as human dating goes is monogamy. Like all non-humans, monogamy isn't mandatory and as such only comes with love or emotions close to it. No love or strong emotional attachment, no monogamy. Mandatory monogamy often times leads to infidelity and the feeling of being trapped to one person in the chance that love does come a person's way and it's not the person they're with.
*5 – Feline demons too. Actual neck biting (outside of mate mark making) is a sign of dominance over the other. It's why whenever two canines fight, they attack the other's neck. They're forcing their dominance.
Author's Note: Again, I HATE THIS CHAPTER! Writing it was so flippin hard that I think this is the one chapter I hate the most out of the entire fic. I love this fic. I love writing it. I love going back and rereading it and getting inspired all over again to keep writing it. I can't get bored of this fic and I see myself always coming back to this fic and simply trying to make it better. However, damn this chapter! I hate it! I'm gonna blame my long break from it and the curveball life threw at me. That's why I don't like I so much because I had the party scene for a bunch of reasons, and I forgot most immediate one. Grrrrr! I'm still happy to be done with it and I am somewhat pleased with how Botan and Kurama are slowly coming back to themselves. Kurama's mating time will still be an issue that will throw many wrenches in things, but it will no longer be making Kurama act all crazy. You'll see what I mean later. Just rest assured that the crazy OOCness has a purpose and the Kurama we know and love is coming back. Botan however…Keep an eye out and see ;p. You're all SO going to love and hate me once you see what I have planned for the future.
Any theories behind the past yet? The best clues you have are actually outside of the glimpses into the past. You might need to go back and reread a few chapters to catch them since the little clues are well hidden. Since I am so nice, you can find a very important clue in the third chapter, Botan's Hidden Scars. It's a question with an answer that should have no meaning beyond the obvious. In that question, the clue to the past can be found. Love you guys. Don't forget to vote!
Ciao!